There is subjectivity in labeling a city as a food capital. If you research the food capital of Europe, there is no common consensus. Of course, the cozy osterias of Rome and the allure of Paris’s Michelin stars are not without merit, but after going on a top-rated food tour in San Sebastian, I’d have to label this Spanish city as my top foodie destination.
Located in Spain’s remarkable and lush Basque region, San Sebastian is a beautiful coastal city known for the wonderful flavors that spill from its lively pintxo bars. A pintxo is typically a small, skewered tapa best enjoyed while standing over rickety tables with drinks and animated conversation. San Sebastian’s historic old town is lined with these buzzing bars, but choosing exactly which ones to visit and what to actually order can be overwhelming for first-time visitors. Booking a food tour with a helpful guide was the best way to immerse myself in the complex and robust flavors of San Sebastian while getting to know the city on a more intimate level.
Below, I shared a little bit about what we tried on the food tour and a bit about the tour itself, so that you can decide if it would be a good activity to add to your San Sebastian itinerary.
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Mussels and Cider
On our first stop on the tour, we went to a bar famous for its mussels. Aluminum countertops bedazzled with small plates of various mussels ran the length of the narrow bar. Patrons were happily slurping the mussel’s contents and dropping the shells with a metallic clink in a gutter running under the bar. We tried the “mussels tigres”, which were doused in a warm, tomato-based sauce with fragrant spices, and the “mussels vinaigrette”, which were light and refreshing with vinegar-soaked onion and spices. We also had a chance to try San Sebastian’s famous cider, which is typically poured from a dramatic height to aerate it. The cider was eye-poppingly dry but a crisp complement to the saltiness of the mussels.
Jamón
After living in Spain for 5 years, I can tell the quality of jamón when I taste it. We visited a tiny jamóneria and had the opportunity to try prestigious black label jamón iberico along with white label serrano. The labels vary based on the breed of the pig and how the pig was raised. While both samples were mouthwateringly good, the serrano was significantly saltier, and the iberico was velvety with melt-in-your-mouth fat.
Gildas and Boquerones
Gildas are one of San Sebastian’s most iconic foods, featuring a daring backstory involving a particular fascist ruler, a beautiful woman, and a courageous bar owner. I guess you’ll have to book the tour to hear it!
A gilda is skewered with olives, pickled green peppers, and an anchovy. It’s meant to be eaten in one bite to create a savory burst of flavor with a mild hint of fish.
After we tried the gildas, we had pintxos made with boquerones. Boquerones are fresh anchovies typically marinated in vinegar and have a milder flavor than what most people are accustomed to when they think of their canned counterparts. The boquerones were served as pintxos with bread as the base, the anchovy in the middle, and different toppings. One topping was a slightly sweet crab mixture, while the second was blueberry marmalade. I would never have thought to experiment with marmalade on fish because it sounds psychotic, but I was pleasantly surprised. The fruitiness from the marmalade was a complex contrast with the salty anchovy.
Meats and Fish
The following two stops on the tour were tapas and pintxos of various meats and fish. We had tender and earthy beef cheek, rich and fatty pork belly, perfectly cooked steak pintxos, and cod with a zesty pil pil emulsion sauce. I especially liked the cod because the sauce had a bright, tangy flavor that brought out the cod’s mild butteriness.
All these beautiful dishes were served at standing-only tables in vibrant, chatty atmospheres. It was an excellent opportunity to mingle with other tourists. I felt like a glittering drop in the captivating flow of San Sebastian.
Basque Cheesecake
Another icon of San Sebastian cuisine is Basque cheesecake. It was so remarkable that my husband and I still crave it frequently. Since our love for it is so rich, I decided to ask my husband how best to describe it. He eloquently responded,
“It looks burnt and dry, but it’s actually super fucking creamy and moist.”
How poetic. I can’t say his description is wrong, though. Basque cheesecakes are crustless cheesecakes baked using a rapid-fire technique that forms a firm outer “crust” to hold a creamy and decadent interior. The inside has the consistency of flan, and the “burnt” spots, where the cake has caramelized, mix beautifully with the interior texture and flavor.
Final Thoughts
The food tour I took in San Sebastian was a great way to discover the boldness of Basque cuisine, learn more about the city’s history, and create lasting memories with my husband and our friends. Our guide was beyond knowledgeable and kind, our tour group had cheerful people, and the food, of course, was absolutely extraordinary. This food tour was a perfect way to discover the cuisine of San Sebastian and gave me the confidence to hit the pintxos bars on my own. Even though we tried so many different foods, we didn’t even scratch the surface of the city’s offerings, and I am eager to return for more.
*Author’s Note: The food on the food tour may differ slightly based on what is in season and availability.*
