Txangurro al horno is Basque baked spider crab, the picked white meat stuffed back into the shell with sherry, leeks, tomato and breadcrumbs, then baked until the top crisps to a golden crust.
Where to eat it: 3 restaurants across 1 city.
Txangurro is the Basque word for spider crab (the Cantabrian centollo). The baked preparation (txangurro al horno) was popularised in San Sebastian in the early 20th century at Casa Nicolasa and developed into the canonical Basque seafood plate by the 1960s. The stuffing technique borrows from the French Basque mode of dressing crab in its own shell; the local addition is the brandy or Jerez splash and the breadcrumb top. Ganbara on San Jeronimo runs the canonical pintxo version (small clay dish, baked individually); the full dinner-plate version appears at Casa Urola, Bodegon Alejandro and the Belle Epoque hotel dining rooms.
Common allergens: Shellfish, Gluten, Dairy
Tip from the editors. Use the Cantabrian centollo (spider crab) for the canonical version; brown crab works but lacks the sweet white-meat density. Pick the meat carefully to avoid shell fragments.
This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.
Ganbara on San Jeronimo in San Sebastian's Old Town has run the Martinez-Ortuzar family kitchen since 1984, anchored by an autumn mushroom counter and a basement dining room.
Signature: Setas de temporada, Txangurro al horno, Pintxo de huevo
Order: The autumn setas counter with egg yolk; spider crab baked in its shell.
Tip: Counter walk-in, basement takes reservations. October to December is peak mushroom season.
Casa Urola on Fermin Calbeton in San Sebastian's Old Town keeps one of the most complete Basque wine lists in the Old Town, with Txakoli on tap and a deep Rioja Alavesa shelf upstairs.
Signature pour: Itsasmendi Txakoli by the glass
Wine focus: Basque Txakoli, Rioja Alavesa and growers
Food: Pintxos counter and full dining room upstairs
Tip: Drink Txakoli at the counter; the dining room upstairs lets you settle in with a half-bottle of Rioja.
Bodegon Alejandro on Fermin Calbeton in San Sebastian is the underground Old Town room where Martin Berasategui won his first Michelin star in 1986. Now Inaxio Valverde runs the kitchen.
Signature: Merluza a la donostiarra, Txuleta, Tarta de queso
Order: The merluza a la donostiarra in cazuela and the txuleta from the grill; finish with the burnt-top cheesecake.
Tip: Book the 14:00 lunch slot for the calmer service. The staircase entry is easy to miss; the door is set below street level.
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