The fastest, cheapest, frequently best food on San Sebastián's streets.
Vendors, food trucks and stalls: the cheapest, fastest, frequently best food in San Sebastián.
Casa Valles on Reyes Catolicos in San Sebastian invented the gilda pintxo in 1946, a skewer of anchovy, olive and guindilla pepper named for the Rita Hayworth film for its 'spicy and salty' nature.
Try: Gilda pintxo (anchovy, olive, guindilla)
Tip: Order two gildas at a time; the canonical version is built on cantabrico anchovies and Ibarra guindillas.
Bar Nestor on Pescaderia in San Sebastian's Old Town has cooked the bone-in vaca vieja txuleta since 1980, served rare on a sizzling plate so the diner finishes the meat to taste.
Try: Bone-in vaca vieja txuleta on coals
Tip: Sign the list when you arrive; the txuleta is portioned per person. Tortilla finishes by 14:30.
La Vina on Calle 31 de Agosto invented the burnt Basque cheesecake in 1990 when Santiago Rivera baked a crustless cheesecake very hot until the top caramelised, the city's most copied dessert.
Try: Burnt Basque cheesecake
Tip: Wedge at the counter for 4 euros; full cake takeaways need 24 hours notice.
Goiz Argi on Fermin Calbeton in San Sebastian's Old Town fires the brocheta de gambas to order, a skewer of griddled prawns on bread with a red pepper vinaigrette and a pinch of salt.
Try: Griddled prawn skewer on bread
Tip: Stand only; the brochette comes out hot, eat at the counter.
Bar Txepetxa on Pescaderia in San Sebastian has cured white anchovies by a guarded family recipe since 1972, served on toasted baguette with a pepper-onion jardinera topping.
Try: Cured anchovy with pepper-onion topping
Tip: Two anchoas a la jardinera; the spider crab cream topping is the rarer order.
La Mejillonera on Calle del Puerto in San Sebastian has cooked one thing since 1967: mussels by the dozen, in vinaigrette, tomato, wine, garlic and steamed, served standing at the bar.
Try: Mussels by the dozen, five sauces
Tip: Standing only. A dozen mussels and patatas bravas with a cana is the canonical order.
Bar Tamboril on Arrandegi next to Plaza de la Constitucion in San Sebastian's Old Town serves a single hot pintxo of garlic-and-parsley mushrooms in olive oil, the working pintxo of the family.
Try: Mushrooms in olive oil and parsley
Tip: One champinon at the counter; the gamba a la gabardina is the second-order pintxo here.
Bar Sport on Fermin Calbeton in San Sebastian's Old Town fires foie a la plancha to order, a slab of seared duck liver on toasted bread with a touch of apple compote.
Try: Seared foie gras on bread
Tip: Hot off the plancha; the txipiron stuffed with spider crab is the second pintxo.
La Cuchara de San Telmo on Calle 31 de Agosto in San Sebastian braises beef cheek in red wine until it falls apart, the canonical modern pintxo of the Old Town since 1999.
Try: Beef cheek braised in red wine
Tip: Read the blackboard. Order with a half-pint of Rioja.
Ganbara on San Jeronimo in San Sebastian's Old Town runs an autumn mushroom counter from October to December, the wild setas sauteed with garlic and finished with a raw egg yolk.
Try: Wild mushrooms with egg yolk
Tip: October to December peak season; the spider crab pintxo is the year-round second order.
Borda Berri on Fermin Calbeton in San Sebastian cooks a risotto of Idiazabal sheep cheese with puntalette pasta, the modern pintxo signature of the Old Town's tightest blackboard kitchen.
Try: Idiazabal cheese risotto with puntalette pasta
Tip: Read the blackboard; the Basatxerri pork ribs are the second-tier order.
Antonio Bar on Bergara in San Sebastian's Centro turns out a 28-egg tortilla de patatas with caramelised onions and confit potatoes, considered by locals the best wedge in the city.
Try: 28-egg tortilla de patatas
Tip: Tortilla finishes most days by 14:30; the gilda is the small-bite pairing.
Peak food season in San Sebastián is year-round.
Local dining hours: lunch around 12:30, dinner from 19:30.
service is typically included; small extra is welcome but not expected.
Ask the next local you meet what they would order. San Sebastián rewards trust.