San Sebastián or Donastia as it’s known in Basque, is famed for its golden sand beaches, Michelin-starred restaurants, art nouveau buildings and beautiful Old Town. We stayed for 4 nights in a lovely AirBNB just a 5 minute walk away from the buzz of Old Town with its humming pintxos bars and plazas. Heaven!
WINE BAR | GERALD’S BELLA BAR
Gerald’s Bar in Carlton North remains one of our favourite Melbourne haunts.
Gerald’s Bar in San Sebastián shared the same virtues - bistro style small plates of seasonal produce, bang on wine list, upbeat ambient and an exceptional team.
Since returning home, I can’t stop thinking about this Oliva Spritz - manzanilla sherry, cava, a dash of lemon juice and syrup made from olive jar brine.
Make sure you go on a night when Bella is on. She truly made our night. Read more.
PINTXOS BAR | PACO BUENO
Paco Bueno is a stand-up pintxos bar, run by the sons of a famous Basque boxer of the same name. The walls are heaving with framed pictures of him in action. The locals come here for a beer and gambas en gabardina, tempura-like prawns on sticks, for only €1.75. Find a spot at the bar, order a beer and prawns and wait for them to come out piping hot. Read more.
PINTXOS BAR | BORDA BERRI
You won’t find pintxos on the bar at Borda Berri. Chefs Iñaki Gulín and Marc Clua serve up raciones (think small plates) and change the menu regularly. We spotted four must-try signatures - 6-hour cooked PX veal cheek in red wine, puntalette risotto with idiazabal Basque sheeps cheese, squid in its ink ravioli and crispy pig's ear with romesco (below). Read more.
PINTXOS BAR | BAR TXEPETXA
Anchovies! Sardines! It’s all about oily fish here at at Bar Txepetxa. The fish is prepared freshly, delicious silvery fillets marinated, not salted, and placed atop bread with unexpected toppings. Read more.
PINTXOS BAR | ZERUKO
The signature dish at Bar Zeruko is La Hoguera - The Bonfire. Served on a mini bbq of smoking rosemary and coals, you’ll cook the tender sliver of cod yourself. Served with a chaser of herb mayonnaise crostini and a test-tube shot of liquid salad. Read more.
PINTXOS BAR | GANDARIAS
Snacks at this Old Town hang emphasise the classic preparation of well-chosen ingredients. On any given night, you might sample seared sirloin atop a slice of toasted baguette, a trio of braised beef cheeks smothered in rich brown gravy, or a skewer of grilled baby squid dressed in sauce of its own ink. Trust your eyes and pick up whatever looks best; no matter what you choose, you’ll develop an excellent baseline for what pintxos should be.
PINTXOS BAR | BAR NESTOR
Bar Nestor is an institution amongst locals and known for ‘the holy trinity’. Wait patiently for a spot at the bar and order:
Fresh ox heart tomatoes chopped into chunks, splashed with olive oil, a little vinegar, plenty of salt and served with bread to mop up all the oil.
Padron peppers flash-fried in a hot pan with olive oil then doused with salt.
The Txuleta! A Basque cut of beef - sirloin on the bone cooked slowly over hot coals. Then sliced, YES doused with salt and served just like that.
PINTXOS BAR | LA VINA
Finish your pintxo crawl through Old Town at La Viña. Opened in 1959 by Eladio Rivera and Carmen Jiménez, this institution is now run by their son Santiago Rivera. You’ll be lining up for their famous burnt Basque cheese cream cake. It’s the stuff of legends and perfect with a glass of Pedro Ximenez. Read more.
SHOP | LANCE & MALONE
Owned by local artists, Lance & Malone is an art shop in Old Town selling illustrations, collages and photographs by local artists. I’ve made a habit of collecting local art whilst travelling and “Salud” by local artist Mikel Casal is now framed and hanging in our kitchen.
COFFEE & BREAD | THE LOAF
Grab an artisanal loaf and the best coffee you’ll find in San Seb from The Loaf. Slice up sourdough, lather with butter and top with anchovies.
🍸BAR | DRY
Maria Cristina Hotel was built in 1912 and given a facelift for her 100th birthday. The 5-star luxury hotel is located in the Belle Epoque buildings along the River Urumea in the heart of San Sebastian, home to Asian-style Café Saigon, cooking school/grocer Mimo San Sebastián and swanky lounge bar Dry Bar. Stop by for cocktails and take in the opulence. Read more.
