Basque€€
Akerbeltz above San Sebastian's Old Town runs a Bay-of-Biscay terrace and the city's quietest harbour-side cider stop, closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Why locals love it: Tucked above the Old Town with a Bay-of-Biscay terrace, the city's quietest harbour-side cider stop.
Tip: Closed Mondays and Tuesdays. The terrace fills first; arrive before 19:00.
Brunch€€Mon-Sat 07:30-23:00, Sun 08:00-15:00
Bideluze on Plaza Gipuzkoa in San Sebastian is a breakfast counter with retro tile floors that locals love and tourists walk past, plaza terrace seating.
Why locals love it: Plaza Gipuzkoa breakfast counter with retro tile floors that locals love and tourists walk past.
Tip: Mornings are calmer; the plaza terrace is the better seat than the back room.
Spanish€€
Casa Senra on Calle San Francisco in Gros runs a Zurriola-surf-crowd menu del dia under 16 euros that visitors miss, closed Sundays in San Sebastian.
Why locals love it: Gros backstreet menu del dia room the visitors miss, where the Zurriola surf crowd lunch with locals.
Tip: Menu del dia under 16 euros. Closed Sundays.
Spanish tapas€€
Bodega Donostiarra in San Sebastian: spanish tapas room. Side-street Gros bar off Pena y Goni from 1928, where the locals' Indurain and mini completo.
Why locals love it: Side-street Gros bar off Pena y Goni from 1928, where the locals' Indurain and mini completo pintxos sit a block off the Paseo Colon strip the visitors walk.
Tip: The mini completo de bonito and the Indurain are the signature plates; lunch crowd is local. Open from 09:00 daily.
Spanish tapas€€
Antonio Bar on Bergara Kalea in San Sebastian's Centro skips the Old Town queues and pours the city's best tortilla and a canonical gilda at the counter.
Why locals love it: Centro neighbourhood counter the Old Town queues skip, with the city's best tortilla and a canonical gilda.
Tip: Tortilla finishes by 14:30; arrive earlier on weekends Word-of-mouth is the only marketing.
Spanish tapas€€
Bar Tamboril in San Sebastian: Same family as Ganbara but a tighter, quieter counter on Plaza de la Constitucion that even guidebook regulars skip.
Why locals love it: Same family as Ganbara but a tighter, quieter counter on Plaza de la Constitucion that even guidebook regulars skip.
Tip: Two pintxos: the champinon and the gamba a la gabardina. Closed Tuesdays.