The Best Restaurants in San Sebastián (Donostia)
San Sebastián’s new Basque Country cuisine has been developed through generations of tradition and innovation. It possesses a deep-rooted food culture that has given rise to traditional pintxos bars as well as Michelin Star restaurants.
Following your cycling holiday in Spain, guests who choose to stay on will be spoiled for choice when eating out in San Sebastián or Bilbao.
Here are just some of the best restaurants in San Sebastián, as selected by The Slow Cyclist's Basque guides.
Pintxos Bars
Pintxos is a must-try Basque delicacy. Similar to tapas, these small bites show off the region's flavours and creativity.
Ganbara
Ganbara is a Donostia classic: a pintxos bar with a bustling and vibrant atmosphere and dishes so remarkable that there is often a queue of people waiting to have a taste. It was one of Anthony Bourdain’s favourite spots due to its txangurro (crab) tart and txepetxa (anchovies).
Kapadokia
Kapadokia is a much more modern take on your classical pintxos bar. While offering a vast array of dishes, it has gained particular fame for its tortilla, and even won the Euskadi tortilla competition.
La Viña
No foodie could dream of a trip to San Sebastián without eating ample Basque cheesecake. There’s no better place to do just that than at La Viña. Their classical Basque cheesecake is simply done to perfection.
La Espiga
La Espiga opened in 1928 and still to this day serves some of the best pintxos in San Sebastián. It has an exceptionally welcoming and friendly atmosphere as it’s still run by the fourth generation of the family. It’s the go-to spot if you are feeling adventurous and want to try some of Basque’s finest offals.
La Cuchara de San Telmo
La Cuchara de San Telmo, although one of the smallest pintxos bars in Donostia, is definitely one of the most popular. Its size and popularity can make for a somewhat chaotic gastronomic experience, but it will certainly be a memorable one. All the pintxos are cooked to order; you can watch the magic happen from the open kitchen. Some of our favourite dishes are the cochinillo, navajas (razor clams), squid ink risotto (made with orzo and not rice) and pig cheeks.
Borda Berri
Borda Berri is a place many leave calling their favourite. It’s hard not to after tasting their famous idiazabal puntalette risotto (made with local cheese and pasta).
Sit-Down Restaurants
Gandarias
Gandarias lies in the heart of the Parte Vieja (old town), with a pintxos bar downstairs and a restaurant above. It’s a great place to go if you want to be indulge in traditional Basque dishes. We would highly recommend trying their various cuts of steak.
Casa Urola
Casa Urola is another restaurant specialising in classic Basque dishes. A visit here would be amiss without trying their speciality dessert, which is a unique take on torrija (Spanish style French toast).
Fine Dining
Akelarre
Akelarre first opened in 1970 and has since been awarded three Michelin Stars. If you are craving a truly special dining experience, then Akelarre is the place. It is located on Mount Igeldo and looks out onto the vast coastline. The head chef Pedro Subijana is credited as one of the founders of modern Basque cuisine.
Arzak
Arzak is another classic of Basque haute cuisine, with three Michelin Stars. It’s a restaurant steeped in Basque tradition and family. Arzak originated in 1897 with chef Juan Mari Arzak’s grandparents. Juan now runs the kitchen with his daughter Elena who was awarded the Veuve Clicquot World’s Best Female Chef Award.
Other Recommendations
Here are a few more excellent restaurants in San Sebastián:
If you'd like to explore more of the Spanish Basque Country and its renowned cuisine, you can contact us here. Or discover more about our cycling journey from Rioja to Biscay.
