Although there is much debate about what constitutes a product pintxo different from one another stopper, no one can dispute the fact that San Sebastián is the birthplace of the pintxo (and pintxo heaven). Born in the mid-20th century, the pintxo has evolved from a simple bunch of pickled vegetables on a stick into a miniature piece of culinary art.
The correct way to eat pintxos has remained unchanged since their birth: one drink, one bite, and onto the next. Dive into the convivial dining atmosphere, throw down your napkin and feel free to order hot pintxos from the kitchen; these are often the bar’s specialty. Although the light of San Sebastián’s Michelin stars shines blindingly, the pintxo scene always threatens to shift the spotlight towards a fun, social form of introversion.
For more San Sebastián inspiration, check out our guide to the city, its best hotels, restaurants, nightlife and things to do.
Parte Vieja
Borda Berri
The sign above the bar at this busy pintxo spot on Fermín Calbetón, San Sebastián’s loudest street, reads ‘Aki se guisa’ or ‘We slow cook here’. A closer look reveals a bar empty of pintxos, instead a scattering of diners, glasses and hot pintxos of fried meats and sauces glistening with demi-glace and solid cooking knowledge. This is where you can try traditional fish and meat dishes, from veal cheeks to cod tongues, each cooked to delicate perfection in the master hands of chef Marc Clua.
To contact: 00 34 943 43 03 42
Price:%s: £
Opening hours: Wednesday-Thursday, 12.30–15.30 and 19.30–22.30; Friday-Saturday, 12.30-15.30 and 19.30-23:00; Sunday, 12.30pm-15.30pm
Reservations: not possible
ganbara
The family-owned spot is still run every day by mother and son Amaia and Amaiur, who expertly balance greeting longtime customers, placing orders, and assembling their famous ham and cheese croissants. Don’t be surprised if it’s hard to spot them among the huge piles of seasonal produce. At least three types of exotic wild mushrooms are offered, usually fried with a simple, silky egg yolk and plated to order. Peppers, asparagus, artichokes; Everything the season has to offer takes up nearly half the bar, and this spot’s pintxos are elegant classics designed to let the raw produce shine.
To contact: ganbarajatetxea.com
Price:%s: £
Reservations: It is not possible for the bar; recommended for restaurant
La Viña
La Viña, with its retro pintxos still touting innovation awards more than two decades ago, would be easy to write off if it weren’t for one reason: cheesecake. Dozens of them are produced and sold every day, and once they’re gone for a day, they’re gone. Order a slice of this ethereal tarta de queso, which has gone viral everywhere from Asia to the United States, and enjoy it with a dark glass of Pedro Ximenez sweet sherry for the perfect end to a pintxos night.
To contact: lavinarestaurante.com
Price:%s: £
Reservations: It is not possible for the bar; recommended for restaurant
Txepetxa
Txepetxa is an old-school place with walls covered in photos of famous guests and ceramic replicas of the bar’s famous anchovy toasts. The basis of the menu is the daily selection of the freshest anchovies on the market, marinated according to a secret family recipe by second-generation chef and owner Manu. Try the silvery fillets on freshly toasted bread, garnished with special concoctions from spider crab cream to vinegary onion and pepper jardinera.
To contact: bartxepetxa.com
Price:%s: £
Reservations: not possible
Centre
Antonio Bar
Antonio Bar’s nondescript façade and small size belie one of the best pintxo bars in the city. Gregorious owners Humberto and Ramón personally greet both new and old customers from behind the bar; The casserole dishes, half filled with olive oil, are weighted with homemade anchovies, salmon, dried beef and sardines. Placed on freshly toasted bread and served with unique garnishes, these are Antonio’s signature dish. Be sure to order anything displayed as fresh produce, like porcinis (served with egg yolk and goose) or green guindilla peppers (oven-roasted and served with a sprinkling of salt).
To contact: antoniobar.com
Price:%s: £
Reservations: It is not possible for the bar; recommended for restaurant
La Espiga
If you only have time for one pintxo in San Sebastián, make this your best option. delicia. This simple bite from one of the city’s oldest pintxo bars defies the general rule that bar-top pintxos don’t touch the stomach cavity. Complete with a thin slice of bread, two thin slices of hard-boiled eggs, salt-dried anchovies, and topped with a mixture of finely chopped onion and garlic and a dash of Worcestershire sauce, this pintxo also defies the laws of substance, packing more flavor in two small bites than seems humanly possible.
To contact: 00 34 943 42 14 23
Price:%s: £
Opening hours: Mon-Sun, 10:00-12:00
Reservations: It is not possible for the bar; recommended for restaurant
Ring Bar
It’s not every day that a new pintxo bar opens in San Sebastián’s family-run establishment-filled old town. Bells Bar is a welcome addition; It immediately became a neighborhood legend with its gooey and delicious Spanish omelette. Chef Lancelot has worked in many of the best pintxo bars in the old town and combines this experience with his British upbringing and partner Sarah’s Colombian culture to create a menu of pintxos and small plates unlike anything else in the pintxo radius. Don’t miss the croquetas de sancocho, fried balls redolent of the delicious Latin stew, or the tortillas topped with spider crab a la donostiarra.
To contact: instagram.com/bellsbar_donostia
Price:%s:£
Reservations: It is possible but not necessary.
Big
Eguzki Berri
The walls of this stylish pintxo bar on the corner of Gros are covered with awards. The space is small and the bar is filled with pintxos, rather unceremoniously encased in coffee cups or half-open tins. A selection of around 20 vermouths (served with a splash of bitters, gin and dried citrus) pair perfectly with fried calamari with ink aioli, making this the ideal place for a weekend pintxo.
To contact: 00 34 943 28 30 63
Price:%s: £
Opening hours: Monday-Saturday, 11:00-23:00; Sunday, 11:00-16:00
Reservations: not possible
Bodega Donostiarra
Despite its growing popularity, locals still line up for Bodega Donostiarra’s distinctive Spanish omelettes, stewed meat with tomatoes and cider-braised chorizo. The lively bar has a gorgeous, pintxo-crowded marble bar top with the famous banderillas glistening on their toothpicks. The one to try is Indurain; a large piece of canned tuna, delicate pickled guindilla chilis, olives and the salt-dried anchovies the region is known for. Compete for a seat on the terrace and watch the world go by with a glass of fizzy txakoli wine.
To contact: bodegadonostiarra.com
Price:%s: £
Reservations: Optional