San Sebastián is a beautiful city and a perfect place for the traveler who is also a food enthusiast. It is here that there are more Michelin star places per square meter than any other place in the world. More my speed was the Parte Vieja (old town) with its incredible array of pinxtos (tapas) bars. At first it can be a bit overwhelming. Where to spend your stomach capacity? There are literally hundreds of bars to choose from. However, with a little research and common sense (packed bar versus empty bar) you can quickly isolate where to visit for a bite and a drink.
Standard operating procedure in a pinxto bar is relatively simple. Figure out the specialty of the house and order it. Usually this is a hot pinxto versus a cold pinxto that you will find on the counter. Order a drink - Txakoli is a great choice for a white wine as it goes with almost anything. Plus, it is cheap and delicious. Should you need a red wine, ask for a Rioja Crianza. Have a few bites but not too many as there are many more places to explore. Throw your napkin on the floor instead of putting it on the counter.
The following are the best San Sebastián pinxtos bars per my taste:
Bar Nestor - the specialty of the house is grilled steak. Other stand outs are the grilled peppers, tomato salad and Basque cheeses.
Ganbara - the specialty of the house is grilled mushrooms and the signature dish below was just mind blowing. In addition, all of the hot tapas are superb.
La Cuchara de San Telmo - everything is ordered fresh from the kitchen here and the quality is just fantastic. Signature items include the foie gras, beef cheeks, grilled octopus, duck dumplings and pigs ears.
Atari Gastroteka - a modern pinxtos bar situated right next to a large church. Signature items include foie gras, rice of the day, grilled octopus and an unbelievable dessert of basque bread with honey ice cream. Gin and tonics are the specialty drink of the house.
