Best restaurants and what to eat
Spanien
San Sebastián, in the Basque Country on Spain’s northern coast, is one of Europe’s great culinary capitals. Its food culture blends world-class seafood, pintxos bars, and refined Basque cooking, with a strong emphasis on pristine local ingredients, seasonal products, and meticulous technique.
A firm, lightly smoky Basque sheep’s cheese with a clean, nutty flavor and a supple, buttery finish. Traditionally made from Latxa or Carranzana sheep’s milk, it is excellent with quince paste, crusty bread, or a glass of local cider.
Small, tender green peppers with a delicate sweetness and very little heat, usually blister-fried in olive oil and finished with coarse salt. Their thin skin and vivid flavor make them a classic pintxo ingredient.
These pointed peppers are roasted, peeled, and jarred to preserve a deep, sweet, gently smoky flavor. In San Sebastián they are often served stuffed with cod, tuna, or seafood, where their silky texture adds elegance and balance.
A local coastal white wine made just inland from San Sebastián, known for its bright acidity, saline edge, and subtle citrus and green-apple notes. It is traditionally poured from a height to awaken its gentle sparkle and served with seafood and pintxos.
Hand-prepared Cantabrian anchovies are prized for their deep umami, silky texture, and balanced salinity. Cured and often packed in olive oil, they are a defining luxury of the Basque coast and pair beautifully with buttered bread or tomato.
North Atlantic albacore tuna with a delicate, clean flavor and moist, flaky flesh. It is central to Basque summer cooking, whether preserved in olive oil or used fresh in salads, stews, and pintxos.
The signature Basque white wine, traditionally fresh, lively, and slightly sparkling, with crisp acidity and subtle herbal-citrus notes. Served well chilled in tall glasses, it is a perfect match for seafood and pintxos.
Dry Basque cider with a tart, earthy profile and a rustic, refreshing finish. It is famously poured from a height in a single stream to aerate the cider before drinking, usually alongside savory dishes and grilled meats.
A traditional Basque sloe liqueur made by macerating wild blackthorn berries in anise spirit. It is smooth, aromatic, and gently sweet, typically served chilled as a digestif.
The small, artful bites that define San Sebastián’s bar culture, often built on bread and topped with seafood, peppers, cured meats, or creamy sauces. They are less a single recipe than a culinary language, showcasing precision, balance, and seasonal ingredients.
Salt cod cooked in olive oil, garlic, and guindilla until the natural gelatin emulsifies into a glossy, silky sauce. It is one of the great Basque classics, prized for its luxurious texture and concentrated flavor.
Salt cod served with a deep red sauce made from ñora or choricero peppers, onion, and tomato. Rich, sweet-savory, and comforting, it is one of the most iconic dishes of the broader Basque repertoire.
The prized gelatinous throats of hake or cod, cooked gently in green sauce, pil-pil, or a light batter. Their luxurious texture and delicate flavor make them one of the most sought-after delicacies in Basque cuisine.
Hake in a bright green sauce of parsley, garlic, olive oil, and white wine, often enriched with clams or peas. The dish is elegant and restrained, letting the fish’s tenderness and the sauce’s freshness shine.
Small squid braised in their own ink, producing a dark, glossy sauce with deep marine savor and subtle sweetness. Served with rice or potatoes, it is one of the most distinctive and memorable Basque seafood dishes.