How We Created Our Own Pintxos Tour In San Sebastián
15th Septembert 2025 - New Experience Number 14.
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On our first (and hopefully not last) visit to the city, we created our own pintxos tour in San Sebastián. When it comes to food, I love grazing, and this was like a picky tea on a ginormous scale. It was one of the best (and most delicious) decisions we made.
Like a gastronomic choose your own adventure, I can highly recommend creating your own pintxos tour as a wonderful way to explore the delicious north Spanish city. It also counted as a new experience towards my challenge of trying 52 new things in the year.
If you want to have a delicious foodie experience on a budget in San Sebastian, and explore the sights, this post has got you covered.
Where is San Sebastián?
On the north coast of Spain, just a stone’s throw from the French border, San Sebastián proudly sits in the mountainous Basque Country. You’ll often see the city referred to as Donostia – San Sebastián, which is both the Basque and the Spanish for the name; Saint Sebastián.
The coastal city with a beautiful promenade conjures up romantic nostalgia. Glistening waves roll onto the golden sands of the pristine, curved beaches, backed with lush green hills and beautiful Belle Epoque architecture.
It’s not just a city that looks good. It’s a city that tastes good too, with an abundance of restaurants and bars, and numerous Michelin accolades to tempt visitors
There’s no wonder it’s such a popular destination.
What Are Pintxos?
Firstly, whatever you do, don’t call them tapas!
Pintxos are like the younger cousins of tapas. Whilst Tapas, ubiquitous with Spain, are delicious small plates perfect for sharing, pintxos are smaller snacks or nibbles. They’re sociable, but they’re not conducive for splitting between multiple people.
This isn’t really sit-down food – don’t expect a waiter to come to your table to take your order.
Your typical pintxos are cold and displayed in a cabinet at the bar. Cheeses, vegetables, fresh seafood or local meats are often served on top of a slice of baguette. The word ‘pintxos’ means ‘spike’ – a nod to the cocktail stick that holds each bite-sized delight together.
Many bars offer a selection of hot pintxos too, the daily selection often displayed on blackboards behind the bar.
From deceptively simple offers allowing you to really experience the exquisite taste and flavours of the ingredients, such as Iberico ham or Idiazabal cheese, to more creative combinations that ignite the tastebuds, you’ll find quality local food and plenty of regional specialities.
Why We Created Our Own Pintxos Tour in San Sebastián
Whilst there are plenty of guided pintxos tours available, and a good selection of self-guided tours you can follow, we decided to create our own.
I know we may have missed out on some local knowledge and historical details, yet creating our own tour was definitely better for our budget, and allowed us to be flexible and spontaneous along the way.
And we loved it. If we ever find ourselves back in the city, we’ll definitely be creating our own tour again.
Researching Where To Go
There are plenty of online articles, blogs, Pinterest posts and reviews available about the best pintxos bars in San Sebastián, and how to eat pintxos in Donostia.
I skimmed over a good selection of them, making a list of anywhere that either had a recommended dish, or some outstanding feature that might appeal to us.
Plotting them all into Google Maps, I added a brief note about why each bar was worth a visit, and we were off.
Top Sights In The Old Town - Created Our Own Pintxos Tour In San Sebastián
Our tour mostly took place around the pedestrianised streets of the old town. Tall old buildings make it feel as though you’re walking through some hidden narrow back streets, filled with foodie treasure that is so scandalously good it feels like you’re doing something you shouldn’t be.
Whilst eating our way around the city, we also took in some of the sights, including walking by the tall Gothic arches of San Vicente Church, thought to be the oldest church in the city.
Hiding in plain sight is the Basílica of Santa María, with a particularly impressive exterior. We stumbled across it as we walked down a street. We hadn’t realised it was there until we were standing outside.
Often considered the heart of the old town, the Plaza de la Constitución is a lively space in the middle of everything, filled with cafes and bars. It’s hard to imagine it was once a bullring. The numbers on the bright, colourful balconies lining the square were once used to mark the boxes that spectators could rent out.
Not quite in the old town, but visible from all across the city is Buen Pastor Cathedral. Wherever you are, you only have to turn a corner to be back in view of the unmistakably intricate design. The tower really does tower over the city as it stands at 75 metres high. It’s an immaculate building, clearly well cared for, and worth popping in if you get the chance.
The Rules Of Pintxos (According To Locals)
San Sebastián has its own unspoken etiquette for pintxos which we picked up from the locals during our trip.
- Generally, eating happens standing up at the bar or tall tables.
- This is fast food; both in the sense that it’s quick to arrive, and there’s an expectation that customers aren’t really going to linger and therefore don’t need the comfort of a seat. That said, you will find some bars have a restaurant-style seating area too.
- Only order a dish or two in each place. Pintxos is best enjoyed as a bar hopping snack.
- Used napkins are tossed on the floor—a custom that might seem rude at first but it’s the done thing and the sign of a satisfied customer. It reminded me of the way nut shells are liberally thrown on the floor in Raffles in Singapore.
Ordering happens at the bar. Depending on how busy it is, you may find yourself elbow to elbow with locals and tourists alike, all jostling to be served. Don’t hang back and wait to be spotted otherwise you might be waiting all night. Be polite and be assertive.
Surprises Along Our Pintxos Tour in San Sebastián
Closing times – many bars shut for a few hours on the afternoon. You’ll always find a bar that’s open somewhere, but some of the ones on our list did close between lunch and dinner. This actually suited us well, allowing us to do a little sightseeing, and pause for a coffee.
Simple yet delicious. You’ll often see it referred to as one of the very first pintxos ever made. The Gilda sounds basic, but packs an explosion of flavour with just three ingredients. Skewering together anchovy, olive and pickled pepper, it’s a salty and strong combination that pairs perfectly with the local txakoli wine. In fact, it’s often the pintxos that sound the simplest which are the most surprising, letting the quality of the ingredients really speak for theselves.
Queuing – A couple of places were so popular, and so small inside, that we queued to get in. The queues never took long to move, that’s the joy of the bar hopping nature of pintxos. Places that closed in the afternoon were also susceptible to lines of eager customer waiting to get in for the next service.
Txakoli – frequently cropping up during my research, I was pleasantly surprised that this wasn’t just a gimmick. This local dry white wine is slightly sparkling, but it’s the way it is served that usually gets a mention. The spectacle of watching it being poured from up high didn’t detract from it actually being a nice drink.
Bar Sport – The name of this bar doesn’t do it justice. It isn’t wall to wall big screens showing the latest games. The decor reminded me a little of a traditional pub, and whilst the food on the counter looked a little unassuming, it was utterly delicious.
Standouts From Creating Our Own Pintxos In San Sebastián
Service – a majority of the places we visited were super busy, and whilst the staff are constantly busy, they were all helpful and efficient.
La Cepa – I’d heard this was a place renowned for its seafood, (which I’m not a fan of), and had won awards for the ham. Ordering at the bar meant navigating between the hams suspended from the ceiling. There were plenty more interesting and unusual combinations available at this bar, but we opted to keep it simple and really savour the flavour. It may not look much, but believe me when I say it was some of the most delicious ham I’ve ever tasted.
La Viña – I had my reservations about this. Plenty of places in San Sebastián serve the famous Basque cheesecake, but La Viña claims to be the birthplace of the dessert. We arrived minutes after opening—and already there was a queue out the door.
This was some outstanding cheesecake. Flavoured cheesecakes can sometimes taste overpowering or synthetic. Unlike the firm, biscuity cheesecakes you might expect, this one was melt-in-the-mouth light, with an almost savoury finish.
Each mouthful was spectacular, and like no other cheesecake I’ve ever tasted. We only shared one piece between us, which was more than enough as it was filling. This was delicious comfort food of the highest order.
We Won’t Be Having This Again
Lots of the reviews of bars in San Sebastián had recommended the pig’s ear, a traditional dish apparently worth trying.
A steaming bowl of what looked like a thick, rich, creamy gravy arrived, along with a couple of chunks of bread. The pig’s ear was in there. I was very grateful there was so much sauce hiding it from view.
The Other Half cut himself a piece. He chewed. He chewed some more. His face wasn’t really portraying the image of a man enjoying his food. And it was at this point that I wussed out.
Instead, I just dunked the bread into the sauce. The flavour was intensely savoury, and very, very salty. The Other Half gallantly finished the dish and chalked it up to experience, saying quite confidently that he will never be ordering it again.
Seafood - Created Our Own Pintxos Tour In San Sebastián
I have to mention the seafood. For a lot of visitors to San Sebastián, it is THE thing to eat.
There were so many hot and cold pintxos options with seafood, and the dishes we saw looked incredible. However, despite how impressive they look, I just don’t like it, and I’ve tried it many times.
So whilst I didn’t brave any concoctions consisting of baby squid, curried sea urchin, or cold octopus, I did want to give them a mention because they might be exactly the sort of thing you would like to try. If that’s whet your appetite, you’ll be pleased to know that most of the bars have a big array of seafood choice.
The Facts And Figures From Our Own Pintxos Tour In San Sebastián
- In total we visited 12 different establishments
- We sampled 18 different dishes
- We spent 7 hours tasting and exploring our way around
- Our total spend was €129.70 (£112.18) between 2 of us. This included all food and drinks. Considering this covered lunch and dinner, we think it was pretty good value!
The Places We Went To When We Created Our Own Pintxos Tour In San Sebastián
So where did we visit during our pintxos tour? These are all of the bars that we called in at during our fantastic foodie afternoon.
La Espiga
Our research suggested this was a place regularly frequented by locals. Opened in 1928, it’s one of the oldest pintxos bars in the city and it’s still going strong. With an extensive menu and super efficient service, we enjoyed one of the best croquettes we’ve ever had, and wonderful meatballs.
Sirimiri
Top-quality products from small, local producers, is their speciality. Our walnut and blue cheese choice was perfectly topped with a sweet chutney, and we tried our first Solomillo, which is sirloin. Served with a pumpkin puree and crisps it was utterly divine.
Atari Gastroleku
A small and bustling bar opposite Santa Maria Church where we tried the beautifully cooked pork belly in a humus and mustard sauce.
La Cepa
Wooden beams, stained glass windows and glistening hams make up the decor for this bar that knows a thing or two about Jamon. With awards for their meat, we tried a simple pintxos to showcase the exceptional quality of the product.
Ambrosio
Taking a pause in proceedings, we enjoyed the outdoor seating for a coffee where we admired the colourful old bullring.
Bar Baztán
The choice was almost overwhelming. Coloured stickers on the counter indicated the price, and ordering was done by ticking choices on a printed paper menu and handing it to the staff.
Bar Sport
Don’t be put off by the name. It is hugely popular, and was a little chaotic when we arrived. Although it took a while to get served, it was worth persevering to try the fresh and light salmon and crab meat pintxos.
Bertakoteka
A large and airy bar with just one layer of pintxos on the counter and more focus on the hot offers. This is where I foolishly encouraged the Other Half to order the traditional Pig’s Ear. Great service and a well presented dish, but it just wasn’t to our palate.
Txuleta
This bar was recommended for steaks. Served by a charming waiter, we tried another solomillo, this time in a Port sauce. It was beautifully cooked and we had to remind ourselves to slow down and enjoy it rather than devouring it in one go.
El Tamboril
A small spot that we had to queue to get in. Understandable when you realise it is run by the same family who own Ganbara – which has become legendary thanks to Anthony Bourdain’s visits. Mushrooms get many mentions in reviews, so we gave them a go. Simple, not much to look at, but the flavour. Oh my the flavour!!! Who knew mushrooms could taste so good?!
La Viña
Home of the legendary Basque cheesecake. The queue didn’t take long to move and we soon picked up a portion of the famous desert which is said to have originally been created here. Sharing one portion of the golden topped treat, it may not look the most beautifully presented dish, but it was sooooo good. Deliciously light, not overly sweet, and a definite hint of savoury. Absolutely scrumptious.
Bardulia
One of the bigger bars we visited with a lively and relaxed vibe. The steak skewer was straightforward, but expertly seasoned and cooked to perfection.
Casa Vergara
A rather decadent interior and a little more attention paid to the presentation than some other bars. Sampling a selection of cold pintxos, the flavour combinations were incredible.
Let Me Know...
Planning a visit to San Sebastián? Let me know what pintxos you’re most looking forward to trying.
Have you tried pintxos in San Sebastián? Let me know any you recommend so I can add them to my future to-try list.
Want To Try It Yourself?
- If you’re planning a trip to San Sebastián, you’ll definitely want to indulge in some pintxos! There are plenty of organised tours you can take, self-guided tours, or why not create your own tour?
- If you’d prefer something already organised, take a look at the Donostia San Sebastián Turismoa website which has lists of pintxos bars to visit, and a selection of tours you can take.
- Get Your Guide is another website with a plethora of organised pintxos tours you can choose from.
Cost Of Experience
- Over the course of seven hours, we spent €129.70 (£112.18) between two of us on food and drink.
- The price will of course vary depending on how much you eat, the dishes you order, and the bars you visit.
- Dishes can range from €2.50 (£2.17) to €15 (£13.04), so if you really want to enjoy pintxos on a budget, you can opt for the cheaper options.
Recommendations For Creating Your Own Pintxos Tour In San Sebastián
- Make a list of what YOU like. Have a look at blogs and reviews and see which bars you like the sound of, or which dishes you really want to try. Tailor your tour to your tastes.
- Don’t forget the antibac. Cold pintxos are very much finger food, (although cutlery is provided for messy or hot dishes), so you might want to take some hand sanitiser with you.
- Talk to the staff about alergies. Not all menus clearly display ingredients so it’s worth talking to the staff if you have any allergies or intolerances to anything.
- Go with the flow. We didn’t follow a set route for our pintxos tour in San Sebastián and this gave us the opportunity to be more spontaneous and call in at bars we hadn’t heard of but liked the look of.
- Take pictures and enjoy! Let me know if you decide to give it a go, and if you have any recommendations!