Popular Pintxo or Traditional Tapa?

When I think of San Sebastian Spain, there are two things that come to mind, beach and food. These are my two never-ending loves in life. When I started to research this region for some upcoming travel plans, there was one word that seemed to keep reoccurring. Every article I read kept mentioning something called a pintxo. Well what the heck is a pintxo?! I knew that the Basque country holds a great amount of pride for being a world-renowned foodie capital, but this culinary term did not exist in my corner of Spain over in Barcelona.

It turns out, a pintxo is basically Northern Spain’s version of a tapa. They call it a pintxo because in the Basque language, this translates to “spike”. Still doesn’t make too much sense, I know. But the reason they call a food item “spikes” (kinda sketchy), is because pintxos have a skewer or toothpick holding together all the ingredients (usually three different flavors), which make up these bite-sized appetizers. Okay, now it makes sense.

In my personal opinion, Spain does food so right. I love the concept of tapas and small dishes. In fact, I think I might be the most indecisive person when it comes to committing to a full meal. That’s why doing tapas and trying a little bit of everything is literally heaven.

The Basque country takes this tapas culture to a whole new level. San Sebastian specifically is a great place to start if you want to experience this one of a kind culinary experience. While in America we start our night at dinner with friends and then move onto the real event of the night, here the main event is the dinner itself.

At around nine o’clock, tiny little whole-in-the-wall family run restaurants start to slowly parade their pintxos from the kitchen to the bar’s countertops. From there, you are given a plate and you choose what looks good to you. Most places have both hot and cold pintxos. The ones that are meant to be hot will be taken to the back to be reheated and brought back to your table.

What are some popular pintxos you will find? Any combination of bread, meat, fish, cheeses and vegetables pretty much makes the cut. Some of my favorite go-tos are jamon croquettes, tortilla espanola, and gambas a la plancha (grilled shrimp).

All of the restaurants will also have a chalkboard behind the bar with their daily specials that are made to order. ALWAYS order a few of these pintxos; they will be by far the best ones. At the end of your meal, the way you pay is by counting up the number of toothpicks and report back to the waiter behind the bar. It’s pretty much on the honors system. Now being from America, this just seemed crazy that places would even stay in business, but somehow it just works. Not all restaurants run the same way. We found that sometimes the waiters will be keeping tabs of the items on your plate.

I will warn you, if this is your first time going and you don’t speak any Spanish, it can be slightly intimidating trying to figure out how it all works. Thankfully, I had my trusted translator with me (my Cuban mother), and we were able to get the lowdown our first night out.

This is the perfect time to sample some not-so familiar Spanish dishes. Salted sardines, hmm sounds interesting. Beef cheeks, sure why not! Duck ravioli, I guess I’ll try it. Some of the strangest things we ordered were surprisingly some of the best bites I have ever eaten.

The best advice I could give someone going pinxto bar-hopping is to go to multiple places throughout the night. Start off with one or two pintxos with a glass of Rioja wine or a very traditional sparkling wine called Txakoli. Txakoli is the drink of choice here in San Sebastian. The waiter pours the sparkling wine far away from the glass so it creates a light and airiness to the wine. At least order a glass for the experience and see how it’s done. We learned that pouring the wine correctly is a lot harder than it looks.

It can also be a challenge picking the right places to try. Throughout the historic part of town, there are bars after bars all doing pintxos. The best places you will find are the ones that are overflowing with people. Even though you might want to find a quieter restaurant to sit down and relax for your meal, that would be the wrong choice here in San Sebastian. Push your way to the counter top, right next to the locals. The dirtier and grimier the place, the better. Oh yeah, don’t be shocked when you see people throwing their dirty napkins straight on the floor. That’s how its done here.

My recommendations:

1. Borda Berri: Fermin Calbeton 12

This was by far my favorite spot. Here we ordered the made to order tapas that were listed on the chalkboard, and everything was DEVINE! Side note: this street is the most poppin’ and crowded area for pintxo bars.

2. La Vina: Calle 31 de Agosto, 3

If you want to end your night with something sweet, make sure to stop here for their famous cheesecake. At 11pm, this place will be packed with locals and tourists alike, all getting their cheesecake fix.

3. Taberna Gandarias: Calle 31 de Agosto, 23

Great place for typical tapas done right!

4. A Fuego Negro: Calle 31 de Agosto, 31

This funky tapas joint is very modern compared to its traditional neighbors. While this spot will be more expensive, come for the atmosphere and try their signature mini Kobe burgers.

So there you have it. Next time you plan a trip to Spain, consider getting a different perspective and stop in the Basque Country. While it might not be “traditional or typical” Spain, it has its own unique beauty that should really be applauded. If you consider yourself a foodie in any sense of the word, this will be your paradise. Try as many Pintxos as possible, even if that means sacrificing a few extra pounds. The hardest decision you will be faced with on your trip should be which pintxo to try next!