San Sebastián

Northern Spain is awash with beautiful towns, seaside cities, and stunning coastline. Milder temperatures drive locals and visitors indoors for the incredible food the region is known for. And a note not to refer to the typical snacks here as ‘tapas’… Pinxtos (pronounced pin-chos) is the word you need to know.

The Restaurants

Rekondo
I was told this is where wineries like Vega Sicilia come to when they need to source older vintages for vertical tastings. No surprise that this spot has a legendary wine list, and the food is solid too. You can sit on the terrace when the weather is nice out.

Martin Berasategui
A 3 Michelin star restaurant. Lovely tasting menu and beautiful garden views.

Narru
For a restaurant that's in between the Michelin stars and pintxos, we had dinner one night at Narru, which was very enjoyable. Narru is located in the new boutique hotel Arbaso Hotel that just opened in 2020. We didn't stay there, but a friend of mine who did loved it.

For Pinxtos

Txepetxa - Known for their anchovies.

La Cepa - Known for their Iberico ham, and it's honestly probably the best I've ever had… We went back a second time!

La Vina - Right next door to La Cepa. The standout here was the Basque cheesecake, which pairs perfectly with a local cider.

Cuchara de San Telmo - Anything here will be delicious! We sampled the veal cheese and squid ink risotto. The portions are quite generous so we didn't order more. A note to arrive on the early side as this spot is popular and there are not a lot of tables. I would go back and try everything else on their menu.

Gandarias - A reliably good pintxos bar.

Antonio Bar - Great anchovies & peppers pintxos! This one definitely feels more like a spot for locals.

Ganbara - Loved this pintxos bar in Old Town. We tried to go every night we were there, but it was only open on the weekends in April.

Beyond San Sebastián

Azurmendi - An inventive tasting menu that gives off a Blue Hill Stones Barns vibe. Located closer to Bilbao.

Elkano - About a 30-minute drive and you’ll find the best fish in Getaria here!

Asador Etxebarri - One of the best restaurants in the world and absolutely the favourite while we were in the region. Known for grilling, they offer a tasting menu that’s more rustic, and with much larger portions than you’d expect. Highly recommended the steak.
Located closer to Bilbao, about a 75-minute drive from central San Sebastián.

a restaurant waiter dramatically pours water into a glass in San Sebastian

a plate of Iberico ham at La Cepa in San Sebastian

The Hotels

For hotels in and around Old Town San Sebastián

Maria Christina
As the Grand Dame of San Sebastián, this is timeless elegance at its very best. Ideally located right on the edge of Old Town.

Villa Favorita (pictured at bottom)
Situated along one of the most beautiful promenades in the world, the La Concha, we loved our stay in this 19th century villa-now luxury hotel. Their Amelia Restaurant by Paulo Airaudo boasts 2 Michelin stars, so you don’t have to go far for outstanding cuisine.

Lasala
A lovely boutique hotel in the heart of Old Town that offers views of the picturesque fishing port, as well as a lively rooftop bar (pictured).

Nobu
The latest outpost of the Japanese-inspired group just opened in August of 2023, and has a location right on the La Concha. There’s a rooftop infinity pool, as well as terrace on the second floor open to the public.

Akelarre
A gorgeous hotel about 15 minutes outside of town, which also boasts a 3 Michelin star restaurant by the same name.