San Sebastián is a gastronomic theme park for foodies. If you’re not eating and drinking the whole item here, you’re doing it wrong. Anthony Bourdain said that “We could make the argument that there’s no better place to eat in Europe than the city of San Sebastián. There are more Michelin-starred restaurants per capita than anywhere on Earth. But even the everyday joints are superb. The love of food, the insistence on the very best ingredients, is fundamental to the culture, and to life here.”
📝 They don’t use the word ‘tapas’ here. ‘Pintxos’ is the Basque version of taps but typically served on a small piece of bread. You’ll find almost every bar in town lined with a pintxos selection.
📝 If you come during religious holidays like Easter, there is a chance some restaurants might be closed. I learnt this the hard way.
📝 Drink; Txakoli is local slightly sparkling, dry white wine served in a traditional fashion of being poured up high away from the bottle. The cider is also very good.
📝 Basque cheesecake is now world famous and La Vina is the place to go to get a slice.
1. Ganbara Bar
“I come here every time, like a heat-seeking missile” – Anthony Bourdain on Ganbara Bar. Ganbara is a fancy pintxos bar with a great selection of wines. The quality of food here is incredible. My favourite dish is the mushrooms with egg yolk, although everything on the menu is good. For pintxos fry the shrimp & monkfish with potato. Open 12:30-15:30 and 19:00-23:00.
2. Bar Nestor
Bar Nestor is the place to come for aged Basque steak. The menu is here is small. They offer steak, tomatoes, padrón peppers, tortilla (if you book it early) & Gildas. The steak comes pretty rare but you can cook it to your preference on the sizzling cast-iron plate it comes served on. Nestor is one of the most popular restaurants in town so get here before 12:00 and join the queue to put your name down for lunch. Open 13:00-15:30 and 20:00-23:00.
3. La Chuchara de San Telmo
This is definitely one of my favourite restaurants in San Sebastián. I know it’s not very ethical but the cotxinhillo (suckling pig) is incredible. The other standout dishes for me is the carrillera (slow-cooked beef cheeks) and morcilla (black pudding). This place is always packed. Muscle your way to the bar. Open 12:30-15:30 and 19:00-23:00.
4. Borda Berri
A lively pintxos bar with a great selection of dishes. Try the crispy pigs ear, beef cheeks, risotto, and pork rib. Open 12:30-15:30 and 19:30-23:00 most days. Shorter hours Sunday and Tuesday. Closed Monday.
5. Antonio Bar
Antonio Bar is open early so a great spot to kick-off your day of over-eating. Everybody is here for the tortilla which is incredible. Open 09:00-23:00. Closed Sunday and Monday.
6. Gandarias
Gandarias is another restaurant also known for their steak. They have a great selection of pintxos here as well as rodaballo (turbot) served with garlic, olive oil, butter and parsley. Open 11:00-00:00. No siesta here.
7. Bar Sport
This lively pintxos bar is a great spot for a drink. The popular dish to get here is the foie gras. Open 09:00-00:00 almost every day.
8. La Vina
Go for their world-famous Basque cheese cake. In each order you get two small slices so it’s great for sharing. Open 11:00-15:30 and 19:30-23:00.
8. La Cepa
La Cepa is a good spot to go for a plate of jamon. They also serve a mushrooms with egg yolk dish here too. Open 11:00-00:00.
9. La Mejillonera
More of a working-class pintxos bar serving some great seafood dishes at great prices. Try the El Tigres (mussels in bravas sauce), patatas bravas & calamari bravas.
10. Bar Txepetxa
At Txepetxta it’s all about anchovies. Served on bread with a different selection of toppings. One of the more interesting pintxos comes with a berry jam. The hours are different each day so check Google before you visit.
11. Bar Paco Bueno
An old pintxos that’s open early so a good spot to add near the beginning of your crawl. The dish to get here is the deep fried prawns. Open 10:30-15:00 and 17:30-22:00.
James Dimitri 