29 editor picks in San Sebastián.
29 upscale places in San Sebastián, editor-picked. occasion restaurants in San Sebastián: destination kitchens for celebrations and visits. All San Sebastián food.
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.
OrderThe autumn setas counter sauteed with egg yolk; the spider crab baked in its shell.
TipClosed Sundays and Mondays. The bar counter is walk-in; the basement dining room takes reservations. October to December is peak mushroom season.
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.
OrderThe autumn setas counter with egg yolk; spider crab baked in its shell.
TipCounter walk-in, basement takes reservations. October to December is peak mushroom season.
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.
OrderThe bonito de Bermeo when the line boats land; in autumn the game-season tasting around hare and pigeon.
TipTwo services, lunch and dinner, both menu-only. Book a fortnight ahead in season; the dining room is small and full.
Ganbara's ground-floor counter on San Jeronimo in San Sebastian's Old Town pours Txakoli alongside the autumn setas pintxo and the spider-crab plate.
TipOctober to December for peak mushroom season; the counter is busy from 13:00.
La Cuchara de San Telmo on Calle 31 de Agosto in San Sebastian, open since 1999, pairs the made-to-order pintxos with a Rioja-leaning by-the-glass list.
TipThe carrillera with a Rioja red is the canonical Cuchara order. Queue early.
Casa Urola on Fermin Calbeton in San Sebastian has cooked Basque market food since 1956, with pintxos downstairs and the dining room upstairs.
OrderThe kokotxas de merluza al pil pil downstairs first; then upstairs for the cigala and the chargrilled txuleta.
TipEat pintxos at the ground-floor counter or book upstairs for a full meal. The kokotxas are the surest order in the city.
Borda Berri on Fermin Calbeton in San Sebastian cooks hot made-to-order pintxos off a tight blackboard menu, with a Txakoli pour and a single house red.
TipNo counter display; read the blackboard. Closed Sundays Standing room when busy.
Galerna Jan Edan in San Sebastian's Gros pairs the chef-partners' tasting menu with a deep Basque growers' wine list, natural and small-producer leaning.
TipBook ahead; ask for the wine pairing with the lunch menu for best value.
Bodegon Alejandro on Fermin Calbeton in San Sebastian is the underground Old Town room where Martin Berasategui won his first Michelin star in 1986.
OrderThe merluza a la donostiarra in cazuela and the txuleta from the grill; finish with the burnt-top cheesecake.
TipBook the 14:00 lunch slot for the calmer service. The staircase entry is easy to miss; the door is set below street level.
Casa Urola's downstairs counter on Fermin Calbeton in San Sebastian's Old Town is the entry-level Basque pintxo bar with the city's deepest Txakoli pour.
TipStand at the counter for pintxos; upstairs takes reservations for full sit-down.
Bar Tamboril on Arrandegi next to Plaza de la Constitucion in San Sebastian's Old Town, run by the same family as Ganbara, keeps the mushroom-in-olive-oil.
TipListed in the Michelin Guide as a Bib-recognised pintxo room. Counter standing only.
La Vina's front counter on Calle 31 de Agosto in San Sebastian pours sherry and Pedro Ximenez alongside the burnt cheesecake wedge, the canonical pairing.
TipClosed Mondays. The wedge plus PX is the proper Old Town stop.
Bar Txepetxa on Pescaderia in San Sebastian, since 1972, pours Txakoli alongside the vinegar-cured anchovy pintxos for which the city queues.
TipTwo anchoas with a glass of Txakoli; closed Mondays.
Casa Urola on Fermin Calbeton in San Sebastian's Old Town keeps one of the most complete Basque wine lists in the Old Town, with Txakoli on tap and a deep.
TipDrink Txakoli at the counter; the dining room upstairs lets you settle in with a half-bottle of Rioja.
Antonio Bar on Bergara in San Sebastian's Centro pairs the 28-egg tortilla and the double-anchovy gilda with a tight by-the-glass list of Txakoli and Spanish.
TipDrink Txakoli with the gilda; the tortilla wedge needs a heavier red.
Atari Gastroteka on Calle Mayor in San Sebastian's Old Town, opposite the Santa Maria church, pours Txakoli from height into wide tumblers across one.
TipOrder Txakoli to drink on the church-step terrace. The terrace fills first; arrive by 19:30.
Museo del Whisky on the Boulevard in San Sebastian's Old Town displays 3,400 whisky bottles across two floors, including the world's smallest.
TipOwner Paul Bordonaba mixes cocktails at the upstairs bar; the basement is the piano room.
Atari Gastroteka on Calle Mayor in San Sebastian's Old Town pours Txakoli from height across the city's busiest standing-room terrace on the steps.
TipTerrace fills first; the Friday and Saturday close is 02:30.
Mala Gissona Beer House in San Sebastian's Gros, a hundred metres from Zurriola beach, runs 12 draught taps with the house Oiartzun brewery beers plus 150.
TipIndustrial-minimalist room; the brewery flights are the value pour. Open daily.
La Vina on Calle 31 de Agosto in San Sebastian is the burnt-cheesecake house since 1990, with a small wine list anchored by sherry and Pedro Ximenez to drink.
TipPedro Ximenez is the canonical pairing; a glass with the tarta de queso wedge.
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.
OrderThe steak tartare and the carabineros if they're on the carte; the tasting if you're in for the night.
TipBook through OpenTable; the room is intimate and sells out on weekends.
Bar Sport on Fermin Calbeton in San Sebastian's Old Town pours a steady cana and Txakoli with grilled foie and stuffed squid pintxos, the classic.
TipOpen daily until midnight. Counter standing only.
Basqueland Izakaia in San Sebastian's Gros is the brewery's tavern outpost, serving Basqueland's freshly brewed beer, organic wine and Asian bar food.
TipFlight of four house beers is the value pour; the Asian small plates are the food pairing.
Topa Sukalderia in San Sebastian's Gros runs a Latin spirits bar inside the Aduriz-helmed restaurant, with mezcal, pisco and tequila programmes alongside.
TipPisco sour is the entry-level pour; the mezcal flight comes with the cochinita pibil.
Topa Sukalderia in San Sebastian's Gros, the IXO Grupo Basque-Latin American room, pairs Txakoli pours with the city's most interesting mezcal and pisco list.
TipOrder a pisco sour to drink with the morcilla quesadilla; the cocktail bar runs all afternoon.
Akerbeltz on Calle Mari in San Sebastian's Old Town serves Basque cider from the barrel and a small craft-beer list, with a harbour-side terrace overlooking.
TipCider poured high into wide glasses; the terrace fills at sunset.
Akerbeltz on Calle Mari in San Sebastian's Old Town serves Basque sidra natural from the barrel and a small natural-wine list, with a Bay-of-Biscay terrace.
TipTerrace at the front overlooks the bay; the back room is calm. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Bataplan on Paseo de la Concha in San Sebastian is the city's well-known 1990s house-music nightclub, with spectacular night views over La Concha bay.
TipOpens 00:30 Thursday to Saturday in summer. Dress smart; the door is selective.
Bideluze on Plaza Gipuzkoa in San Sebastian's Centro keeps a tight wine carte alongside the breakfast institution, with Txakoli pours and a small Rioja.
TipAperitif hour 19:00 onwards; the plaza terrace seats four. The classic stop before dinner.
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Visit the best pintxos and wine bars in San Sebastian on an exclusive tour. Discover some of the best local, family-run eateries and hidden gems.
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Escape the crowds and dive into the authentic flavors of San Sebastian as you taste lesser-known favorites and iconic bites in the Centro neighborhood.
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