San Sebastian

[CJD]

Myself and my fiancée are booked for a long weekend in March in advance of my 40th next year.

I had considered booking on a guided tour of pintxo bars for the first evening to find our feet in the city, however it seems like it’s a bit over-priced.

Also, does anyone have any recommendations for a Michelin starred restaurant in the city?

[strickers]

I’ve only been once but I’d say it’s not the place to seek Michelin star restaurants. Just go with the flow, wander and enjoy the food and atmosphere. It’s a great place.

[Erico1875]

Ive watched a lot of youtube videos on the pintxos tours. The Devour ones look really good

[tootsci]

I’ve not been to San Sebastien since 2018 but I agree with @strickers there’s so many fantastic places in the Old Town you can’t really go too wrong. I went to a number of the bars/restaurants recommended on a blog called “The Boy Who Ate the World” and enjoyed them all. There blog was from 2014 and there’s 2 or 3 posts to read, but I imagine many are still around. I still remember the plate of mushrooms I ate in Ganbara…

[Lady London]

Gotta say it sounds like it’s been totally over-media-ized and ruined since I was last there, from the above.

[Erico1875]

LL
I hate this, “oh its been spoiled since I went”
(as a tourist ironicly)
By simply going, you are part of the so called problem.
A bit like the greenies who dont want a wind or solar farm over the fence in the field at the bottom of the garden

[Lady London]

I used to go there and nearby regularly Enrico1875 as I was in the area in a normal way quite regularly, but I wouldn’t go now based on the above.

[jlo]

Lady London wrote:

I used to go there and nearby regularly Enrico1875 as I was in the area in a normal way quite regularly, but I wouldn’t go now based on the above.

Genuinely curious – what was mentioned that make you not want to go, @Lady London? The existence of pintxos tours? A blog where they went in 2014?

I would be surprised nowadays if you can’t find loads of youtube videos on anything…

[Lady London]

for a start, yes 🙂

A bit like Prague was an interesting restful place to visit if you happened to be near, but then got ruined and overrun.

[tootsci]

Has anyone been to San Sebastian in the last couple of years? I really enjoyed my trip there and would love to go back some time so I’d be interested to hear what it’s like now, and particularly post-pandemic i.e. have many places closed down etc.

Places get popular when they have something special to offer be it food, culture, nature etc. (people even write blogs about them, or make you tube videos…). And yes sometimes the local authorities don’t help in the way that they manage the increase in visitors and the effect they have. But I wouldn’t imagine it’s now ‘ruined’ just because it’s more popular than it was previously. Unless of course it’s now rammed full of stag dos getting lashed on txakoli and guzzling goose barnacles…..

[kelliea1]

I went in 2022 and went on the Pintxos tour which was great. Here are some of the bars.
LIST OF BARS OF PINTXOS

PACO BUENO (C/Mayor,6) Tell Fernando or Javi that I send you there:)
fried shrimp
fried calamari
cod fish omelet
potatoes omelet
shrimp omelet
chorizo omelet
Cider
CASA UROLA (from 1956) C/Fermín Calbetón, 20 http://www.casaurolajatetxea.com
scallop with almond and garlic cream and coffee vinegar
wild mushroom tattletale with Idiazabal cheese
Octopus with bacon
t-bone steak with red pepper and potatoes cream
Artichokes with ham
Asparagus
Txakolí (white wine from this area)
NARRIKA (C/Narrika 16) Ask Rafa to make one for you:))
Foie BEST FOIE IN TOWN!!
setas (mushrooms)
LA CEPA (C/31 De agosto) Ask Gabi to make the pintxos fresh for you.
ham and goat cheese
octopus with paprika
ham croquette called Gavilla
mushroom with egg
Ham
Green peppers called guindillas
BAR MARTINEZ (31 de Agosto,5) Ask Alfonso to make the pintxos fresh for you:)
Smoke salmon with anchovy and onions
Red pepper with tuna
cheese croquettes
Fried artichoke with ham
OTHER BARS TO TRY:

GANBARA (C/San Jeronimo) This is the bar that is in Anthony Bourdain´s show
white fried asparagus
ham croquette
chicken croquette
pig in a blanket
Crab pastry
TXEPETXA (Arrandegi Kalea, 5)
Anchovies with see urchin
Anchovies with foie
anchovies with vegetables
anchovies with pepper
anchovies with crab
ham croquete
TAMBORIL (near the Constitution plaza)
Mushrooms
Fried meat ball with red pepper
ham croquettes
fried anchovies
Txakolí
BORDA BERRI (Fermin Calbeton,12)
Mackerel
Entrecot
Kebab (pork rib)
beef cheeks
False risotto with “Idiazabal cheese”
ravioli with shrimp and bacon
Pigs ear
Entrecot
Txakolí (white wine from the region)
ATARI (Calle Mayor, 18)
Torrija with ice cream
Brownie
creme Brule
cheese ice-cream
LA VIÑA (31 de agosto)
1/2 Cheese cake
1/2 Pedro Ximenez, Rioja Red wine and Txakolí Gaintza
Restaurants:
Sukaldean Aitor Santamaria

[CJD]

Thanks for the recommendations 😀