A Connoisseur Guide To Haute Cuisine Paradise | San Sebastián
San Sebastian’s most iconic restaurants
By Jorane Cuppen | Gastronomist | Owner Guts to Glory
Akkelare | Tip by Jorane Cuppen
“If there is one place you can choose from this list, go to Amelia. Truly a breath of fresh air in gastronomy. It has a playful and no-nonsense ambiance, an unusual but perfectly suiting playlist full of guilty rock pleasures. And the food is some of the best I had during my trip. GO THERE. ”
San Sebastián has a beautiful old town but Donostia - as locals call it - is most famous for its culinary excellence.
With more than a dozen Michelin Star-awarded restaurants in a fifty-kilometer radius, San Sebastián is a true haute cuisine paradise.
Don’t let that intimidate you: its culinary riches trickle down to the many local bars as well, where Pinxtos, local bar snacks on a toothpick, form an accessible entry to San Sebastián’s food culture.
Let Bearleader in Gastronomy Jorane Cuppen guide you to the best San Sebastián restaurants.
Where to eat
AKELARRE
This extraordinary restaurant is elegantly built into the mountain Igueldo, offering stunning views to go with their stunning dishes.
After over 25 years as a two star restaurant, Chef Pedro Subjana managed to earn a third Michelin star in 2007.
AMELIA
Ran by Italian-Argentinian Michelin Star Chef Paulo Airaudo, this beautiful restaurant has a serious commitment to reinterpreting forgotten ingredients.
The restaurant has a refreshing decor full of pop culture references and an unusual but perfectly fitting playlist full of guilty pleasures.
AZURMENDI
An hour drive from San Sebastián, but more than worth it. Azurmendi earned Three Michelin Stars in 2012 with chef Eneko Atxa at the helm, making him one of the youngest chefs ever to achieve this.
Expect a real culinary experience, starting off with an impressive amuse-driven tour through the building, where you’ll taste deeply authentic yet refreshing Basque cooking.
LA VIÑA
The best Basque cheesecake in town, inspiring countless recipes and attempts to copy it - even by some Michelin Star Chefs. You seriously cannot leave San Sebastián without having tried it.
They offer both small bites and a whole cheesecake to take with you, beautifully wrapped in a cute red box.
SAN SEBASTIÁN’S TOP PINTXOS
The Basque word pintxo translates to spike, after the serving form this specialty takes: food on a toothpick.
A very social way of experiencing food, with an honour system where you grab the food of the bar yourself and jot down how much you’ve had.Experience San Sebastián’s food culture like a local and go from bar to bar. Jorane advices to make your way through the Parte Vieja in the Old Town.
Definitely don’t skip the bars littered with napkins on the floors: often the uglier the bar, the better the food. Speaking a little bit of Spanish helps.Some of Jorane’s favourite bars and their best pintxo:
BAR GORRITI | Omelette sandwich with ham
MATALAUVA | Fava beans with iberican pork and egg vinaigrette
ZAZPI | Creamy oxtail stew ravioli or the green rice
BAR ITURRIOZ | Smoked sardine
BODEGA DONOSTIARRA | Tuna, anchovy and guindilla pepper
ATARI GASTROTEKA | Foie gras with sweetcorn and white chocolate with warm pulled meat
TXEPETXA | Anchovies with pepper vinaigrette
CASA UROLA | Artichoke with praline and papada
MARTINEZ | Tuna stuffed pepper
NARRU | Grilled iberian pork with potato and apple puree
GATXUPA | Ham croquette, pork belly and lemon
LA CHUCHARA DE SAN TELMO | Suckling pig, beef cheeks and fried foie gras
Wine tastings
TXAKOLI TASTING
Combine a trip out of the city with one of the many txakoli tasting tours available around the area. A local specialty, txakoli is a very dry, slightly sparkling wine that’s low in alcohol. See below for some of Jorane’s favourite tastings.
