Local Flavor: the best places to eat and drink in San Sebastián

03.09.2024 - 10:49 / lonelyplanet.com / El Bulli

Sep 2, 2024 • 5 min read

San Sebastián is regarded as one of the best places to eat in the world. After living in this gorgeous, glittering city-by-the-sea for the last 15 years, and consuming more than my fair share of its fresh seafood, quality conserves and perfect pintxos(tapas), I can say with confidence that this reputation is well-deserved.

Want proof? Exhibit A is the most obvious: San Sebastián alternates holding the title of highest number of Michelin stars per capita with Tokyo. Exhibit B? Pintxos. No form of dining is more enjoyable than hopping from bar to bar to drink wine after wine paired with delicious, affordable miniature dishes.

The good eating in my adopted hometown goes beyond mere stars and snacks, however. The modern dining scene in San Sebastián stands on the back of the local Basque culture, whose respect for tradition, nature’s rhythms, and local agriculture is deeply rooted. The group of chefs that put Basque cuisine on the map in the 1970s (Arzak, Subijana, and more) were actually responsible for the rise of haute cuisine in Spain, which culminated in the famed El Bullí and shaped the country into the culinary powerhouse it is today.

In researching for my two cookbooks , I’ve realized this city is in constant evolution, but here are some of my favorite spots to go right now.

Breakfast in Spain is notoriously limited to a coffee and a piece of toast or, here in the north, a croissant. One of my favorite baked goods in town is the walnut croissant at Galparsoro. My second favorite is the gateau basque, a traditional almond flour p â te sablée (pastry crust) filled with cherries or cream – Pariés has the best in town. 

Brunch is slowly permeating the local psyche, so the options are widening if breakfast is your main priority. Newcomer to the scene is Xauen Caf é , a tiny spot with luxe urban vibes and a wonderfully varied menu that includes specialty coffee, Turkish-style eggs, yogurt and granola bowls, and smoothies.

Little by little, specialty coffee is making baby steps in San Sebastián. In the Centro neighborhood, Old Town Coffee is your best bet, run by veterans of the coffee scene in town. In Gros, stop by Simona Speciality Coffee Club , where the flat whites are fab and the ambience is light-filled and open.

If you’re like me and sometimes long for a darker roast or that real Spanish café con leche (coffee with milk) taste, you can head to Cafes Angiozar, which is coming up on its 100th year of business. The tiny shop holds out in its central spot in the neighborhood of Gros serving traditional Spanish torrefacto coffee, which may get a bad rap but really represents the history of coffee in Spain.

The sooner you adapt to Spanish dining habits, the better, and in