photo credit: Carlos Jackson
The Bay of Biscay is my jam and San Sebastian, its heart.
I wrote about my breakfast of choice while in San Sebastian, also known as Donosti, now I want to share my favorite pintxos bars in the city. If you didn’t know, pintxos are the Basque version of Spanish tapas. Nearly everything I ate was divine, but the following places stood out for overall experience and food.
1. Bar Alex
Very few seats but worth the wait if there isn’t a table available immediately. I wish we’d eaten here several times. I learned about a wine I would soon come to love, Ribeira de Sacra, from the bartender. The food is presented like artwork. A friend/local took us here and not only was it one of the best, it was our first. Sentimental favorite.
Bonus: Bar Alex is located behind Buen Pastor Cathedral, a gorgeous neo-gothic church.
Our friend also took us to Bodega Donostiarra, located in the Gros district. Out of my three favorites, this is what I had imagined a pintxos bar to be like. You walk up to the counter and pick out what you’d like to eat and return for more as often as you like. Respect the honor system and keep track of what you eat.
Our friend, Iker, and my man, Carlos.
Apparently 87.8 degrees Fahrenheit is quite hot for San Sebastian, especially in April, making me want to move there all the more! Texas summers are brutal. In 2011, we had 90 days of 100+ temperatures. My dream is to live in Donosti for the summer.
One night we decided to go out on a date and with a bit of online research, discovered this pintxos bar in the Gros district. You can walk almost anywhere in Donosti and this spot wasn’t too far from where we were staying. It is a bit more expensive, but offers table service and a more traditional dining experience.
I enjoyed this mushroom, zucchini, and broccoli dish so much, I ordered a second one.
Afterward we took a stroll along Zurriola Beach, which is just a little more than a block away.
If you find yourself in this spectacular part of the world, do yourself a favor and spend a day eating your way across the city. You won’t be disappointed.
What about you? Have you been to San Sebastian? What were your favorite pintxos bars?
