Also: Restaurants in San Sebastian
The rooms worth a reservation in San Sebastián, from neighbourhood bistros to the new classics.
The restaurants worth the trip in San Sebastián. bistros, neo-classics, neighbourhood favourites, and the rooms locals book first.
Casa Urola on Fermin Calbeton in San Sebastian has cooked Basque market food since 1956, with pintxos downstairs and the dining room upstairs.
Signature: Kokotxas de merluza al pil pil, Cigala a la plancha, Txuleta de vaca vieja
Order: The kokotxas de merluza al pil pil downstairs first; then upstairs for the cigala and the chargrilled txuleta.
Tip: Eat pintxos at the ground-floor counter or book upstairs for a full meal. The kokotxas are the surest order in the city.
Bodegon Alejandro on Fermin Calbeton in San Sebastian is the underground Old Town room where Martin Berasategui won his first Michelin star in 1986.
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.
Galerna Jan Edan in San Sebastian's Gros, run since 2016 by Jorge Asenjo and Rebeca Barainca, cooks a short modern-Basque tasting menu in a 30-cover room.
Signature: Tasting menu, Bonito de Bermeo, Game-season hare
Order: The bonito de Bermeo when the line boats land; in autumn the game-season tasting around hare and pigeon.
Tip: Two services, lunch and dinner, both menu-only. Book a fortnight ahead in season; the dining room is small and full.
Topa Sukalderia in San Sebastian's Gros is the IXO Grupo (Andoni Luis Aduriz) Basque-Latin American room since 2017, with tacos, ceviches and a counter.
Signature: Quesadilla de morcilla, Cochinita pibil taco, Pisco sour
Order: The quesadilla de morcilla and the cochinita pibil taco; the pisco sour to drink.
Tip: The bar is walk-in; tables need a reservation through the website. The kitchen runs continuously from 13:00 onwards.
Casa 887 in San Sebastian's Gros runs a Basque-fusion kitchen with Asian inflection in a stone-and-wood room, with both a la carte and a 65-euro tasting menu.
Signature: Steak tartare, Carabineros, Asian-leaning Basque tasting
Order: The steak tartare and the carabineros if they're on the carte; the tasting if you're in for the night.
Tip: Book through OpenTable; the room is intimate and sells out on weekends.
La Cuchara de San Telmo on Calle 31 de Agosto in San Sebastian opened in 1999 from chefs trained at Lasarte and El Bulli, cooking made-to-order modern.
Signature: Carrillera de ternera al vino tinto, Foie a la plancha, Risotto de Idiazabal
Order: The carrillera de ternera braised in red wine; the foie a la plancha with apple compote.
Tip: No display counter; read the blackboard. Queue early before 13:00 or after 21:00, the bar gets four deep at peak.
Borda Berri on Fermin Calbeton in San Sebastian cooks hot made-to-order pintxos with bold Basque flavours, no counter display, just a tight list of plates.
Signature: Risotto de Idiazabal, Carrillera al vino tinto, Costilla de Basatxerri
Order: The Idiazabal risotto with puntalette pasta; the Basatxerri pork ribs with ras el hanout.
Tip: Closed Sundays. Cash and card both. Stand outside if the bar is full; food comes out fast.
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.
Signature: Setas de temporada, Txangurro al horno, Pintxo de huevo
Order: The autumn setas counter sauteed with egg yolk; the spider crab baked in its shell.
Tip: Closed Sundays and Mondays. The bar counter is walk-in; the basement dining room takes reservations. October to December is peak mushroom season.
Bar Nestor on Pescaderia in San Sebastian's Old Town has cooked exactly four things since 1981: txuleta of old-cow ribeye, tomato salad, pimientos de Padron.
Signature: Txuleta de vaca vieja, Ensalada de tomate, Tortilla de patatas
Order: The txuleta on the chargrill, the tomato salad with sea salt.
Tip: Tortilla is two per day, twelve to seventeen slices; show up an hour before service. Txuleta needs a list-name on arrival.
La Vina on Calle 31 de Agosto in San Sebastian invented the burnt Basque cheesecake in 1990, when Santiago Rivera blasted a crustless cheesecake.
Signature: Tarta de queso La Vina, Pintxos clasicos, Bacalao al pil pil
Order: The tarta de queso, a wedge from the counter, plus a glass of Pedro Ximenez or Txakoli to cut.
Tip: Closed Mondays. Get the cheesecake at the counter; the dining room behind serves a sit-down lunch with the same wedge for dessert.
Atari Gastroteka on Calle Mayor in San Sebastian, opposite the Santa Maria del Coro church, runs a long bar of experimental pintxos with a stand-and-eat.
Signature: Brocheta de langostinos, Solomillo con foie, Pintxos de autor
Order: The prawn brochette and the solomillo-foie skewer; finish with a glass of Txakoli on the church-step terrace.
Tip: Open until 01:00 weekdays, 02:30 weekends; the terrace fills first. No reservations, walk-in only.
Gandarias on Calle 31 de Agosto in San Sebastian's Old Town runs one of the longest pintxo display counters in the quarter, with a back dining room.
Signature: Solomillo a la plancha, Jamon iberico, Pintxos clasicos
Order: The solomillo a la plancha on bread with sea salt and a fried Padron; the jamon iberico from the counter.
Tip: Open continuously through siesta, the rare Old Town room that does not shut at 16:00. The counter is busy; the back room takes reservations.
Antonio Bar on Bergara in San Sebastian's Centro is the locals' tortilla room, with a 28-egg, deep-caramelised tortilla and a gilda built on two anchovies.
Signature: Tortilla de patatas, Gilda, Bacalao rebozado
Order: A wedge of the tortilla, the double-anchovy gilda; espresso at the counter to finish.
Tip: Tortilla is finished by 14:30 most days; arrive before then. Cash-friendly; the counter is small and stand-only.
Casa Tiburcio on Fermin Calbeton in San Sebastian, rebranded Fermin Calbeton under Grupo Garrancho in 2022, runs traditional Basque counter cooking.
Signature: Callos y morros, Brasa de carne, Pintxos tradicionales
Order: The callos y morros if it's on the day's list, the chargrill meat plates from the brasa at the back.
Tip: Pintxos at the front bar, table service in the back room. The brasa lights at 12:30 and 20:00.
Bar Sport on Fermin Calbeton in San Sebastian's Old Town serves a classic counter of grilled foie, stuffed squid and braised cheek, with the house Txakoli.
Signature: Foie a la plancha, Txipiron relleno de changurro, Carrillera
Order: The grilled foie a la plancha; the txipiron stuffed with spider crab; a glass of house Txakoli.
Tip: Walk in only; counter standing room. Open until midnight daily, weekends from 11:00.
Goiz Argi on Fermin Calbeton in San Sebastian cooks one perfect prawn brochette to order, griddled with red pepper sauce on a slice of bread.
Signature: Brocheta de gambas, Chipiron a la plancha, Moruno de carne
Order: The brocheta de gambas (prawn skewer) cooked to order; a glass of Txakoli to pair.
Tip: Stand-only at the counter; brochette is fired fresh, expect a 4-minute wait. Open 10:00-16:00 and 18:30-23:30.
Bar Txepetxa on Pescaderia in San Sebastian has cured white anchovies since 1972 by a guarded family recipe, served on toasted baguette with a dozen toppings.
Signature: Anchoa de Pescaderia, Anchoa a la jardinera, Anchoa con crema de centollo
Order: Anchoa a la jardinera (with pepper and onion) and anchoa with crema de centollo. Two each, then move.
Tip: Walk in only, stand at the bar. The blackboard lists 12 toppings; pick three and shout your order to the barman.
La Mejillonera on Calle del Puerto in San Sebastian has cooked one thing since 1967: mussels by the dozen, in five sauces, served standing at the bar.
Signature: Mejillones a la vinagreta, Patatas bravas, Mejillones al vapor
Order: A dozen mussels a la vinagreta and a dozen al vapor; bravas to share; cana of Estrella.
Tip: Standing only, no tables. Cash-friendly. Closed Wednesdays Booking recommended for weekends.
Bar Martinez on Calle 31 de Agosto in San Sebastian's Old Town has been a shellfish pintxo bar since 1942, now run by the third generation of the Martinez.
Signature: Pintxos de marisco, Brocheta de gambas, Pulpo a la plancha
Order: A pintxo de marisco from the counter; the seared octopus, the prawn brochette.
Tip: Counter is busy from 13:00 and 21:00; weekends and August are extremely crowded. No reservations.
Casa Vergara on Calle Mayor in San Sebastian's Old Town, since 1948, sits across from the Santa Maria del Coro basilica with the bacalao al pil pil pintxo.
Signature: Bacalao al pil pil, Pintxo de tortilla, Brocheta
Order: The bacalao al pil pil pintxo from the counter; the tortilla pintxo by the slice.
Tip: Front terrace fills first; the church-step view is the standing-room reward. Open daily.
Bar Bergara on General Artetxe in San Sebastian's Gros, since 1950, is the award-winning miniature-cuisine counter where Juan Mari Arzak is a regular.
Signature: Txalupa, Itxaso, Udaberri
Order: The Txalupa with prawn-mushroom gratin; the Itxaso monkfish with seafood cream.
Tip: Walk in only at the counter; small street terrace. The kitchen rotates new pintxos through the year while keeping the prize-winners on the daily list.