18 Best Pintxos in San Sebastian

One of the best things to do in San Sebastián is to sample its delicious cuisine. The pintxo culture is very typical in Donostia, and pintxos are simply traditional Basque tapas.

To make sure you don't leave San Sebastián without trying the best ones, here is a list of the star pintxos in Donosti. You'll find everything from typical Spanish dishes, such as tortilla de patatas (potato omelette), to creations specific to the area, such as txalupa.

One of the best pintxos in San Sebastián is the risotto at the Borda Berri bar. The recipe changes depending on the season, but the best-known versions are mushroom and Idiazabal cheese. The first is the most common risotto recipe, but the second has a very special flavour that is sure to surprise you. They are also famous for their octopus with quince, pig's ears and pork ribs.

If you want to try the best pintxos in San Sebastián and soak up the gastronomic culture of Donostia, I recommend booking a pintxo tour in San Sebastián. There are some that specialise in pintxos and they are available both during the day and at night, although, for me, the best option is a gastronomic tour for small groups in the old town of San Sebastián at night.

These tours have a special charm, taking you to the best taverns in the historic centre of San Sebastián and, thanks to the size of the group, allowing for personalised service. They also usually include wine tasting at the different places you visit.

• Where to find it... This small pintxo bar is located at 12 Fermin Calbeton Kalea, in the centre of San Sebastián.

The cuisine at Bodega Donostiarra focuses on Basque gastronomy, with an emphasis on sandwiches, skewers and rice dishes. Among all these pintxos, the mini completo, made with canned tuna, stands out. I also recommend the Indurain, one of the most typical pintxos in San Sebastian, made with a piece of tuna, an anchovy fillet, a stuffed olive and a couple of chillies. It is a cold pintxo, very nutritious and with a very special blend of flavours.

Beyond the above, if you have the opportunity, I also recommend trying the salted anchovies, marinated salmon, octopus in vinaigrette and homemade hake pie. If you want to try the most typical pintxos in San Sebastián, I suggest booking a pintxo tour in San Sebastián.

One of them is the pintxo tour with a visit to the San Sebastián market. You'll tour the 'Old Town' of San Sebastián, pour cider in the purest Basque style and drink the best local wine. With this tour, you can try up to four pintxos in different bars around the city.

• Where is it? It is a restaurant located at 13 Peña y Goñi Street, in the centre of San Sebastián.

I'm heading to the centre of San Sebastián to take you to one of the city's most typical pintxo bars. Bar Ciaboga is famous throughout Donostia for its garlic potatoes. Although it may seem like a simple dish, no one has been able to perfectly replicate the delicious sauce that covers the potatoes, made with parsley, garlic, olive oil and cayenne pepper.

This irresistible dish is one of my favourite pintxos in San Sebastián, but Bar Ciaboga also serves other delicious dishes, such as octopus skewers, potato omelette and stuffed mushrooms.

• Where to find it... Bar Ciaboga is located at 9 Calle Easo.

If you're looking for the best pintxos in San Sebastián, you can't miss El Bombín bar. It has a pleasant outdoor terrace, ideal for the few sunny days the city gets.

If you're a beer lover, I recommend accompanying your pintxo with one of the many excellent beers available at the bar. For a tapa, you have to try the famous pastrami sandwich made with corned beef. If you like Japanese food, you'll be happy to know that there is a sushi menu.

• Where to find it... This bar is located in the Gros neighbourhood, at 53 Zabaleta Street.

Bar Bergara is one of the most famous bars in the city, thanks to its hot and cold pintxos and homemade desserts. A classic if you book a pintxo tour in San Sebastián.

Among the wide variety of pintxos to choose from, I recommend the Txalupa. This pintxo is a creation of the Bergara kitchen and its name refers to a type of boat that is very common in the area. The Txalupa is a small boat made of mushrooms and prawns with cream and gratinated cheese. I can assure you that the combination of flavours is spectacular, not to mention its smooth texture.

In addition to this pintxo, I also recommend the bacalao ajoarriero(cod with garlic), the vieira gratinada (scallops au gratin), the delicias de pato (duck delicacies) and the Itxaso, which is simply a medallion of monkfish accompanied by a seafood cream.

• Where to find it... This bar is located in the famous Gros neighbourhood, specifically at 8 General Artetxe Street.

This small bar is famous for its potato omelette pintxo, and when I say famous, I don't just mean in San Sebastián. The potato omelette at Bar Néstor is famous throughout Spain, which is one of the reasons for its long waiting lists. So, if you want to taste one of the best potato omelettes according to the rankings, go early so you don't miss out.

Bear in mind that they only make two tortillas a day, one at 1pm and another at 8pm. Each tortilla serves only 16 portions, so make sure you're there first. In addition to the potato omelette, Bar Néstor is also famous for its steaks and fried peppers.

• Where to find it... This famous bar is located in the Old Town of San Sebastián, at 11 Arrandegi Street.

I'll take you to the Old Town of San Sebastián to show you one of the best foie pintxos you'll ever taste in San Sebastián. The Sport bar specialises in both hot and cold pintxos. One of the most outstanding is the foie pintxo, the house speciality. You have to include it in your pintxo tour of San Sebastián.

I also recommend trying the different sandwiches on the menu, as well as the txangurro, calamari and delicious octopus. As if that weren't enough, the prices are very reasonable and you get excellent value for money.

• Where to find it... This bar is located at 10 Calle Fermin Calbeton.

This is a very simple pintxo, but it stands out for its secret sauce. The rest of the recipe is no mystery: a slice of bread with a grilled prawn skewer.

Although its star pintxo is the prawn skewers, this small bar decorated with watercolours also has other specialities. I recommend you try the Marijuli, one of the bar's most typical recipes, which is simply smoked salmon with green pepper and salted anchovies.

At the Goiz-Argi bar you can also try txangurro, fried piparras, pitufos, txipirones or stuffed mushrooms. Whatever you order, you're sure to love it.

• Where to find it... The bar is located at Calle Fermin Calbeton Kalea number 4, in the Old Town of San Sebastian.

Gavillas are a type of croquette, except that they are filled with Serrano ham and cheese, covered with a layer of béchamel sauce and finally coated in breadcrumbs. It is a very typical recipe in San Sebastián and you will see it in many bars if you book a pintxo tour in San Sebastián.

However, the Gavilla par excellence is the one at Bar San Marcial, which has been delighting locals for over 30 years with its wonderful Gavilla.

• Where to find it... The bar is located at 50 San Marcial Street, just 50 metres from La Concha Beach.

I'm staying in the centre of San Sebastián to show you a bar with a special charm located on Calle San Martzial. It's a very modern bar with striking décor featuring murals. La Espiga serves both pintxos and raciones (smaller portions), and its dishes specialise in Basque and Spanish cuisine.

Among all its pintxos, one of the locals' favourites is the 'Delicia'. It's a piece of bread with salted anchovies, vinaigrette, hard-boiled egg, mayonnaise and Worcester sauce. The stuffed peppers, milanesa, ropa vieja de bonito (bonito stew) and morro en salsa (pork snout in sauce) are also delicious.

Of course, there are also more common Spanish tapas, such as meatballs and ham croquettes. However, I recommend trying the typical pintxos of Basque cuisine.

• Where to find it... The bar is in the centre of San Sebastián, at 48 San Martzial Kalea.

Another of the best bars for pintxos in San Sebastián is Txofre Taberna, a family business that has earned a place on Donostia's culinary scene over generations thanks to its Russian salad.

It's not that it's any different from the traditional recipe, as it contains all the typical ingredients: potatoes, egg, tuna and mayonnaise. However, locals know that if they want a good Russian salad pintxo, this is the place to go.

You can even order it to take away. If you book a pintxo tour in San Sebastián, you have to try this tapa.

• Where to find it... In the Gros neighbourhood, at 17 Mirakruz Street.

This beer bar is a San Sebastián classic that you have to include on your pintxo tour of San Sebastián. Although its name might lead you to believe that its star pintxo is mussels, the truth is that the patatas bravas are the real gold.

With their spicy kick, La Mejillonera's patatas bravas attract numerous locals every day, especially at weekends. Accompany this pintxo with a good craft beer from the bar.

• Where to find it... It is located in the city centre, at Calle del Puerto number 15.

Simple and unassuming in appearance, Paco Bueno is an unpretentious establishment, but with its gambas a la gabardina, it doesn't need anything else.

Every day at hamaiketako time, locals flock to Paco Bueno to savour this delicious pintxo. If you've never tried gambas a la gabardina before, they are prawns wrapped in a batter made from flour and cornflour and fried in plenty of olive oil.

To try this and other famous pintxos in San Sebastián, I recommend going on a tapas-pintxo tour with a local expert.

• Where to find it... This tavern is located at Calle Mayor number 6, in the Old Town of San Sebastián.

The Atari bar is an establishment that aims to combine traditional cuisine with avant-garde cooking, achieving a unique touch. One of the great advantages of Atari is that it has a terrace, which is great if you are lucky enough to go on a sunny day.

One of Atari's best pintxos is one of the star recipes of Spanish cuisine: croquettes. The ham croquettes at this bar in Donostia will blow your mind. If you still have room, try the sirloin steak in red wine sauce with seasonal garnish.

• Where to find it... This bar is located at Calle Mayor number 18, opposite the Basilica of Nuestra Señora del Coro.

The Txuleta restaurant, as its name suggests, prepares a large number of dishes on its menu using delicious steak. This is how its spectacular, incredibly tasty steak croquettes are made, with a soft texture and a crispy exterior. It has a covered terrace, perfect for rainy days, which are not uncommon in Donostia.

• Where to find it... This bar is located in the Old Town of San Sebastián, in Plaza de la Trinidad, very close to the Basilica of Our Lady of Coro.

Narru is a sophisticated restaurant with a contemporary feel. Its dishes are highly elaborate, yet never stray too far from the roots of Basque cuisine.

The wide variety of pintxos, both hot and cold, make Narru a renowned restaurant in Donostia. However, my favourite pintxo is the torreznos, which are cooked to perfection so that they are crispy yet juicy.

• Where to find it... The restaurant is located at 22 San Martín Street, next to the Buen Pastor Cathedral in San Sebastián.

Ganbara restaurant has been making the mouths of San Sebastián's residents water for over 25 years. It is one of the great landmarks of Donostia's Old Town.

Its pintxos and wine list are exquisite. Among all its dishes, the famous chistorra puff pastry stands out. Other specialities of this San Sebastian restaurant include battered asparagus and crab tartlets.

• Where to find it... The restaurant is located at 21 San Jerónimo Street, very close to Constitution Square.

To finish off, I suggest adding a sweet touch to this pintxo tour in San Sebastián with the delicious cheesecake from La Viña. This cheesecake is not only famous in Donostia, but also internationally. In fact, even in Turkey and Japan they try to imitate the recipe for this cheesecake.

La Viña is a casual bar that is also very popular for its famous wines.

• Where to find it... The bar is located on Calle 31 de Agosto, next to the Basilica of Our Lady of Coro.