The fourteen best pintxos you absolutely need to try before leaving San Sebastian

If you like gastronomy, good food, quality culinary experiences and gastronomic innovation, you cannot miss the opportunity to visit San Sebastian. It is one of the cities where you can eat the best due to the quality of its ingredients and the good work of its chefs.

Let us consider for a moment the magnitude of the gastronomic quality of this city: San Sebastian is a relatively small city, but there are no less than five Michelin-starred restaurants (at the time of writing this list). The Michelin Guide was created in France by the Michelin brothers in 1926 and annually publishes the best restaurants in each country. This award represents a way of rating restaurants through their quality, presentation and creativity. It is not exactly easy to acquire a Michelin star and its maximum rating is three stars. In the Michelin Guide we can find the following ratings:

1. Restaurants with one star, which means a very good restaurant that has a highly refined cuisine and stand out from the rest in their category.

2. Restaurants with two stars, which means excellent cooking, first-class quality in the type of cuisine they serve.

3. Three-star restaurants, which means we are talking about a restaurant with high-end cuisine and exceptional recognition for its work.

The three Michelin star restaurants in San Sebastian are the well-known Arzak and Akelarre. Arzak has had three Michelin stars since 1989, which reward its work due to its good practices with experimentation and research with different flavours and textures in its dishes. The Akelarre restaurant is located on the slopes of Monte Igueldo and received its three Michelin stars in 2007, due to its innovation and presentation of dishes that follow the new Basque cuisine.

With two Michelin stars we have the restaurant Amelia, by chef Paulo Airado. Finally, with one star, we find the restaurants Kokotxa and iBAi, the latter also by the Argentine chef Paulo Airado. It should be noted that the restaurant Amelia was included for the first time in 2021 and already has two stars.

But back to the point, what interests us here are the pintxos …

GOING OUT FOR PINTXOS IN SAN SEBASTIAN

As we have seen, San Sebastian is a city with a great culinary tradition. The city offers an unbeatable gastronomic offer and many possibilities to taste Basque cuisine. However, that is why one of the most typical plans for Guipuzcoans as well as for tourists is to go out for pintxos in the city and in the Old Town. Going with friends and family around the city to discover its bars is one of the best options you have in San Sebastian.

Pintxos are a small (and very elaborate) portion of food that can be made from any combination of ingredients. They are considered the Basque version of the typical Spanish tapas, but much more elaborate and with their own stamp. The city is famous precisely for this, and for going to discover the different bars and restaurants where very varied pintxos are offered , and even desserts are included. It is important to make clear that pintxos are not free (as some simple tapas can be in certain parts of Spain when you order a drink), and they usually cost between 1 and 4 euros depending on the ingredients used and their preparation.

THE FOURTEEN MOST POPULAR PINTXOS

We are now going to present, in no particular order, the fourteen most popular pintxos that we recommend trying in the city of San Sebastián.

1. BAR NESTOR'S TRADITIONAL CUISINE AND THEIR "TORTILLA" OR POTATO OMELETTE

We are going to start this particular route of the best pintxos in San Sebastian at Bar Néstor. This bar is located in the Old Town of the city, specifically on Arrandegi Street. Kalea 11. It is one of the best-known restaurants in the city for both its pintxos and its dishes.

It is a family-friendly and cozy bar with a great tradition, and it is also one of the most popular pintxo bars in the city. We recommend trying their tortilla pintxo here, but it is also known for its famous gilda pintxo. The gilda is a typical pintxo from the Basque Country, which is made up of peppers, anchovies and olives seasoned with a good olive oil and a little vinegar. This bar does not offer a wide variety of pintxos , but it is very famous for its food and its “tortilla de patatas” pintxos. It is so popular that it is very busy and generally it is even recommended to book.

2. LA MEJILLONERA, MUSSELS AND SEAFOOD

This bar is located in the city centre, at Calle del Puerto 15. La Mejillonera is considered one of the must-sees in the city, which receives this name due to its main dish, which is mussels and seafood.

In this bar we highlight the tapas of patatas bravas, and of course mussels. The patatas bravas are one of the best you can try in San Sebastian. You can also try tapas of calamari, calamari bravos in its sauce and a calamari sandwich. These are the main tapas you can try in this place. It is a small bar, like almost all other bars in the Old Town of the city, and it is very popular both among locals as well as tourists. The tapas can be ordered in a single portion or in a double portion. It is a bar that represents the essence of the sea in San Sebastian and it is one of the most traditional bars in this city of San Sebastian.

3. LA VIÑA, THE BEST CHEESECAKE

La Viña restaurant is one of the most emblematic in the city due to its famous Basque cheesecake. If you are in San Sebastian you cannot miss going to this restaurant. It is located in the Old Town of the city at number 3 on Calle 31 de Agosto. This is a restaurant that offers traditional food and has become famous because it has the best cheesecake you can try in all of San Sebastian. Much has been written about this cake and in many gastronomic publications, and it has even appeared on several television programs over the last few years.

For all these reasons, trying their pintxo or cheesecake is the ideal plan for visiting this restaurant. The cheesecake can also be ordered to take away. In addition, they have a fairly varied menu of pintxos.

4. BORDA BERRI, CATALAN AND BASQUE CUISINE AND ITS IDIAZABAL CHEESE RISOTTO PINTXO

This bar is another of the most popular in the Old Town of the city. It is located on Calle Fermín Calbetón 12 and here you can taste pintxos and dishes that combine Basque and Catalan cuisine. This bar also offers a great selection of wines.

They offer many hot pintxos and you can order them to take away. The most famous pintxos are the risotto with Idiazabal cheese, the gizzard ravioli and the rib kebab that they make in this restaurant. If you want to try something sweet, it is highly recommended to try the Catalan cream.

This restaurant stands out for its meat, and especially for its ribs, which are one of its specialties. The price of each pintxo is around three to four euros, so it is quite affordable.

5. BAR SPORT, ITS FOIE PINTXO IS A MUST

Bar Sport is one of the best-known bars in San Sebastian, located in the Old Town on the street Fermin Calbetón 10. This is a bar that is known by its sporty décor and predominantly young atmosphere. Many football and sports fans come to this bar to watch the competitions while enjoying some pintxos.

The most famous pintxos in this bar and the ones that everyone recommends are the foie pintxo and the steak burger. It has very good reviews and ratings regarding its customer service. They include a wide variety of hot pintxos on the menu.

6. BAR GORRITI, THE ESSENCE OF SAN SEBASTIAN WITH ITS COD OMELETTE PINTXO

This bar is one of the most famous in the whole city due to its good presentation and arrangement of pintxos. If you are visiting the bars in the Old Town and following the pintxos route, this is one of the must-see places. It is one of the oldest bars in the city and offers more than fifty pintxos to choose from, both hot and cold.

It is located on Calle San Juan 3 and stands out for offering Spanish Mediterranean cuisine. The prices are quite affordable for the pintxos and it also stands out for its music and authentic atmosphere. The most notable pintxos are prawns and cod omelette. They have a great selection of drinks available and also vermouths.

7. BAR LA ESPIGA, ONE OF THE PIONEERS IN MAKING PINTXOS IN THE CITY

This bar is one of the most emblematic in San Sebastian, located on San Martzial street 48, not far from La Concha beach. This bar was opened in 1928, so it has about a hundred years of history, and was one of the pioneers of pintxos in San Sebastian. It follows a family tradition, founded by Mrs. Luisa in an old wheat warehouse. Luisa was well-known by her creativity and loved cooking and preparing pintxos , so little by little they created all kinds of varieties and combinations.

This bar with a modern design stands out today for its meatball and chorreras pintxos. The chorreras are the star pintxo of this bar, which consists of eggs with ham fried in a flour dough. This bar specializes in its fried foods and its wide variety of pintxos of all kinds. Also noteworthy are its tortilla pintxos, croquettes, Russian salad, stuffed peppers…

8. BAR ANTONIO, TOP PINTXOS AND ESPECIALLY ITS TORTILLA FROM ANOTHER GALAXY

Bar Antonio is another of the most popular bars in the city of San Sebastian, located on Calle Bergara 3, and also in the Old Town of the city. It is one of the bars that offers a wide variety of pintxos of all kinds, and stands out for its good presentation, plating and the quality of its ingredients. It is also one of the best-rated bars in the entire city for its quality pintxos and good customer service.

In this bar you can try one of the most popular pintxos, the prawn ravioli, but their kokotxas and anchovy and pepper pintxos are also worth mentioning. But above everything else, their “tortilla de patatas” or potato omelette pintxo is from another universe: widely recognised inside and outside the city of San Sebastian, this tortilla pintxo is absolutely delicious and is a must-try for tortilla or potato omelette lovers visiting the city.

This bar offers high-quality and elaborate pintxos, with a wide variety of ingredients, and also stands out for the wide variety of wines it offers.

9. ATARI GASTROLEKU, HAUTE CUISINE AND ITS OCTOPUS PINTXO WITH POTATOES

This bar is located in the Old Town, on Calle Mayor 18, opposite the Church of Santa María. It has portions between 4 and 5 euros per pintxo and stands out for its haute cuisine.

We recommend trying their tapas of octopus with potatoes, anchovies and also the cheeks or carrilleras. They can be accompanied by a good Txakoli from the area. The place is very pleasant with the design of the typical Basque taverns and offers a wide variety of pintxos.

10. PINTXO OF “CARRILLERAS” OR PORK CHEEKS AT LA CUCHARA DE SAN TELMO

If you weren't specifically looking for La Cuchara de San Telmo, you'd probably walk right past it without ever seeing it. This pintxo bar is located in a discreet alley and has a blackboard with a short but enticing list of dishes and pintxos such as grilled foie gras, grilled octopus and, especially, “carrilleras” or beef cheeks. The cheeks are delicious and have gained a certain fame over the years.

This place pioneered the hot pintxo of cheeks and, after 20 years, it continues to prepare food that looks (and tastes) like it came straight from the menu of any fine dining restaurant.

11. FISH PIE PINTXO AT KOFRADIA, THE SPECIALTY FISH CORNER OF SAN SEBASTIAN

Kofradia is much more than a restaurant; it is the epicentre of Guipuzcoan fishing traditions. Located next to the port of Donostia, this cozy bar-restaurant invites you to enjoy the freshest fish of the day with spectacular views of the sea. If you are a fish lover, Kofradia will be your paradise.

In addition to offering a unique gastronomic experience, this place is also dedicated to promoting the value of artisanal fishing, marine sustainability and the cultural richness of seafood. They even organize workshops for those who want to learn more about this fascinating world. As if that were not enough, Kofradia has a shop where you can buy excellent quality canned fish.

Their dishes include fish pie, their specialty, but also croquettes (made with bonito, mackerel or hake), anchovies in vinegar or salt, marinated bonito with almond cream, bonito salad and even an original seafood burger.

12. GRILLED FOIE GRAS AT ZUMELTZEGI, IN THE HEART OF THE OLD TOWN

We head back to Fermín Calbetón Street, one of the liveliest and busiest streets in "Lo Viejo" or the Old Town, as we call the most antique part of the city. It's hard to decide between the wide variety of pintxos available, but if you like foie, there's no doubt: order the Zumeltzegi grilled foie pintxo.

Zumeltzegi, formerly known as Egosari bar, is an elegant bar-restaurant located in the Old Town of San Sebastian, specialising in classic Basque appetizers and main courses with quality meats. At the pintxos bar, located on the upper floor, you can taste delicacies such as carrilleras or cheeks, or duck magret pintxos, with an average price of 3.50 per pintxo.

But without a doubt the superstar pintxo is the grilled foie gras. Spectacular. In the restaurant, located on the lower floor, you will find a cozy atmosphere to enjoy excellent quality food served with professional and friendly service.

13. BAR TXEPETXA, KNOWN FOR ITS ANCHOVY PINTXO

This bar is also located in the Old Town of the city, on the street Calle Pescadería 5. It is known for being one of the most popular in the entire city and was opened in 1925.

It is known for its anchovy pintxos, and for the combination of flavours offered by making pintxos that combine various ingredients with anchovies. The pintxos are simple but very tasty.

14. THE BODEGA DONOSTIARRA BAR AND ITS GREAT PINTXO INDURAIN

La Bodega Donostiarra is one of the most emblematic bars in the city, located on Calle Peña y Goñi in the Gros neighbourhood. It opened its doors in 1928 and over the years it has become an essential bar for both locals and tourists, thanks to its traditional Basque cuisine and attention to detail in each dish.

The bar is known for its genuine, authentic style and lively atmosphere where customers can enjoy a wide variety of pintxos that vary from the most traditional to some innovative creations. One of them is the pintxo Indurain, one of the most traditional pintxos in the bar and in San Sebastian, apart from the well-known Gilda. This pintxo, which is shaped like a man riding a bicycle, was created by Miguel Montorio in homage to Miguel Indurain, the great Basque cyclist who won five consecutive Tours de France. It is made with northern bonito in olive oil, salted Cantabrian anchovies, Ibarra chillies, fresh onion, anchovy-stuffed olives and olive oil. The perfect balance between acid, spiciness and saltiness. Ideal to accompany with a good glass of wine or txakoli . Without a doubt, a must-stop for pintxo lovers in San Sebastian.

This is our suggestion for trying the best pintxos in San Sebastian and for trying establishments where you can try some of the best pintxos in the city.

PINTXO PASSPORT

Finally, it is worth highlighting the initiative carried out by the prestigious María Cristina hotel, which launched the “Pintxo Passport”. This passport consists of seven tokens that can be exchanged for a pintxo and a drink in the bars that are associated with this programme, all of which are quite popular in the city. With the token, you can choose six bars from the ten available. When you enter the establishment, you hand in the token and you will be served a pintxo and a drink. Afterwards, at the bar, the token will be stamped and so on with each of the tokens. These tokens do not expire and can be used as you wish, even if you love one of the bars, you can spend them all in that bar.

The price of the passport varies and is purchased at the María Cristina hotel, where a special token can also be purchased to be exchanged at the hotel's Dry Bar to promote Basque gastronomy and hospitality.

As you can see, San Sebastian is a city to enjoy and discover spectacular gastronomy with pintxos as the jewel in the crown of its culinary scene. Enjoy the pintxos and all this incredible gastronomic experience that the city of San Sebastian offers.

The author of this article is Esther Vallejo Castro. She studied a degree in English language with a focus on culture, language, literature and linguistics at the University of Santiago de Compostela. Esther has also completed an MBA master's degree in Tourism with the ENEB of Barcelona. Esther loves languages, volunteering and teaching.