San Sebastián Food Tour

Wine institution

Perched in the hills at the foot of Mount Igueldo, just a stone’s throw from the beaches and bustle of the city, Rekondo is a haven of elegance and serenity. A veritable San Sebastián institution, the restaurant is renowned for housing one of the world’s most impressive wine cellars, with over 100,000 carefully preserved bottles. In the kitchen, chef Iñaki Arrieta creates a balanced score, blending Basque tradition with masterful modernity. Braise-grilled fish is sublimely cooked to perfection, while starters celebrate subtle, creative technique – like the delicate carpaccio de carabinero. And don’t miss the famous turbot, off the menu but a house staple. An address where time seems suspended, between fire, sea and Basque tradition.

Leaning against a bar

Here, the atmosphere changes: La Cuchara lives, vibrates, bubbles. In the rain, the line stretches down the alley, but no one thinks of giving up. Inside, the counter is alive, pots are clinking, voices are mingling. This little den is one of those places where tradition meets modernity: scallops snacked on a bed of orzotto, pan-fried foie gras with apple compote, or suckling pig, as crisp as it is melting, can all be enjoyed at the bar. A must-see, a lesson in ambient chaos and culinary precision that’s full of charm.

Italian-style Omakase

Change of scenery. Ameliathe two-star restaurant of Italian-Argentinian chef Paulo Airaudo, is located in the discreet Villa Favorita hotel. The place balances noble materials with pop accents: stickers, neon lights and an overt obsession with the Star Wars universe. Here, cooking is experienced as if in the theater – seated at the counter, you witness a play in which cooking and service take center stage. On the plate, an Italian-style “omakase”: a unique nine-course menu inspired by the jewels of the Cantabrian Sea and the contrast of Japanese flavors. Among the highlights, the poached then grilled lobster, accompanied by a languorous beurre blanc and puffed rice, seduces with its precision and generosity. And finally, the caviar dessert, served on rum ice cream and a typical Mexican mole sauce, brings the experience to a daring close. A singular moment, where each dish marks a stage in a journey from the shores of the Basque Country to the lands of Tokyo.

Mountain of boletus

It’s impossible to talk about San Sebastián without mentioning Ganbaraa gourmet institution in the heart of the old town. A legendary pintxo bar, Ganbara has to be earned: after a forty-minute wait, we finally step through the door of this temple of Basque taste. Behind the wooden counter, mountains of boletus, pintxos and jamón ibérico make curious gourmets salivate. There’s nothing complex here: just an absolute mastery of simplicity at the service of the product. The bolets à la plancha and their soft-boiled egg have been enjoyed around the world, as have the crab tart and the foie gras toast. Leaning against the counter, with a glass of txakoli in hand (a local white wine served with the arm raised in the typical manner), you can savor the moment to the rhythm of the crowd and a service as efficient as it is warm. A place both popular and mythical, where happiness can be found, quite simply, in a bite to eat.

Between sea, stone and fire

San Sebastián is not a place to visit: it’s a place to enjoy. You come for the food, but you stay for the relaxed pace, the strolls along the Concha, the lively evenings in the maze of the Parte Vieja. A city of contrasts, between Belle Époque heritage and avant-garde creations, between fishermen and Michelin-starred chefs, it is the perfect embodiment of that rare alliance between simplicity and excellence. A culinary journey, an invitation to slow down and, above all, a promise to return again and again.

A few notable mentions: Basque cheesecake at La Vigna, shrimp skewer at Goiz Argi, Nestor sea bass chuleta and sea urchin velouté at Sport Bar.