What are pintxos & best pintxo bars?

Chances are that you might be familiar with the Spanish word “tapa”. It has been successfully exported internationally and restaurants all over the world are nowadays offering them. If you like them, or the idea of them, you should give pintxos a try. Pintxos are delicatessen cuisine distilled into a bite-sized dish that will only cost you a couple of euros. The name itself is a reference to the toothpick that holds a Pintxo together. The spirit of pintxos is combining traditional & innovative styles of cooking. You will find these creations side by side in bars all across the city especially in the Old Town with a remarkable concentration of bars and restaurants that offer the visitor a great selection of pintxos.

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HOW TO EAT & CHOOSE PINTXOS?

Pop into a bar for a drink and a couple of pintxos then move to the next one and repeat this gastronomic nirvana. When you first enter a pintxo bar in San Sebastian, you will find a trove of options stacked on the counter for your delight. If you are a newcomer, it might be hard to choose, for which we have a tips: pay attention to what the locals order and you will never go wrong with each bar’s special. In fact, many locals’ favorite routes are built around these specialty Pintxos! Speaking of bar routes, choosing the bars themselves is no easy feat! Bars are a mainstay of the Basque culture and thus they are a common sight in any street. The Old Town, however, spots an incredible amount of them! When you walk among the old buildings you will see and smell appealing pintxos left and right no matter which street you choose to walk on.

WHAT IS PINTXO POTE?

Pintxo Pote - a Basque version of happy hour - is a weekly event in which participating bars offer a free pintxo when you buy a drink. The usual day for pintxo pote is Thursday, but in some bars do it on Wednesday or other days to avoid competition. Pintxo pote started as an anticrisis measure almost a decade ago but quickly became a popular part of the Basque culture. Some bars offer specific pintxos during pintxo pote nights, others include a whole selection or cook some specials. It is an excellent opportunity to eat out for cheap, meet with friends or mingle with strangers… this is if full bars and crowded streets do not scare you.