Bideluze on Plaza Gipuzkoa in San Sebastian's Centro is the breakfast institution, with retro tile floors, a counter of morning tortilla and a back room of locals reading the paper.
Tip: Mornings are the best time; the plaza-side terrace is the calmer seat. Closed Sunday afternoons.
Address: Plaza Gipuzkoa 14, 20004 Donostia-San Sebastian, San Sebastián
Kafe Botanika next to the Urumea river in San Sebastian's Centro runs an international cafe carte with vegan and gluten-free options, plus one of the city's most popular terraces.
Signature drink: Specialty coffee and vegan cakes
Tip: The terrace has been named among Spain's most beautiful; book by phone for weekend brunch.
La Madame on Calle San Bartolome near La Concha in San Sebastian's Centro is the city's pioneer brunch room, opened in 2011 by owners returning from New York with the carte.
Signature drink: Cafe and weekend brunch
Tip: Weekend brunch only, Saturday and Sunday 12:00 to 13:30. Book ahead through their site.
Akerbeltz on Calle Mari in San Sebastian's Old Town is a cosy cafe-and-craft-beer room with a Bay-of-Biscay terrace overlooking the harbour, popular for afternoon coffee.
Signature drink: Coffee and craft beer
Tip: Terrace tables go first; the back room is calm. Coffee in the morning, craft beer in the afternoon.
Topa Sukalderia in San Sebastian's Gros runs a daytime cafe-and-counter alongside the Aduriz-helmed Basque-Latin American kitchen, with cafe de olla and Mexican hot chocolate.
Signature drink: Cafe de olla and Mexican hot chocolate
Tip: Morning hours are quieter; the bar opens at 12:00 and serves coffee with the lunch menu.
Pasteleria Geltoki on Easo in San Sebastian's Amara is a working Basque bakery-cafe with a counter of pastries, sit-down coffee service and the locals' morning bread queue.
Signature drink: Coffee and Basque pastries
Tip: Open from 07:30 weekdays; the bread queue is long by 09:00. Closed Sundays.
Pasteleria Otaegui's original branch on Narrika in San Sebastian's Old Town has run a counter of Basque pastries and morning coffee since 1886, the century-old breakfast stop.
Signature drink: Coffee and Basque pastries
Tip: Tartas de queso to take away; eat in for a coffee and a slice of the day's bake.
