by Although there is much debate about what makes a Pintxo different than a fast, no one will challenge the fact that San Sebastián is the birthplace of the pintxo (and pintxo heaven). Born in the mid-20th century, the pintxo grew from a simple bunch of pickled vegetables on a stick to a miniature piece of culinary art.
The right way to go for pintxos hasn’t changed since their birth – drink, bite, and on to the next one. Dive into the cozy dining area, throw your napkin on the floor, and don’t be shy to order the 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 is always threatening to shift the scene to the kind of social fun it is associated with.
For more San Sebastián inspiration, check out our guide to the city and the best hotels, restaurants, nightlife and things to do.
Part Vieja
Borda Berry
‘Aki se guisa’, or ‘Here, we cook slowly’, is indicated by a sign above the bar at this bustling pint spot on Fermín Calbetón, San Sebastián’s busiest street. A closer look reveals an empty bar of pintxos, scattered instead with diners, wine glasses, and hot pintxos of braised meat and sauces shiny with demi-glace and solid culinary know-how. This is the place to try traditional fish and meat dishes, from beef cheeks to cod tongues, each of which is cooked to tender perfection by the skilled hands of chef Marc Clua.
Contact: 00 34 943 43 03 42
Prices: £
Opening times: Wednesday – Thursday, 12.30pm–3.30pm and 7.30pm–10.30pm; Friday-Saturday, 12.30pm-3.30pm and 7.30pm-11pm; Sun, 12.30pm-3.30pm
Reservations: Can not
Ganbara
This family-run spot is still run daily by mother and son Amaia and Amaiur, who politely greet long-time customers to place orders and assemble their famous ham and cheese croissant. Don’t be surprised if it’s hard to spot them over the huge piles of seasonal produce. There are generally at least three types of exotic wild mushrooms available, which are wilted and plated to order with a simple, silky egg yolk. Peppers, asparagus, artichokes – whatever the season has to offer occupies almost half the bar, and this spot’s pintxos are elegant classics designed to let the raw produce shine.
Contact: ganbarajatetxea.com
Prices: £
Reservations: Can’t crop; recommended for a restaurant
La Vina
With the retro pintxos still winning innovation awards from more than twenty years ago, it would be easy to write off La Viña if it weren’t for one thing: the cheesecake. Dozens of them are made and sold per day, and when they’re gone for the day, they’re gone. Order a slice of this ethereal queso tart, which has gone viral everywhere from Asia to the United States, and enjoy it with a dark glass of sweet Pedro Ximenez sherry for the perfect end to a night of pintxos.
Contact: lavinarestaurante.com
Prices: £
Reservations: Can’t crop; recommended for a restaurant
Txepetxa
Txepetxa is an old-school spot, with walls covered in photos of famous guests and ceramic replicas of his famous anchovy toasts on the bar. The basis of the menu is a 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 silver filets on top of freshly toasted bread, garnished with signature mixes from spider crab cream to onion vinegar and pepper jardinera.
Contact: bartxepetxa.com
Prices: £
Reservations: Can not
Center
Bar Antonio
The nondescript facade and small size of Bar Antonio is one of the best pintxo bars in the city. The gregarious owners, Humberto and Ramón, personally greet new and old customers from behind the bar, half of these loaded with a selection of house anchovies, salmon, cured beef and sardines, in casserole dishes filled with olive oil. Served on freshly toasted bread and unique garnishes, they are Antonio’s signature. Be sure to order whatever is on display along the way with fresh products, like the porcinis (served with egg yolk and foie) or green guindilla peppers (served flash fried and sprinkled with salt).
Contact: antoniobar.com
Prices: £
Reservations: Can’t crop; recommended for a restaurant
The Espiga
If you only have time for one pintxo in San Sebastián, do the delicious. This simple bite, from one of the oldest pintxo bars in the city, satisfies the general rule that top bar pintxos are not worth the stomach space. A thin slice of bread topped with two thin slices of hard-boiled egg, salt-cured anchovies, and a finely chopped mixture of onion and garlic, finished with a dash of Worcestershire sauce—this pintxo lives up to the laws of the matter. , packing too. more flavor than seems human in two small bites.
Contact: 00 34 943 42 14 23
Prices: £
Opening times: Monday to Sunday, 10am-12am
Reservations: Can’t crop; recommended for a restaurant
Bar Bells
Not so that a new pintxo bar opens every day in the old town of San Sebastián, crowded as it is with family establishments. Welcome to Bells Bar, with a Spanish omelet so gooey and delicious that it became an instant neighborhood legend. Chef Lancelot has worked across many of the best pintxo bars in the old town, and combines this experience with his English upbringing and Colombian culture for his partner Sarah to create a menu of pintxos and small plates unlike anything else another in the pintxo radius. Don’t miss the croquetas de sancocho, fried balls redolant the delicious Latin stew, or the crumpet with spider crab a la donostiarra.
Contact: instagram.com/bellsbar_donostia
Prices: £
Reservations: Possible but not necessary.
Gross
Eguzki Berri
Awards line the wall of this hip pintxo bar in the corner of Gros. The space is small and the bar is packed with neatly plated pintxos, in coffee cups or half-open tins. A selection of nearly 20 vermouths (served with a drop of bitters, gin, and dehydrated citrus fruits) pair perfectly with the fried calamari with ink aioli, making this the perfect spot for a weekend pintxo hop.
Contact: 00 34 943 28 30 63
Prices: £
Opening times: Monday to Saturday, 11am-11pm; Sun, 11am-4pm
Reservations: Can not
Bodega Donostiarra
Despite its ever-growing popularity, locals still serve Bodega Donostiarra’s individual Spanish omelettes, tomato-stewed meat, and cider-braised chorizo. The bustling bar has a gorgeous marble bar, crowded pintxo, where the famous banderillas are flashing their teeth. The one to try is the Indurin – a big chunk of preserved tuna, mildly pickled guindilla chilis, olives and salt-cured anchovies for which the region is famous. Take a seat on the terrace and watch the world go by over a glass of sparkling txakoli wine.
Contact: bodegadonostiarra.com
Prices: £
Reservations: Optional
