Dinner at Rekondo San Sebastian
You can’t talk about eating in San Sebastián without mentioning cheesecake.
The now internationally famous Basque burnt cheesecake is associated with La Viña in the Parte Vieja. It looks almost defiantly unlike the neat cheesecakes we may be accustomed to. There is no biscuit base. The exterior is deeply browned, even burnt-looking, while inside it is soft, rich and creamy.
It has now been copied all over the world – which makes eating it in the place which made the style famous rather special.
Basque Cheesecake Tarta de Queso
But San Sebastián’s sweet side doesn’t begin and end there. Its pastelerías are well worth investigating too. Otaegui is an old-established name and a place to look for pantxineta, the local pastry of puff pastry, custard and almonds. There is also gâteau Basque and, of course, excellent brioche and other pastries.
Though by this stage of a pintxos crawl, sharing dessert may be prudent!
The drinks are every bit as much a part of the ritual as the food.
Spanish Wines in San Sebastian
A zurito is a small beer and a txikito a small glass of wine – very sensible measures when you’re planning several stops.
Then there is cider. Basque cider – sagardoa in Basque, sidra in Spanish – is dry and quite different from the sweeter styles many Australians might expect. Traditionally it is poured from a height, helping to aerate it as it hits the glass.
Cider Bottle
And, of course, there is txakoli. This slightly spritzy, high-acid Basque white wine is made for this sort of eating. Fresh and lively, it is particularly good with the seafood which appears so frequently on pintxos counters.
Vermouth has its place too, and there are bars devoted to it. Then there is Rioja just inland, so you’re hardly going to go thirsty. For me, the important thing is that the drink accompanies the ritual rather than overwhelming it. Small food, small drink, another bar.
Pace yourself!
Sometimes you want to sit down. Standing at a bar is all part of the pintxos experience, but sometimes you want a chair, a table and a proper meal.
Casa Urola has a restaurant upstairs serving classic Basque food, while Bar Nestor is famous for doing very few things and doing them extremely well: tomatoes with salt and olive oil, roasted peppers and enormous steaks. Gerald’s Bar is another sit-down option, while Restaurante Kofradia, down by the port, focuses on seafood.
Tasting Menu at Arzak
And then, of course, there is San Sebastián’s other gastronomic face: serious destination dining. Arzak (my favourite) , Akelare and Mugaritz are among the great names around the city, while Rekondo combines Basque cooking with a celebrated wine cellar. Farther afield are places such as Elkano in Getaria, renowned for grilled turbot, and Asador Etxebarri in Axpe, where cooking over fire is elevated to an art.
Food at Arzak
You could build an entire trip around these restaurants. But for me, they are part of a much bigger food story rather than the whole story. It isn’t only about pintxos It would be easy to write about San Sebastián as though its entire identity rested on pintxos and Michelin-starred restaurants.
It doesn’t.
What excites me about this part of the world is the food culture which lies underneath all of that.
Then you could join me on my culinary tour of San Sebastian and the Basque Country from 19 – 29 May 2027. Click here for details.
