San Sebastián is renowned for its heritage, beaches, and the famous San Sebastián International Film Festival, as well as its cuisine. For these reasons, we’ve prepared a pintxos route in San Sebastián so you can sample the best the city has to offer.
Is it your last day in the city and you don’t know where to leave your bags? Just arrived and it’s not yet check-in time? At LOCK & enjoy! we have the solution with our lockers in San Sebastián – Old Town.
Prepare Your Pintxos Route in San Sebastián
Pintxos are a hallmark of Basque cuisine, very similar to tapas. They consist of a small portion of food served with a drink, though they are not free like in Andalusia, for example.
In San Sebastián, there is a wide variety available in most of its bars and taverns. Choose your favourites and plan a pintxos route in San Sebastián!
La Espiga
Although not fully proven, many local legends claim that pintxos were invented at this tapas bar by a woman named Simona. It is one of the oldest in San Sebastián, dating back to 1928 and located at Pescadería Street, 5.
The menu features a wide array of pintxos, sandwiches, and portions, where we’d like to highlight the stuffed pepper, the milanesa, or the ham croquettes.
Can you imagine having a beer or a glass of wine in the Old Town of San Sebastián at La Espiga? Don’t think twice and come visit San Sebastián.
Bar Txepetxa
If you like anchovies, Bar Txepetxa is the place to go. It opened its doors in 1925, making it a reference point in the city. It has also won several prestigious awards, such as the Best Pintxos in 2022 and Bar of Bars in 2021.
It’s a true institution in anchovy-based pintxos. For example, the anchovy with sea urchin cream or the one with olive paté. The menu includes very original combinations, all fresh and natural.
At LOCK & enjoy! we recommend pairing the tapa with a txakoli, the quintessential white wine of the Basque Country.
Borda Berri
This small bar is located in the Old Town of San Sebastián and is known for offering hot pinchos, hence there is no typical bar to choose from. Instead, its secret lies in cooking them to order. Although it is a new business, it has already attracted numerous tourists, and even the local population.
It offers a total of 14 pinchos listed on a blackboard and made as customers order them. Highlights include the artichokes with mushrooms, basatxerri pork rib kebap, or the hake with chard.
Additionally, it boasts a wide selection of local wines to make your gastronomic experience here truly unique.
To discover its cuisine, head to Fermín Calbetón Street, 12.
Ganbara
One of the most traditional bars in Donostia. At Ganbara, the bar will amaze you as soon as you enter. The reason is that it is filled with large dishes with all the products and ingredients needed to prepare the items on the menu, including the pintxos.
Although there is a wide variety of dishes, mushrooms play a pivotal role. We recommend the chistorra puff pastry, the battered asparagus, or the crab tartlet.
It is located at San Jerónimo Street, 19.
La Viña
Fancy the world’s best cheesecake? Head to La Viña to try it; it’s so famous you can even order it to go. Moreover, many international media outlets have covered this dessert, making it a reference point for tourists.
As for the pintxos, they offer both hot and cold options (cod omelette, battered anchovy, beef meatball, etc.) at very affordable prices. The menu also includes cazuelitas, small servings of hot food presented in a little clay pot.
It is one of the most renowned in the Donostiarra capital. In 1999 it received the award for the most original pintxo, as well as the Más Gastronomía award for Best Pintxos Bar 2016.
Located at 31 de agosto Street, 3.
Martínez
For over 70 years, Martínez restaurant has been serving up its famous tapas. The first thing you notice is the long bar filled with high-quality pintxos. While it is traditional in San Sebastián to enjoy pintxos standing up, you can also sit at Martínez.
We recommend their star product: the courgette shallot, a tasty mix of courgette with crab cream. Also, try the anchovy filled with duck ham and piquillo pepper, as well as the hake roe. A myriad of flavours that will make your pintxos route in San Sebastián unforgettable.
This restaurant is also located on 31 de agosto Street, but at number 13.
Ready to try the pintxos of San Sebastián? Book a locker in the Old Town and enjoy the numerous bars on the nearby streets.
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