The best Spanish restaurants San Sebastián

Here you won't find pintxos at the counter: you have to make your choice on the slate and order from the waiters (if you manage to make your way to the bar!). This tiny tavern, one of the best in the whole city, is a must for its pintxos guisados, real little dishes simmered in sauce, such as the famous carrillera (pork) with red wine. Idiazábal's cheese risotto is also excellent, as is the pork rib kebab and ravioli filled with scampi or chipiron (depending on the season).

Just a stone's throw from the Kursaal, this cheerful tavern from 1928 never fails to fill up! During the film festival, it is even one of the favourite places for journalists. In addition to its excellent daily menu and brasa specialities (octopus skewers, black pudding with peppers, hake), the place is famous for its excellent pintxos. At the counter, try the classic Gilda or the octopus with vinaigrette. Above all, don't leave without tasting the excellent tortilla (prepared on the spot) and the kompleto sandwich made with tuna, Ibarra peppers and anchovies.

A Parte Vieja institution since 1980! This tiny tavern has only one table, the famous Mesa 19, which must be reserved in advance for the chance to eat there. Otherwise, like the others, you'll have to lean back at the bar to taste the Bar Nestor's specialities. The divine tortilla, to begin with, is invariably served at 1pm and 8pm (you'll have to reserve your share by noon, as it is so much in demand!). Then the excellent tomato salad, roasted peppers, and the best prime rib (txuleta) in town. Always crowded!

An essential stop on the road to the pintxos of Donostia! Located in the Gros district, not far from the Kursaal, the Bergara bar offers miniature cuisine in a modern setting. Don't miss the emblematic pintxos of the house, such as txalupa (mushroom and scampi gratin) and bacalao ajoarriero (cod-based), but also foie gras with mango jam, itxaso (monkfish with leek cream), scrambled eggs with anchovies and peppers... Everything is delicious and well explained on the map: handy for beginners!

Led by chef Ander González, this renowned table occupies a beautifully restored old banana warehouse. In addition to its beautiful decor, the restaurant offers quality traditional cuisine, inherited from a long family tradition (Ander's grandparents owned a bar in the Plaza de la Constitución). On the menu, you will find, for example, excellent scallops a la plancha, small Orio sausages with roasted peppers, or a carrillera simmered in red wine. For dessert, try the caramelized torrija (a variant of French toast).

This is the restaurant of the friendly and talented Pedro Subijana - 3 Michelin stars! Splendid sea view through large bay windows, where you can enjoy a sublime cuisine combining tradition and advanced gastronomic research. Akelarre's sommelier, Juan Carlos Muro, is an institution in his own right. The "maridaje" (wine accompaniment) option is a must, as it is just as intense an experience as tasting the dishes. Discreet, friendly and French-speaking, Juan Carlos offers an admirable accompaniment.

Twice winner of the national gastronomy prize and three times Michelin starred since 1989, the address for fine gourmets combines new cuisine and traditional cuisine. Nec plus ultra of San Sebastián, the address nestles however in a discreet villa. On the menu: chipirones in black ink, monkfish cheeks in Txacoli sauce, lobster with peaches, red fruit cake on white chocolate... And a cellar whose richness is due to the quality and diversity of the great traditional wines of France and Spain, but also to new wine-producing origins.

A Parte Vieja classic! This traditional house, founded in 1948, offers two charming atmospheres: a very nice tapas bar where you can taste various pintxos, and a restaurant run by Aitziber which offers a culinary journey around Basque cuisine, with specialities such as chuletón (prime rib), hongos a la plancha (sautéed mushrooms) or anchoas fritas (anchovies), with an excellent regional wine list. For dessert, don't miss the delicious tarta de queso (cheesecake). A good address and good value for money.

This elegant restaurant is housed in the Hotel Arbaso, next to the Cathedral del Buen Pastor. The young chef Iñigo Peña, trained in the most prestigious kitchens of the Basque Country, offers here a refined seasonal cuisine that respects the essence of each ingredient. In the restaurant's warm, wooded dining room, you can enjoy a baked txangurro (crab), oxtail ravioli, sole a la plancha... Next door, the Original Bar offers a more informal atmosphere for sharing tapas.