Basque anchovy bar€€parte-vieja
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 from pepper-onion to spider crab.
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.
Basque seafood counter€parte-vieja
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 with patatas bravas and a cana.
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.
Basque pintxos€€parte-vieja
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 family with a long counter and house-made plates.
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.
Basque pintxos€€parte-vieja
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 as its house plate.
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.
Basque pintxos€€gros
Hidalgo 56 on Paseo Colon in San Sebastian's Gros runs a busy locals' counter with a long blackboard of daily pintxos and the callos y morros that the morning crowd order with cana.
Signature: Callos y morros, Cigala a la plancha, Pintxos del dia
Order: The callos y morros from the blackboard; the seared langoustine.
Tip: Across from Zurriola beach; the morning crowd is mostly local. Walk in only.
Basque€€€parte-vieja
Casa Urola on Fermin Calbeton in San Sebastian has cooked Basque market food since 1956, with pintxos downstairs and the dining room upstairs. Chef Pablo Loureiro runs both.
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.
