La Cuchara de San Telmo on Calle 31 de Agosto in San Sebastian, open since 1999 by El Bulli and Lasarte-trained chefs, cooks made-to-order modern pintxos with no display, just a blackboard.
Signature dishes: Carrillera de ternera al vino tinto, Foie a la plancha, Pulpo a la brasa
Must order: The carrillera de ternera in red wine; foie a la plancha with apple compote; pulpo a la brasa.
Tip: Queue before 13:00 or after 21:00; the bar is four-deep at peak. No reservations.
Address: Calle 31 de Agosto 28, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian, San Sebastián
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.
Bar Martinez on Calle 31 de Agosto in San Sebastian's Old Town has been a shellfish pintxo bar since 1942, now in its third generation with a long counter and house-made plates.
Signature: Pintxos de marisco, Brocheta de gambas, Pulpo a la plancha
Order: Any pintxo de marisco from the counter; the seared octopus.
Tip: Busy from 13:00 and 21:00. No reservations. Weekends and August are extremely crowded.
Casa Alcalde on Calle Mayor in San Sebastian's Old Town is a long-running classic kitchen of jamon-and-tortilla pintxos, charcuterie and a working-day menu del dia at the back.
Signature: Jamon iberico, Pintxos clasicos, Menu del dia
Order: A plate of jamon iberico at the counter; the menu del dia at the back tables.
Tip: Open daily; the lunch menu del dia is good value at 16 euros. Counter is busy from 13:00 onwards.
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.
Antonio Bar on Bergara in San Sebastian's Centro is the locals' tortilla room, with a deep-caramelised 28-egg tortilla and the canonical double-anchovy Donostian gilda.
Signature: Tortilla de patatas, Gilda, Bacalao rebozado
Order: A wedge of the tortilla; the double-anchovy gilda; espresso to finish.
Tip: Tortilla finishes by 14:30 most days. Counter is small and stand-only.
Hidalgo 56 on Paseo Colon in San Sebastian's Gros runs a busy locals' counter with a daily blackboard of pintxos and the callos y morros that the morning crowd order with cana.
Signature: Callos y morros, Cigala a la plancha, Carrillera
Order: The callos y morros from the blackboard; the seared cigala if it's posted.
Tip: Across from Zurriola beach; the morning crowd is local. Walk in only.
Bar Martinez on Calle 31 de Agosto in San Sebastian's Old Town has been a shellfish pintxo bar since 1942, now in its third generation with a long counter and house-made plates.
Signature: Pintxos de marisco, Brocheta de gambas, Pulpo a la plancha
Order: Any pintxo de marisco from the counter; the seared octopus.
Tip: Busy from 13:00 and 21:00. No reservations. Weekends and August are extremely crowded.
Bideluze on Plaza Gipuzkoa in San Sebastian's Centro is one of the city's breakfast institutions, retro-tiled floors, sit-down service and a counter of working-day pintxos and tortilla.
Signature: Tortilla de patatas, Cafe con leche, Pintxos clasicos
Order: The morning tortilla and cafe con leche; a pintxo of jamon at midday.
Tip: Breakfast service from 08:00; the plaza terrace is the calmer morning seat.
Casa Alcalde on Calle Mayor in San Sebastian's Old Town is a long-running classic kitchen of jamon-and-tortilla pintxos, charcuterie and a working-day menu del dia at the back.
Signature: Jamon iberico, Pintxos clasicos, Menu del dia
Order: A plate of jamon iberico at the counter; the menu del dia at the back tables.
Tip: Open daily; the lunch menu del dia is good value at 16 euros. Counter is busy from 13:00 onwards.
