Best Pintxos in San Sebastián
Pintxos (pronounced "pinchos") are the backbone of Basque cuisine. These bite-sized delights are not only delicious but are also meant to be enjoyed with friends and family. You can savour a few with a drink, chat while catching up, then move on to another pintxos bar, head out for dinner, or simply go home to cook.
You see, locals don’t usually have pintxos as a meal; they generally enjoy one or two before lunch or dinner.
The term pintxos comes from the verb "pinchar," which means ‘to pierce’—hence, many pintxos are served with a cocktail stick through them.
The first-ever pintxo is said to be the ‘gilda’, a simple yet flavourful combination of anchovy, olive, and pickled peppers on a cocktail stick. This delicious trio is a perfect way to awaken your taste buds before more pintxos.
You’ll find pintxos in bars on almost every corner of San Sebastián, including Centro, Gros, and Antiguo regions, but most are concentrated in Parte Vieja, the Old Town of Donostia (another name for San Sebastián). Many restaurants often have a bar area dedicated to pintxos now too.
Some say that San Sebastián has the most bars per square metre and, famously, the most Michelin stars per capita. The bustling atmosphere of a pintxos bar adds a lively buzz to the city. If you hear a lot of chatter, you’re likely near a pintxos bar with many spilling out onto the streets around.
Before ordering, be sure to ask for the bar's speciality pintxos, as most have one or more signature dishes. Don’t be fooled by the pintxos displayed on the counter; this isn’t all they have to offer. Ask for a menu (both hot and cold) or inquire about their specialities to ensure you don’t miss out on the best pintxos that the bar has available.
‘Gilda’ - the original pintxo
Top tips for the Pinxtos bars of San Sebastián
Your first pintxos bar might feel a bit overwhelming, especially if it’s busy and the bar is small. Don’t worry—we’ve got you covered with our tips for ordering pintxos:
Check the menu and look out for their specialities (often served hot and made to order). There will often be chalkboards or laminated menus on the wall outlining this.
Go to the bar and be assertive. Squeeze through the crowd to get the attention of the bar staff; if you’re not looking at them, you won’t get your order in as they’ll not realise you’re waiting to be served. (this isn’t in our nature; we’re used to queueing and waiting our turn but I promise you it’s necessary in these busy bars).
If you’re peckish, order a cold pintxo while waiting for the hot ones.
Try local beverages from Donostia — txakoli wine and cider (the latter being more sour than UK cider).
You usually get your order, eat it and pay before you leave; however, some bars may ask tourists to pay upfront.
Be prepared to stand - Seating is often limited in pintxos bars, so you’ll see people enjoying their food standing at the bar or eating outside.
Throw your napkin on the ground. It might feel strange at first, but it’s actually considered hygienic so people don’t place dirty napkins on the bar near the pintxos. Some places have bins attached beneath the bar too.
The general rule is to eat one or two pintxos at any one bar before heading to another.
We enjoyed the pimiento bacoloa here (cod wrapped in pepper)
Our Pintxos Recommendations
Some of the pintxos bars we had planned to visit were closed for vacations during our stay, including Casa Urola, Ganbara, Bar Nestor, and La Viña (the latter specialises in Basque cheesecake).
While this was disappointing at first, we quickly found that you can’t really go wrong in San Sebastián as the quality of food is amazing everywhere. We embraced the opportunity to discover our own little gems throughout the city, of which there were many.
As these bars came highly recommended, we thought we’d include what we’d been advised to get from each below:
Casa Urola: Lobster cocktail & scallops
Ganbara: Seared mushrooms
Bar Nestor: Tortilla & Steak with tomatoes and peppers
La Viña: Tarta de Queso (basque cheesecake)
Our Pintxos Highlights
Of the many pintxos we ate, here are a few of our favourite orders at some of the bars we ate at:
Gandarias: T-bone bruschetta & scallops
Bar Sport: Creamed sea urchin, croquetas (which change daily), and the cheesecake.
Bartolo: Monkfish and prawn skewers
Atari: Arroz de Temporada (chicken rice with peanuts) with a refreshing glass of Martini Rosso.
Bodega Donostiarra: The Gilda
Gandarias restaurant & pintxos bar - buzzing with people
We must admit our camera eats first not only because we are food-obsessed, but of course, we need pictures for the blog. This also means we have a photographic record of how many pintxos we ate over our five days in San Sebastiàn. A total of 31 (averaging 6-7 a day). Yes, we do love food and we love San Sebastián too.
So book your flights already as a food haven awaits you!
San Sebastián Food Map
How to use our maps
Click on the menu icon on the top left to show a list of all places on the map. You’ll find our notes by clicking on each place.
Click on the fullscreen icon on the top right to open the map in Google Maps.