Street food€Thu-Tue 12:00-23:00, closed Wednesdays
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.
Try: Mussels by the dozen, five sauces
Tip: Standing only. A dozen mussels and patatas bravas with a cana is the canonical order.
Street food€Wed-Mon 12:00-15:30, 19:30-22:30
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.
Try: Mushrooms in olive oil and parsley
Tip: One champinon at the counter; the gamba a la gabardina is the second-order pintxo here.
Street food€Mon-Sun 09:00-24:00
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.
Try: Seared foie gras on bread
Tip: Hot off the plancha; the txipiron stuffed with spider crab is the second pintxo.
Street food€Tue-Sun 12:30-15:30, 19:30-23:00
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.
Try: Beef cheek braised in red wine
Tip: Read the blackboard. Order with a half-pint of Rioja Cash typically expected.
Street food€Tue-Sun 11:00-15:30, 19:00-23:00
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.
Try: Wild mushrooms with egg yolk
Tip: October to December peak season; the spider crab pintxo is the year-round second order.
Street food€Mon-Sat 12:30-15:30, 19:30-23:00
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.
Try: Idiazabal cheese risotto with puntalette pasta
Tip: Read the blackboard; the Basatxerri pork ribs are the second-tier order.