Food · San Sebastián · Spain
What to eat in San Sebastián
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define San Sebastián, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
Start with Gilda, Hot pintxos cooked to order and Txuleta. Locals hop between bars, ordering one pintxo and a zurito (small beer) or txakoli in each. Lunch is usually from about 1:30pm to 3:30pm and dinner from about 8:30pm; pintxo bars are busiest from around 8pm.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Gilda
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 4
- Tipping
- Tipping is not expected in pintxo bars; locals may leave small change.
- Food experiences
- 4
11 foods to try
Snack
1.Gilda
The original San Sebastián pintxo: a skewer of a green olive, a salted anchovy and pickled guindilla peppers, named after the Rita Hayworth film. Salty, sharp and the classic partner to a glass of txakoli.
Where: On the counter of almost every Parte Vieja bar; old-school bars on Calle 31 de Agosto and Calle Fermín Calbetón keep the classic version.
Dish
2.Hot pintxos cooked to order
Beyond the counter displays, many bars write cooked dishes on a blackboard: grilled mushrooms, foie gras, slow-cooked cheeks, squid, risotto-style rice. These are made fresh and are often the best food in the bar.
Where: Ask for the board (la pizarra) in bars across the Parte Vieja and Gros; order at the counter and they bring it out.
Dish
3.Txuleta
A thick, bone-in rib steak from older cattle, grilled over charcoal until charred outside and served rare, often sliced and finished with coarse salt. It is usually shared between two or more people.
Where: Grill restaurants (asadores) in the city and the surrounding villages, and as the main course of a cider-house menu.
Dessert · Vegetarian
4.Burnt Basque cheesecake (Tarta de queso)
A crustless cheesecake baked at high heat so the top caramelises almost black while the centre stays creamy. The version from La Viña in the Parte Vieja made it famous internationally.
Where: La Viña on Calle 31 de Agosto, and on dessert menus across the city.
Drink · Vegetarian
5.Txakoli
A light, slightly sparkling and often low-alcohol white wine from Getaria and the Gipuzkoa coast, poured from a height into a wide glass to lift the bubbles.
Where: Every pintxo bar; for the vineyards, take a day trip to Getaria, where producers welcome visitors.
Drink · Vegetarian
6.Basque cider (Sagardoa)
Dry, still and tart natural cider made from Basque apples. In cider houses it is caught straight from the barrel into the glass from a thin jet when someone shouts 'txotx'.
Where: Cider houses (sagardotegiak) in Astigarraga and Hernani, a short bus or taxi ride south of the city; the traditional season runs from about January to April.
Dish
7.Bacalao al pil-pil
Salt cod cooked gently in olive oil with garlic and chilli while the pan is swirled, so the fish's gelatine emulsifies the oil into a thick sauce. A classic of Basque home cooking and cider-house menus.
Where: Traditional restaurants in the Parte Vieja and cider houses; cod omelette (tortilla de bacalao) is the other cider-house staple.
Dish
8.Spider crab (Txangurro)
Basque spider crab, its meat mixed with onion, tomato and brandy and baked in the shell under breadcrumbs (txangurro a la donostiarra). Smaller bars serve it as a pintxo or on toast.
Where: Seafood restaurants around the fishing port and Parte Vieja bars that list it on the board.
Dish
9.Kokotxas
The gelatinous throat of hake or cod, cooked in a green parsley sauce or pil-pil style. A prized Basque delicacy with a soft, silky texture.
Where: Traditional Basque restaurants and better pintxo bars, where it sometimes appears as a cooked-to-order dish.
Dish · Vegetarian
10.Idiazabal cheese
A firm, slightly smoky sheep's-milk cheese made from latxa sheep in the Basque mountains, often served with quince paste or walnuts.
Where: Cheese stalls in the Bretxa and San Martín markets, and on bar counters as a simple pintxo.
Dish
11.Squid in its ink (Txipirones en su tinta)
Small squid stewed in a black sauce of their own ink with onion and pepper, served with white rice or bread.
Where: Traditional restaurants and bars around the Parte Vieja and the port.
Food experiences
Txikiteo: the pintxo crawl
Locals hop between bars, ordering one pintxo and a zurito (small beer) or txakoli in each. Pick three or four bars, ask what is cooked to order, and keep moving rather than settling in one place.
Cider-house dinner
In season (roughly January to April), cider houses in Astigarraga and Hernani serve a fixed menu of cod omelette, cod with peppers, txuleta and cheese with quince and walnuts, while diners queue at the barrels for cider at the call of 'txotx'.
Market morning at La Bretxa and San Martín
The Bretxa market in the Parte Vieja and San Martín in Centro have fish, cheese, peppers and preserved anchovy stalls that supply the city's kitchens. Go in the morning to see the fish counters at their best.
Cooking classes and gastronomic societies
Basque gastronomic societies (txokos) are private members' kitchens, but several cooking schools in the city teach pintxo-making and Basque classics in English to visitors.
Quick bites and street food
- Gilda — On the counter of almost every Parte Vieja bar; old-school bars on Calle 31 de Agosto and Calle Fermín Calbetón keep the classic version.
Vegetarian options
Of the 11 foods in this guide, 4 are usually vegetarian: Burnt Basque cheesecake, Txakoli, Basque cider and Idiazabal cheese. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Lunch is usually from about 1:30pm to 3:30pm and dinner from about 8:30pm; pintxo bars are busiest from around 8pm.
- In pintxo bars, help yourself or point at counter pintxos, remember what you had, and pay at the end; the bar staff usually keep track.
- Many bars close one day a week and some take holidays in winter; have a back-up nearby.
- Book ahead for asadores, cider houses and the city's high-end restaurants, especially in summer and during the film festival.
- Tap water is free on request and safe to drink.
Tipping
Tipping is not expected in pintxo bars; locals may leave small change. In sit-down restaurants, rounding up or leaving about 5–10% for good service is appreciated but optional.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Kaixo | Hello (Basque) |
| Eskerrik asko | Thank you (Basque) |
| Agur | Goodbye (Basque) |
| Topa! | Cheers! (Basque) |
| Un zurito, por favor | A small beer, please |
| La cuenta, por favor | The bill, please |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is San Sebastián famous for?
Gilda, Hot pintxos cooked to order, Txuleta and Burnt Basque cheesecake. The original San Sebastián pintxo: a skewer of a green olive, a salted anchovy and pickled guindilla peppers, named after the Rita Hayworth film.
+Is San Sebastián good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Burnt Basque cheesecake, Txakoli and Basque cider.
+Do you tip in restaurants in San Sebastián?
Tipping is not expected in pintxo bars; locals may leave small change. In sit-down restaurants, rounding up or leaving about 5–10% for good service is appreciated but optional.