Rooftop Olatua: the roof of the Atalaye facing the Rocher de la Vierge
A pavilion on the Atalaye plateau
In the gardens of the Atalaye, the headland that separates the Port-Vieux from the port des Pêcheurs, Olatua Biarritz, which opened in 2017, combines two venues: a terrace bar for bowls, platters and aperitifs, and, on the roof of the pavilion, the Rooftop, its sharing-plates restaurant. There are no reservations here: you take a seat wherever one is free.
The Rocher de la Vierge opposite
From the terrace, edged with a glass balustrade and shaded by large parasols, the panorama takes in the Rocher de la Vierge and its statue, the villa Belza, the Grande Plage and the lighthouse. The terrace tends to fill up at the end of the day, as the sun goes down over the Atlantic. On rainy days, the rooftop stays closed.
Food for sharing
The Rooftop's menu favours sharing plates: cecina croquettes, truffle croque, pan-fried baby squid with chorizo, sea bream carpaccio, roasted carrots or baba ganoush, from €12 to €20. For two, generous cuts served with potatoes: pork belly, Bay of Biscay hake or aged Galician rib of beef. The fish comes from the Saint-Jean-de-Luz fish auction and everything is cooked on site.
At the bar, signature cocktails are €13, the great classics €11 and mocktails €9, with a wine list drawn largely from biodynamic winemaking. A children's menu at €12 means families can come too.
Practical information
Olatua is seasonal: it welcomes guests from mid-April to mid-October and reopens every spring, with another concept taking over in winter. In season, the Rooftop serves from noon to 2pm and from 7pm to 10pm, and its bar is open from 6pm to 10.30pm; hours vary depending on the time of year, so it is best to check them. No reservations, and pets are not allowed on the roof. It can be reached on foot via the Atalaye plateau, a stone's throw from the Rocher de la Vierge.
For a dinner with your eyes fixed on the Rocher de la Vierge, the Rooftop Olatua offers a front-row view of the Biarritz coastline.
