12 Best San Sebastian Foods To Try in 2024
San Sebastian food is one of the true treasures of Spain's Basque region. With its coastal twist, the town’s world-class cuisine is set against sweeping beaches and a charming Old World village. History, culture and geography combine to create some of the most intriguing culinary experiences in Europe.
What is San Sebastian's traditional food? Are there dishes you may have enjoyed without knowing you were actually savoring the phenomenal foods of San Sebastian? Here are 12 of the best San Sebastian foods to add to your must-try list, whether you’re planning a trip to the area or simply searching for lesser-known Spanish fare to stir up special dining moments at home.
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Get a Taste of the Best San Sebastian Food
Nothing gets you to the finest San Sebastian food quicker than food tours in San Sebastian. Enlist and be guided by epicurean experts to show you the sweetest spots in the city while on an urban forage for feast-worthy bites. You’ll discover the personality of the locals of one of Spain’s best foodie cities, learn a little something about the history of the region and sample some of the best food in San Sebastian, bar none.
The 12 Best San Sebastian, Spain Foods
1. La Gilda
Named for the famous 1946 film starring Rita Hayworth, which was shown as part of the San Sebastian International Film Festival, la Gilda is perhaps the simplest San Sebastian food you’ll ever indulge in! The earthy combination of anchovies, olives and a gandia pepper speared on a skewer is a salty bite that packs a fiery kick.
Legend has it that a regular at the local Casa Vallés bar came up with the combination to honor the spirit of the film’s main character. Decades later, it’s one of the best-known San Sebastian foods.
2. Bolinhos de Bacalhau
A crispy seafood fritter like bolinhos de bacalhau exemplifies how San Sebastian’s traditional food incorporates earthy ingredients from nearby into imaginative one-of-a-kind creations. The dough for these hushpuppy-like nibbles uses mashed potatoes seasoned with salt and pepper and flavored with local cod.
Bite-sized spheres of the dough are deep-fried to become golden spheres brimming with umami flavor. Visitors can find this San Sebastian food served among tapas selections or as a snack served with beer and cocktails.
3. Txangurro a la Donostiarra
The txangurro (pronounced “changurro”) features spider crab, a common element of many San Sebastian foods and a staple of Basque cuisine in general.
When cooked spider crab meat is pulsed in a blender with tomato sauce, leeks, onions and carrots and baked in the reserved shell, it becomes Txangurro a la Donostiarra, another way of saying “Basque-style spider crab.” Christmas menus in the Basque region often feature this San Sebastian food as a centerpiece, though it’s easily found in restaurants as well.
4. Tortilla de Patata
A hearty omelette is never a bad thing to find on a menu, and when it’s part of the San Sebastian food menu, it becomes a gourmet affair you won’t forget. Imagine tender slices of potato embedded in rich egg flavored with onion and olive oil, cooked in a skillet until the surface turns golden.
For such a simple dish, it provides a ton of comfort. Since you can whip one up in your kitchen using ingredients you most likely have on hand already, a tortilla de patata would make an excellent introduction to San Sebastian’s traditional foods.
5. Pintxos
Pronounced “pinchos,” these small bites are the San Sebastian equivalent of bruschetta, a tidbit made of savory ingredients resting atop a slice of baguette. This San Sebastian food is a part of the tapas collection and often appears as an appetizer option.
Typical pinxtos contain cheese, peppers or olives with slices of seafood or meat underneath. The word “pinxtos” is Basque for “spear,” a reference to the toothpick that holds all the elements in place.
6. Anchovies a la Donostiarra
Simple pleasures from the sea demonstrate that San Sebastian food doesn’t have to be complex to be thoroughly delicious. Prepared a la Donostiarra, or in authentic San Sebastian style, anchovies are fried lightly to develop a crisp exterior and flavor then seasoned with a mix of cayenne, garlic and vinegar.
Since spring is anchovy season in the Cantabrian Sea, this is the time when the freshest anchovies can be found. If you're visiting San Sebastian at this time of year, you'll likely find it on tables and in shops, ready to be cooked up for maximum enjoyment.
7. Ham Croquettes
There’s an elegance to the presentation of ham croquettes, a magical San Sebastian food that features ham robed in Bechamel, then tossed in breadcrumbs and deep-fried. The sturdiness of the rolled dough is essential to maintaining the croquettes’ tapas-sized form. And while the frying crisps up the outer shell, it also softens the Bechamel inside.
The result is a crunchy gem that reveals a silky interior with a complexity that belies the simplicity of the ingredients. Considering this is one of the most popular tapas among San Sebastian food, it should be easy to find wherever you take a table.
8. Txuleta
Considered the finest steak among all San Sebastian food, txuleta is the Angus beef of the Basque region. This tender ribeye offers a succulent flavor and a melt-in-the-mouth texture. Txuleta steaks are served thick and juicy, generally with a rare or medium-rare preparation and a red-wine marinade made zesty with herbs, aromatics and vinegar.
The name is pronounced “chuleta” and translates to “meat chop” in English. You may be familiar with dishes called chuleta frita in Latin countries around the world, though these refer to fried pork chops rather than marinated steak of San Sebastian-style txuleta.
9. Burnt Basque Cheesecake
Burnt Basque cheesecake is one of the richer San Sebastian foods, a heavenly reimagining that adds layers of enticing flavor to a classic old world dessert. Rather than the usual sponge or graham cracker crumb crust used in more familiar cheesecake recipes, this cheesecake forgoes the crust entirely, becoming more like a stand-alone baked custard.
It’s less dense than a standard cheesecake, with a texture reminiscent of a soufflé and a caramelized top that provides a distinct taste and visual flair. If you try one during your adventures in San Sebastian, don’t be surprised if your slice is tall and thick; that’s a hallmark of a burnt Basque cheesecake, too!
10. Torrija
Similar to a Basque version of French toast, torrija is an eggy dessert dish that transforms crusty bread that’s a little stale. How? By soaking it in a mix of eggs, milk and sugar — and sometimes sherry — and frying it up to a glorious cake-like finish.
This sweet San Sebastian food is often flavored with cinnamon and sugar and can even be found on dessert menus served with ice cream on the side. It’s another simple execution you can try out to give your usual French toast a promotion from the breakfast table to the dessert menu.
11. Txakoli
Once you take a sip of txakoli (pronounced “chakoli”), you’ll understand why this white wine is compared to Champagne. In addition to its dry flavor and notable effervescence, it’s also a restricted San Sebastian food that, like Champagne, can only bear the name txakoli if it’s made in the region.
Try a glass as you sample the foods of San Sebastian and enjoy a bit of drama as you dine; your sommelier is likely to draw the bottle high above the glass as they pour to aerate the wine for the ultimate in txakoli flavor.
12. Idiazabal
With Idiazabal, San Sebastian food gets its own signature cheese made from sheep’s milk, with a taste similar to that of manchego cheese. Cheesemakers in the city open their doors to tourists and visitors interested in learning how the process unfolds.
Sampling this regional favorite directly from the dairies that produce it is a surefire way to taste the freshest examples of Idiazabal in San Sebastian. Be sure to pick some up to take back home so you can introduce your foodie friends to your tasty discovery.
Join 200,000+ Culinary Enthusiasts
So many San Sebastian foods sound like familiar favorites with a bit of Basque flair added to the pot. But even if you think you know what to expect from San Sebastian food, delectable surprises are waiting to delight your senses and expand your definition of Spanish cuisine. Visitors to the region are bound to find a wealth of cultural enchantment on every plate, making a trip to San Sebastian, Spain a food-lovers experience to be relished.
For even more ways to explore San Sebastian and beyond, check out other experiences happening on Cozymeal.
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