I went on a spontaneous 4-day trip to San Sebastián, eating my way through many pintxos bars and restaurants, and honestly the food really does live up to the hype! If you’re planning a visit, these are the places I highly recommend and the ones I’d 100% go back to, along with where I stayed and what else we got up to while we were there.
Table of Contents
- Where We Stayed: Hotel Maria Cristina
- My 4-Day Itinerary
- Where I Ate in San Sebastián (And What I’d Order Again)
- Final Thoughts
Where We Stayed: Hotel Maria Cristina
This was a pretty spontaneous last-minute trip that I planned about 1-2 weeks in advance, which I definitely wouldn’t recommend if you’re visiting San Sebastián during peak season (July to August). We visited at the beginning of July when the weather was a lovely 23-28°C, but hotel prices were expensive. If you wanted somewhere nice in the Old Town, expect to pay at least £300+ per night, with luxury hotels reaching £1,000+.
Disclosure: I was kindly invited by Hotel Maria Cristina for one complimentary night and received a media rate for the remaining two nights. As always, all opinions are my own.
Hotel Maria Cristina is a beautiful 5-star hotel that opened in 1912, and it has so much character. The whole place has an elegant, old-money vibe with beautiful architecture and interiors.
We were welcomed with a glass of local txakoli wine and a gilda pintxo, which I later found out was the original pintxo created in San Sebastián! This was a nice little welcome snack.
The location honestly couldn’t have been better. It’s only a 5-minute walk to the Old Town, so every restaurant and pintxos bar on my list was within walking distance.
Breakfast was also kindly included during our stay, and not even kidding it’s the best hotel breakfast I’ve ever had. The fruit was so fresh and sweet, the wide variety of jamón, bread, pastries and cakes were all amazing, and you could genuinely taste the quality of everything. The hotel is also home to the two Michelin-starred Amelia, so I guess I shouldn’t have expected anything less.
Overall, I really enjoyed our stay. The location, hospitality and overall experience were excellent. However, if you’re visiting during peak season, rooms can cost £1,000+ per night (!!), so I’d personally wait until shoulder season or keep an eye out for a better rate.
My 4-Day Itinerary
Day 1: Arriving in San Sebastián
I flew from London Gatwick to Bilbao, which is about a 2-hour flight, then took a bus from Bilbao to San Sebastián, which took around 1 hour 20 minutes. It actually worked out really well since there were frequent flights from Gatwick to Bilbao, and the buses to San Sebastián were also running regularly. Overall, it was a really smooth and easy journey, and the Donostia/ San Sebastián bus stop was just a short walk from our hotel.
After checking into Hotel Maria Cristina around 6:30pm, we were welcomed with a little gilda pintxo and a glass of txakoli wine, which was such a nice introduction to the city. We dropped our luggage and headed straight into the Old Town because we had no time to waste!
For dinner, we started at La Cepa, then went to La Viña for cheesecake for dessert.
We ended the evening with a walk along La Concha Beach, watching the sunset, then went back to the hotel to watch the World Cup game before calling it a night.
Day 2: Pintxo hopping & exploring the Old Town
We started the day with the breakfast buffet at Hotel Maria Cristina, which was honestly incredible.
After that, we headed straight to La Cuchara de San Telmo and started queuing at around 11:30am before it opened at 12pm. It was definitely worth getting there early because it gets busy fast.
We also tried a McDonald’s affogato at some point (lol), and it was so good! I really wish this was something you could get in every McDonald’s.
We chilled back at the hotel for a few hours for a bit of a siesta, then went out for an early dinner at Bar Desy.
Later on, we watched the super stressful World Cup game (England vs DR Congo), then went for a late second dinner (hehe) at Antonio Bar. We had a few drinks afterwards and called it a night after a long, very full day.
Day 3: Monte Igueldo, beach time & more eating!
We started the day again with breakfast at the hotel because I honestly cannot get enough of the fruit and needed my morning coffee fix.
After that, we headed to Bar Antonio at around 9:30am for tortilla. We took the funicular up to Monte Igueldo amusement park, enjoyed the views over the city, and went on a few rides before heading back down.
We went back to the hotel for a bit, then headed out for lunch and did some more pintxo hopping. We stopped at La Espiga for a few pintxos, then Gandarias for a few more.
After that, we chilled at the hotel for about an hour before heading to La Concha Beach around 3pm. The sun was still really strong, so we just relaxed and sunbathed for the afternoon.
Later on, we queued up for Bar Nestor around 6:30pm. People start lining up at this time even though it only opens at 7:30pm, and we were given a return slot for 9:15pm (!!) for dinner.
So in the meantime, we went back out for more food and drinks, stopping at Borda Berri for a few bites before heading back to Bar Nestor.
This was definitely the day I ate the most food in my life, but honestly I’m not complaining. Every single meal was absolutely incredible and I’d go back to all of them in a heartbeat.
Day 4: Last meal & heading back to London 🙁
We took the morning pretty slow, packed up, and made the most of our last few hours in San Sebastián.
We loved the tortilla from Bar Antonio so much that we had to go back for one last time. After that, we stopped by Bar Txepetxa, which is famous for its anchovy pintxos, before heading back to La Cuchara de San Telmo for a few more small plates. And of course, we couldn’t leave without one final slice of cheesecake from La Viña!
Then it was time to catch the bus back to Bilbao and fly home to London Gatwick. Safe to say we left very full and satisfied, and already talking about when we’d come back.
Where I Ate in San Sebastián (And What I’d Order Again)
1) Bar Néstor
When I was researching where to eat in San Sebastián, I knew Bar Néstor would be one of the hardest places to get into, but it was 10000% worth it!
We were told by the staff to start queueing at around 6:30pm even though it doesn’t open until 7:30pm. We grabbed a couple of beers from the bar opposite and honestly, chatting to other people in the queue made the time fly. We were given a return slot for 9:15pm. I’d definitely recommend queueing early if you want to secure a dinner spot.
The menu is super simple with just four things: txuleta (Basque-style steak), tortilla, Padrón peppers and tomato salad. We ordered the steak, peppers and tomatoes.
Guys, the steak was insaaaaaaaane! It comes out pre-sliced and very rare, served on a hot stone so you can cook each piece a little more if you like. I’d recommend taking the slices off the stone after a while though, otherwise they’ll keep cooking. It was perfectly smoky with a beautiful char on the outside, super tender, deep savoury beef flavour, and honestly one of the best steaks I’ve ever had in my life (not exaggerating).
The tomatoes also deserve a mention because they were the best tomatoes I’ve ever eaten. It’s simply seasoned with olive oil and salt, but when the tomatoes are that ripe, sweet and juicy, they don’t need anything else!
If you’re only in San Sebastián for a few days, Bar Néstor is a must. Just be prepared to queue because it’s one of the most popular restaurants in the city for a reason.
✅ What I’d order again: Txuleta, tomato salad and Padrón peppers.
2) La Viña
You can’t come to San Sebastián without trying the famous burnt Basque cheesecake from La Viña! It’s the birthplace of the burnt Basque cheesecake, first created here in 1988. We actually ended up coming back every single day because we loved it that much.
The cheesecake has a beautifully caramelised, burnt top and a light, creamy centre. It’s rich but not too heavy, and not overly sweet either (perfect for my Asian taste buds). It was so good that after finishing one slice, you would immediately want another.
There’s always a little queue at La Viña, but it moves pretty quickly because most people are just grabbing a cheesecake to go.
✅ What I’d order again: The burnt Basque cheesecake… obviously!
3) Borda Berri
Borda Berri was definitely one of my favourite places we ate at.
It’s a tiny pintxos bar, and when we went around 7pm it was absolutely packed. Loud, chaotic, and you had to fight your way through to order. You have to squeeze your way to the counter to order, then find a spot to stand and eat. I know the chaos won’t be everyone’s thing, but I actually loved the atmosphere. It somehow made the food taste even better.
We ordered the tomato stuffed with tuna and chillies, pork ribs, pig’s ear and cod cheek. The tomato was so fresh and delicious, with the tuna hidden inside the whole tomato. The cod cheek was buttery and melted in your mouth, and the pork ribs were great too.
But guys… the pig’s ear. The. Pig’s. Ear.
I already love pig’s ear in Chinese cuisine, but this was on another level. Crispy on the outside, soft and slightly sticky in the middle, and the flavour was just so on point. I still think about this pig’s ear today.
✅ What I’d order again: Pig’s ear and the tomato stuffed with tuna and chillies.
4) Bar Antonio
We actually ended up going to Bar Antonio three times during our trip!! So I think that says a lot.
On our first visit, we ordered the famous Igueldo pintxo, grilled scallops with truffle purée, crispy beef oxtail, prawn ravioli with Martini sauce, tomato salad with tuna belly, and sautéed mushrooms with foie.
The Igueldo pintxo was definitely one of my favourites. It’s made with tuna, anchovy, tomato and guindilla peppers on toasted bread, drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The tomatoes were so sweet and juicy, and paired perfectly with the salty anchovy.
The crispy oxtail and prawn ravioli are both on the list of the 99 Best Pintxos in San Sebastián, but personally they didn’t stand out to me. They were delicious, but not dishes I’d come back for. The scallops were super fresh and sweet, the tomato salad with tuna belly was so yummy (it’s tomato season after all!), and the mushrooms with foie were such a great pairing.
One morning, we even queued at 9:30am because we’ve heard they only make a limited number of tortillas each day. It was so worth it that we came back again on our last day for another one. The tortilla is made with caramelised onions, peppers and egg. I loved that the centre wasn’t overly runny with egg, and the caramelised onions and peppers brought everything together. The potato slices still had a bit of bite to them, which gave the tortilla a really nice texture.
✅ What I’d order again: The Igueldo pintxo, tortilla, tomato salad with tuna belly, and mushrooms with foie.
5) La Cuchara De San Telmo
La Cuchara de San Telmo was one of the places I was most excited to try because it gets so much hype, and I’d say a few dishes are definitely worth the hype.
We were one of the first people in the queue at around 11:30am before it opened at 12pm. Shortly after, the queue got really, really long, so I’d definitely recommend getting there early.
On our first visit, we ordered the famous suckling pig, octopus, steak and grilled crystal peppers.
The suckling pig is their most popular dish for a reason. The skin was perfectly crispy, and the meat was so tender it just pulled apart. The grilled crystal peppers were juicy, sweet and cooked perfectly. The octopus was also really fresh and tender, although I personally wasn’t a fan of all the carrot purée and sauces. I think the sauces overpowered the flavour of the octopus, and I would’ve preferred it much simpler. The steak was also delicious, but again I think the sauces were unnecessary.
We came back again on our last day and tried the scallop risotto, which actually ended up being my favourite dish here! It was made with orzo instead of rice, the scallops were sweet, juicy and melted in your mouth, and the orzo was rich, glossy and so flavourful. I have no idea what they cooked it in, but it was absolutely delicious.
✅ What I’d order again: Scallop risotto, suckling pig and grilled crystal peppers.
6) La Espiga
We only tried two pintxos from La Espiga, but both were absolutely delicious.
The first was a salmon pintxo topped with salted anchovy, pickled pepper and onion. The second was their famous “La Delicia” pintxo, made with anchovies, boiled egg, mayonnaise, onion, parsley vinaigrette and Worcestershire sauce.
Both were so good that I honestly wanted to eat another three of each. The La Delicia was amazing! None of the ingredients sound particularly exciting on their own, but once you put them all together, it was just so scrumptious and worked perfectly.
✅ What I’d order again: La Delicia and the salmon pintxo.
7) Bar Desy
Bar Desy was another place I was really curious to try because it kept coming up in so many people’s recommendations.
We went at around 6pm and there was no queue at all. We grabbed a couple of beers and ordered their famous txuleta burger, made with Basque beef and melted cream cheese in a soft, slightly sweet brioche bun.
It was definitely the rarest burger I’ve ever eaten, but it wasn’t weird at all. The beef was incredibly juicy with a really deep, beefy flavour, and it paired so well with the soft brioche bun and creamy cheese.
I’d say it’s definitely worth the hype, and I’d happily come back here again just for the burger.
✅ What I’d order again: The txuleta burger.
8) Gandarias
Gandarias is one of the bigger pintxos bars in Old Town and definitely had one of the biggest selections we saw. The counter was so colourful and full of different pintxos that I honestly wanted to try one of everything.
We stopped to try a few bites and ordered the famous sea urchin pintxo, one with steak, pickled onions and peppers, one with jamón, and the Matrimonio pintxo with two different types of anchovies.
Everything was delicious, but the Matrimonio was my favourite. I just love anchovies, and the pickles paired with them so well.
I’d definitely recommend not overthinking what to order here. Just pick whatever catches your eye because I honestly don’t think you can go wrong.
✅ What I’d order again: Matrimonio pintxo, the sea urchin pintxo, and the steak pintxo.
9) La Cepa
La Cepa was our very first meal in San Sebastián, and it was the perfect welcome to the city!
We ordered a plate of jamón, jamón croquettes, sautéed wild mushrooms with egg yolk, and the sirloin steak skewers.
The jamón was amazing. It was beautifully red, freshly sliced and had a rich, oily, buttery texture. The croquettes were also really good.
As a mushroom fanatic, I really wanted to try the famous wild mushrooms at Ganbara, but they were unfortunately closed for their summer holiday while we were there. So I tried the mushrooms at La Cepa instead, and they definitely didn’t disappoint. They were super flavourful, probably from the grill, and mixed with creamy egg yolk. Such a simple dish, but so good!
The sirloin skewers were a little too rare for my liking and quite difficult to chew, so I probably wouldn’t order those again.
✅ What I’d order again: The jamón and the wild mushrooms with egg yolk.
10) Bar Txepetxa
If you love anchovies as much as I do, you have to visit Bar Txepetxa! It’s famous for its anchovy pintxos, with so many different combinations that it was honestly pretty hard to choose.
We tried their famous spider crab cream pintxo, anchovies with jardinera sauce, a classic anchovy with red pepper, and an interesting blackberry one that was recommended by our server.
These were probably the biggest pintxos we had in San Sebastián, and the anchovies themselves were huge too. They were silky, lightly salted and so fresh, and every topping paired really well with them.
My favourites were definitely the spider crab cream and the jardinera. The blackberry one was interesting… a little too sweet and slightly weird for my taste, but I liked how it somehow made the anchovy flavour linger even more afterwards.
✅ What I’d order again: The spider crab cream and jardinera anchovy pintxos.
Final Thoughts
I knew San Sebastián was a hyped-up destination for foodies, but it’s honestly hyped up for a good reason! If you love food, you need to visit. I was genuinely blown away by how every single meal was amazing. Not one meal disappointed. Even if you don’t end up visiting the places on this list (although I still think you should), I honestly think you could walk into a random pintxos bar and still have an incredible meal.
I’d recommend spending at least 3-4 days here so you have enough time to eat, walk around the city, chill at the beach, visit a few attractions, then EAT some more.
By the time we left, me and my partner were already talking about when we’d come back. We somehow managed to eat at 10 restaurants in 4 days (which is actually crazy now that I think about it), but somehow it still didn’t feel like enough. Looking back, we were saying we should’ve eaten even more!
Next time we’ll definitely come back during the shoulder season instead of peak summer, but one thing’s for sure, we’ll be coming back hungry.
