San Sebastián
The 25 places worth your limited meals, from standing-room pintxos bars to a Michelin-starred dinner. Researched, ranked and re-checked.
Ganbara is the top-ranked restaurant in San Sebastián on the Forkmeter, scoring 83, ahead of Casa Urola (82) and Itzuli (77).
One score for 25 places, blending Michelin, Guía Repsol, Opinionated About Dining, the press guides and our own meals. Rankings as of November 2026.
The top 10, counting down
Each needle is the Forkmeter score. The dots show where each guide and list puts the place on the same scale.
Rank it your way
Turn each source up or down. Your ranking reorders as you go. Arrows show moves from ours.
- 10OF 25
La Viña
Eaten 202670Forkmeter60708090100In 3 press guidesOur meal: score comingPoints: Critics 0/25 · Lists 0/20 · Momentum 3/5 · Press 5/5The burnt cheesecake the world now copies.
The InfatuationoliveNational Geographic Traveller (UK)Pintxos barsSweets- Order
- The burnt cheesecake · anchovy canutillo
- Hours
- Tue–Sun · closed Mon
- 9OF 25
Bar Néstor
Eaten 202672Forkmeter60708090100OAD Casual Europe #117Our meal: score comingPoints: Critics 0/25 · Lists 8/20 · Momentum 3/5 · Press 0/5A ritual, not a bar: two tortillas a day, a tomato salad that ruins all others, and a steak off the grill. Food alone is top five; the waitlist and tiny bar push it down for groups.
OAD Casual Europe #117Pintxos barsCounter seats- Order
- Tortilla (get on the list) · tomato salad · txuleta
- Hours
- Tue–Sat 12:30–3, 7:30–10 · closed Sun–Mon
- Booking
- Walk-in only · Bar seats + waitlist · one table
- Nearby
- Santa María basilica sits at the end of Calle Mayor, three minutes away.
- 8OF 25
Muxumartin
Researched72Forkmeter60708090100Repsol soleteIn 1 press guideNot eaten by us yetPoints: Critics 7/25 · Lists 0/20 · Momentum 3/5 · Press 2/5Two young Irizar-trained cooks, everything served seated.
Repsol soleteNational Geographic Traveller (UK)Sit-down- Order
- Cresta de pollo (chicken crest) · scallops in green curry · txangurro ravioli
- Hours
- Daily lunch + dinner
- 7OF 25
La Cuchara de San Telmo
Eaten 202673Forkmeter60708090100OAD Casual Europe #124In 2 press guidesOur meal: score comingPoints: Critics 0/25 · Lists 8/20 · Momentum 3/5 · Press 3.25/5Nothing sits on the counter. Every plate is cooked when you order it, and a calm, quick crew keeps a packed room moving. Go at opening and order for the table.
OAD Casual Europe #124The InfatuationolivePintxos bars- Order
- Carrillera al vino tinto · cochinillo with apple · seared foie
- Hours
- Tue–Sun 12–4, 7–11 · closed Mon
- Booking
- Walk-in only · Standing bar · fast, friendly staff
- Nearby
- The San Telmo Museum is around the corner, and the Monte Urgull trail starts behind it.
- 6OF 25
Bar Txepetxa
Eaten 202674Forkmeter60708090100OAD Casual Europe #137In 3 press guidesOur meal: score comingPoints: Critics 0/25 · Lists 8/20 · Momentum 3/5 · Press 5/5One ingredient, done every way you can imagine: anchovies.
OAD Casual Europe #137The InfatuationoliveNational Geographic Traveller (UK)Pintxos bars- Order
- Anchovies every way: with spider crab, with roe, with blueberry
- Hours
- Wed–Sat · Tue dinner · Sun lunch · closed Mon
- 5OF 25
Antonio Bar
Eaten 202674Forkmeter60708090100OAD Casual Europe #68In 2 press guidesOur meal: score comingPoints: Critics 0/25 · Lists 10/20 · Momentum 3/5 · Press 3.25/5The best breakfast in town, if you time the tortilla.
OAD Casual Europe #68The InfatuationolivePintxos barsBreakfast- Order
- The 28-egg tortilla · raw tuna special
- Hours
- Mon–Sat 9–11 · closed Sun
- 4OF 25
Zazpi STM
ResearchedTables openNo set window, book on its site75Forkmeter607080901001 Repsol solIn 1 press guideNot eaten by us yetPoints: Critics 13/25 · Lists 0/20 · Momentum 3/5 · Press 2/5Slow-cooked Basque cooking with serious offal work, in miniature at the bar or as a tasting menu. Run by a husband-and-wife team.
1 Repsol solThe InfatuationSit-downTasting menus- Order
- Oxtail ravioli · braised pig’s ear · cod with kokotxa “risotto”
- Hours
- Dining room: Tue, Wed, Sun 1–3 · Thu 1–3, 8–10 · Fri–Sat 1–3, 8–11 · closed Mon
- Booking
- Book ahead · Bookable tables or the bar
- Tables open
- No release window published. The dining room books online; the bar and terrace book by phone, +34 943 506 767.
- 3OF 25
Itzuli
Eaten 2026Tables openNo set window, book on its site or TheFork77Forkmeter607080901001 Michelin star1 Repsol solOur meal: score comingPoints: Critics 16/25 · Lists 0/20 · Momentum 5/5 · Press 0/5A family-run star on the hill above the bay, with the family running the dining room too. The one dinner worth leaving the Old Town for.
1 Michelin star1 Repsol solTasting menus- Order
- The Luis Irizar tasting menu · spiced pigeon
- Hours
- Wed–Sat 1–3, 7:30–10 · Sun 1–3 · closed Mon–Tue
- Booking
- Book ahead, essential · Bookable · on the hill above the bay
- Tables open
- No release window published. Book on its site, through TheFork from the Michelin Guide page, or call +34 943 021 726.
- Nearby
- Ride the 1912 funicular up Monte Igeldo before dinner for the view over the bay.
- 2OF 25
Casa Urola
Eaten 2026Tables openNo set window, book on its site82Forkmeter607080901002 Repsol solesOAD Casual Europe #103In 1 press guideOur meal: score comingPoints: Critics 18/25 · Lists 8/20 · Momentum 3/5 · Press 2/5The most complete meal in the Old Town. Graze at the bar, or book upstairs and sit down to a proper Basque lunch with real service. The easy choice for a family.
2 Repsol solesOAD Casual Europe #103The InfatuationPintxos barsSit-down- Order
- Grilled scallop (bar) · kokotxas al pil-pil (upstairs) · torrija
- Hours
- Mon + Thu–Sun 12–3:15, 7–11:15 · closed Tue–Wed
- Booking
- Takes bookings · Bookable dining room upstairs
- Tables open
- No release window published. Online bookings close 24 hours before the meal, and a table is held for 30 minutes.
- Nearby
- Plaza de la Constitución, with its numbered balconies, is a minute away.
- 1OF 25
Ganbara
Eaten 2026Tables openNo set window, book by email83Forkmeter607080901001 Repsol solOAD Casual Europe #30In 3 press guidesOur meal: score comingPoints: Critics 13/25 · Lists 12/20 · Momentum 3/5 · Press 5/5In autumn, the wild mushrooms here are the single best bite in the city. Pricier than its neighbors, and worth it.
1 Repsol solOAD Casual Europe #30The InfatuationoliveNational Geographic Traveller (UK)Pintxos bars- Order
- Hongos with raw yolk · txangurro (spider crab) tart · jamón croissant
- Hours
- Tue–Sat 12:30–3:30, 7–10:30 · Sun lunch · closed Mon · annual break Nov 14 to Dec 13
- Booking
- Takes bookings · Bar is walk-in · dining room books by email
- Tables open
- No release window published. Only the small dining room takes bookings, by email to [email protected]. The bar takes none.
None of the top 10 match those filters.
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Also worth your meals
Each one beats most of the city.
- 11
Bertakoteka
69FMTables openNo set window, book on its siteFine-dining technique at bar prices, and you can book a table. The hake in a two-day pig-ear jus is the dish people cross town for.
OrderMerluza AMA in pig-ear jus · Galparsoro brioche with smoked butter and anchovy · cheesecakeHoursBar daily · dining room Mon + Thu dinner, Fri–Sat lunch + dinner, Sun lunch - 12
Bar Bergara
69FMA Gros institution since 1950.
OrderTxalupa (mushroom and prawn gratin) · bikote anchoviesHoursDaily · Sat split lunch/dinner - 13
Casa Vallés
69FMWhere the gilda was born.
OrderThe gilda, at the bar credited with inventing itHoursTue–Sat · closed Sun–Mon - 14
Bar Desy
68FMA chaotic corner bar with a cult burger.
OrderTxuleta burger · gildasHoursMon–Sat 8–11 · closed Sun - 15
KBZÓN Txiki
68FMThe best newer bar in the Old Town: quieter, unhurried, and open every day. Your Monday answer when the classics are shut.
OrderOctopus with sweet-potato purée · red tuna with Idiazabal cream and ponzu · beef cheekHoursDaily 12–11:30 - 16
Borda Berri
68FMTop-three food in the city, especially if you like the less-used cuts. It ranks lower only because the crush at the bar is hard on a family.
OrderIdiazabal orzo risotto · crispy pig ear · beef cheek · sweetbread ravioliHoursWed–Sat lunch + dinner · Tue dinner only · closed Sun–Mon - 17
Gure Txoko
68FMLocals, not tour groups, and staff who stay warm at full tilt. The soft-shell crab burger alone is worth the walk across the river.
OrderSoft-shell crab burger · grilled baby squid · oystersHoursTue–Sat from 12 · Sun 12–4:30 · closed Mon - 18
Kapadokia
68FMSit-down pintxos and raciones, with tables you can book.
OrderTxipiguetti (squid “bolognese”) · award-winning tortilla · prawn ravioliHoursClosed Mon · some days dinner only - 19
Bells Taberna
68FMA modern taberna that will hold you a table.
OrderCrab crumpet · crispy pork belly · sticky toffee puddingHoursSun–Mon + Thu–Sat · closed Tue–Wed - 20
Kimu
68FMLa Cuchara alumni, open from breakfast.
OrderPig-ear taco · risotto · octopusHoursDaily from 8am - 21
El KBZÓN
68FMThe bigger sibling of number 5’s neighbor, at the east end of Zurriola.
OrderPressed pig ears · duck and mushroom ravioli · mussel croquettesHoursDaily 12–11 - 22
Manojo
68FMA tiny natural-wine bar with a market blackboard.
OrderRazor clams · whatever is on the blackboardHoursEvenings · Sat lunch · open Sun night - 23
Mendaur Berria
68FMEverything made to order, nothing on the counter.
OrderTaco-talo (squid taco) · truffle rice with foie · huevo MendaurHoursDaily 11–12 · closed Wed - 24
Artean Barra Abierta
68FMA 12-seat Basque-Peruvian counter.
OrderBasque product through a Peruvian lens, at a 12-seat counterHoursReservation essential - 25
Bar Sport
68FMAn Old Town regular that keeps late hours.
OrderSea-urchin soup · seared foie · txuleta skewerHoursOpen Mon · closed Wed
None of 11 to 25 match those filters.
Our meal scores for 21 places are still being added. Until then each counts as neutral, so today's order leans on the guides. Hours and booking notes are from our autumn 2026 visit; check before you go. The Michelin Guide Spain 2027 is announced on December 1, 2026. This ranking is rescored that week. How the score works
Chasing one dish?
The map
Numbers are the ranking. Dark pins are the top 10. Filters above apply here too.
Not pinned yet: Kimu. Pins come from OpenStreetMap and are approximate. Directions open Google Maps.
Parte Vieja 16 PLACES
The Old Town. Most of the bars, all within ten minutes on foot. Go early.
Centro 2 PLACES
The grid behind La Concha. Sit-down rooms and the best base for sleeping.
Igeldo 1 PLACE
The hill at the west end of the bay. Dinner with the whole city below you.
When you are not eating
The city is small and walkable. Fill the gaps between lunch and the evening crawl with these.
- Walk1 to 2 hours
Monte Urgull and the Mota castle
The wooded hill behind the Old Town. Paths climb from the port to the castle walls and the Sagrado Corazón statue, with the whole bay below. Free.
Do it in the morning, before the first pintxo.
Closest on the list: Muxumartin, 4 min walk · Directions - WalkAbout an hour
La Concha promenade
The white railing curve from the Old Town to Ondarreta. Flat the whole way, and it ends at the Peine del Viento.
Walk it at low tide, when the beach is widest.
Closest on the list: Muxumartin, 11 min walk · Directions - Art30 minutes
Peine del Viento
Eduardo Chillida's three steel sculptures bolted into the rocks at the west end of the bay, set in a plaza by architect Luis Peña Ganchegui. Vents in the paving blow sea spray when the waves are up.
Go at high tide with some swell.
- View1 to 2 hours
Igeldo funicular
Wooden cars have climbed Monte Igeldo since 1912. At the top: the postcard view of the bay and an old-fashioned fairground.
Hours change by season. Check before you go.
- Museum1 to 2 hours
San Telmo Museoa
Basque history and society in a 16th-century convent at the foot of Urgull. The church holds Josep Maria Sert's murals.
Closed Mondays. Free on Tuesdays.
Closest on the list: La Cuchara de San Telmo, 1 min walk · Directions - Market30 minutes
La Bretxa market
The Old Town market. Fish and meat counters downstairs, farmers selling vegetables outside. This is where the bars shop.
Go in the morning. Closed Sundays.
Closest on the list: Mendaur Berria, 1 min walk · Directions - BeachAs long as you like
Zurriola beach
The surf beach in Gros. Board rental and lessons line the promenade, and the seawall is the free seat at sunset.
Pair it with Gure Txoko or Bar Bergara.
Closest on the list: Gure Txoko, 6 min walk · Directions - Culture45 minutes
Tabakalera
A former tobacco factory turned culture center by the train station. Free entry, free exhibitions, and a fifth-floor terrace with one of the best views of the city.
Exhibitions close at midday. The terrace does not.
Closest on the list: Casa Vallés, 6 min walk · Directions - HikeHalf a day
Ulia to Pasaia on foot
The clifftop path starts at the east end of Zurriola and runs over Monte Ulia to Pasai San Pedro. A small boat crosses the harbor to Pasai Donibane for lunch.
Wear real shoes. Parts are steep.
Closest on the list: El KBZÓN, 1 min walk · Directions - Boat2 to 3 hours
Santa Clara island
The island in the middle of the bay. Boats leave from the fishing port, most often from June to September. A small beach, a lighthouse and a summer bar.
Rough seas cancel landings.
Eat hot, eat to order, eat early.
San Sebastián is the best eating city in Spain per square meter, and most visitors waste it on cold pintxos under plastic. Eat hot, eat to order, and eat early: 12:30 for lunch and 7:30 for dinner beats the crowds at every bar on this list.
La Concha side of Centro
Around Paseo de Miraconcha. Every dinner on this list is a walk, the Old Town's bar noise stays in the Old Town, and the beach is your morning.
Second choice: Gros. Better local bars, fewer tour groups, a surf beach. Skip sleeping in the Old Town itself unless you sleep through anything.
Skip Amelia.
Two Michelin stars and around €300 a head. For that money, eat at Itzuli and spend two nights in the bars ranked above it.
How to eat here
The things that trip up first-timers, in one place.
When to eat
Lunch runs about 1:30 to 3:30 and dinner starts around 8:30. The bars fill fast, so arrive at opening, around 12:30 and 7:30, for room at the counter.
How the bars work
The cold pintxos sit on the counter. The best food is on the blackboard and cooked to order. Order one or two things and a drink at each bar, then move on.
Paying
Say what you had and pay when you leave, not plate by plate. Carry a little cash for small bar tabs.
Tipping
Not expected. Round up at the bar, or leave a few euros after a sit-down meal if it was good.
Busy season
August is the busiest month, and Semana Grande week in mid-August is the peak. Book anything that takes bookings well ahead.
Allergies and diets
Bars are cramped and fast, so cross-contact is likely. Carry your allergy written in Spanish and lean on the sit-down rooms for strict diets.
Six words that help
- KaixoHelloBasque
- Eskerrik askoThank youBasque
- AgurByeBasque
- ¿Qué me recomiendas?What do you recommend?Spanish
- La cuenta, por favorThe bill, pleaseSpanish
- Soy alérgico a…I'm allergic to… (alérgica if you're a woman)Spanish
Booking playbook
Bar Néstor
Put your name on the tortilla list in person: around 11am for the 1pm batch, around 7pm for the 8pm one. No list, no tortilla.
Borda Berri
Be outside before it opens for dinner. By 8:15 the bar is three deep.
Ganbara
Arrive at opening and order the mushrooms first; the best ones go early. Want a seat? The small dining room books by email; the bar never does. Closed Mondays and for its annual break from mid November to mid December.
Itzuli
Book on its site or by phone; no release window is published. It sits up on Monte Igeldo above the bay, so plan the ride up and back. Closed Monday and Tuesday.
Casa Urola
Book the upstairs dining room for lunch on its own site, at least 24 hours ahead. It is the easiest great sit-down meal in the Old Town for a family. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
Bookable tables
Bertakoteka, Kapadokia, Zazpi and Muxumartin all take reservations. Bells takes them on WhatsApp.
Artean
Twelve counter seats. Book as soon as your dates are set.
With kids
Locals bring kids out in the evening. Crawl rather than sit, and use the high tables outside; most Old Town streets are pedestrian.
Everywhere else
Go at 12:30 and 7:30. One person holds the spot at the bar while the other orders for the group. Pay, move on.
Open on Sunday and Monday
Half the city closes early in the week. These are open, from our notes on each place.
Open Sunday · 17
- Ganbara
- Casa Urola
- Itzuli
- Zazpi STM
- Bar Txepetxa
- La Cuchara de San Telmo
- Muxumartin
- La Viña
- Bertakoteka
- Bar Bergara
- KBZÓN Txiki
- Gure Txoko
- Bells Taberna
- Kimu
- El KBZÓN
- Manojo
- Mendaur Berria
Filter the list to Sunday → Or pick any day in the filters.
Open Monday · 12
- Casa Urola
- Antonio Bar
- Muxumartin
- Bertakoteka
- Bar Bergara
- Bar Desy
- KBZÓN Txiki
- Bells Taberna
- Kimu
- El KBZÓN
- Mendaur Berria
- Bar Sport
Closed Monday from the top 10: Ganbara, Itzuli, Zazpi STM, Bar Txepetxa, La Cuchara de San Telmo, Bar Néstor, La Viña. Plan your big day for midweek.
Three days, eaten properly
Active mornings, light afternoons, a glass back at the apartment, then out. Wednesday to Friday is the sweet spot: everything is open.
Old Town
- 8:00Monte Urgull loop for the bay at sunrise
- 9:15Antonio Bar, first tortilla batch
- 11:00Name on the Néstor tortilla list
- 12:30Ganbara at opening: mushrooms, txangurro
- 13:15Néstor: tortilla and tomato salad
- 16:00Back to the apartment, txakoli on the balcony
- 19:20Borda Berri line, then La Cuchara
- 21:30La Viña cheesecake to finish
Gros
- 8:30Sakona Coffee Roasters
- 9:30Zurriola beach and the walk out to Sagüés
- 12:00Gure Txoko: soft-shell crab bao
- 12:45El KBZÓN: pig ears, duck ravioli
- 13:30Bar Desy txuleta burger if there’s room
- 16:00Rest
- 19:00Manojo: razor clams, natural wine
- 20:30Bar Bergara for the txalupa
Coast and Igeldo
- 8:30Clifftop hike over Ulia toward Pasaia
- 13:30Casa Camara lunch over the water
- 15:00Little boat across, bus back
- TidePeine del Viento at high tide
- 19:30Up to Igeldo for the view
- 20:00Itzuli
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The skip list
Famous, and not where your meals should go.
Cold display bars after 8pm
If the counter is buried in pintxos under plastic at night, they were made at noon. Walk to the next bar.
Amelia
Two Michelin stars and around €300 a head, and our meal was forgettable. For that money, Itzuli plus two great bar nights.
Casa Otaegui
Pretty and busy, and the pastry isn’t worth the queue. Pastelería Oiartzun on the Boulevard does it better.
Worth leaving the city for
Three lunches nearby that beat most of it.
Laia Erretegia
Hillside asador and the best txuleta near the city. Lunch, book weeks ahead. Eaten Sep 2026.
Casa Camara
An 1884 harbor house over the water with a lobster tank in the floor. The reward at the end of the coastal hike.
Kaia-Kaipe
Whole turbot over coals, most of the magic of Elkano next door and a much easier booking.
Buy this here
Jamón, sliced to pack
Zapore Jai, next door to Ganbara.
Idiazabal cheese
The Bretxa or San Martín market, or straight from a producer like Quesería Aranburu.
Gâteau basque
Pastelería Paries in Gros, or Oiartzun on the Boulevard.
Bonito and anchovy conservas
Market stalls and delis in the Old Town; they travel in a carry-on.
Guindilla peppers
The jarred peppers that make a gilda. Any market stall.
San Sebastián, asked and answered
What is the best restaurant in San Sebastián?
Ganbara ranks No. 1 on the Forkmeter with a score of 83, ahead of Casa Urola (82) and Itzuli (77). The score blends Michelin, Guía Repsol, Opinionated About Dining and our own meals. Rankings as of November 2026.
What is the best pintxos bar in San Sebastián?
Ganbara is the highest-ranked pintxos bar (83), followed by Casa Urola, Antonio Bar. 18 of the 25 places on our list are pintxos bars.
Which San Sebastián restaurants are open on Sunday?
From our notes, 17 of the 25 are open on Sunday: Ganbara, Casa Urola, Itzuli, Zazpi STM, Bar Txepetxa, La Cuchara de San Telmo, Muxumartin, La Viña and 9 more. Hours change, so check before you go.
Which San Sebastián restaurants are open on Monday?
Monday is the hard day. 12 of the 25 are open: Casa Urola, Antonio Bar, Muxumartin, Bertakoteka, Bar Bergara, Bar Desy, KBZÓN Txiki, Bells Taberna and 4 more.
Do I need reservations in San Sebastián?
For the bars, mostly no: 5 of the 25 places are walk-in only, so go at opening. Book ahead for Itzuli, Zazpi STM, Artean Barra Abierta.
Where should I stay in San Sebastián for food?
La Concha side of Centro. Around Paseo de Miraconcha. Every dinner on this list is a walk, the Old Town's bar noise stays in the Old Town, and the beach is your morning. Second choice: Gros.
How many days do you need in San Sebastián for food?
We plan on 4 nights, about 12 meals. Our three-day plan on this page covers the essentials.
How is the Forkmeter score calculated?
Critics (Michelin or Repsol, whichever is stronger) count for 25 points, ranked lists for 20, our own paid meal for 25, momentum for 5 and press for up to 5. The total is shown on a 60 to 100 scale. Nobody pays to be listed.
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