A Foodie Weekend in San Sebastian

You'd have a hard time finding anything better than Barcelona for food. Given a choice however between Barcelona and San Sebastian to die in, I'd probably want to die in San Sebastian.

Anthony Bourdain

If like me, you’re a bit of a foodie, there’s one European location that simply has to be on your Bucket List! San Sebastián has it all. This beautiful Basque seaside town boasts some of the world’s best cuisine, very reasonably priced right up to Michelin loveliness. All this with gorgeous beaches against a lush green mountain backdrop, what more do you want!

The first time you round the corner and see the gorgeous bay of La Concha stretch before you, your breath is bound to catch. Contemplating how a town can be so beautiful is best done over a glass of local txakoli wine and a pintxo, the small bites that the Basque people have invented (and perfected).

Most visitors to San Sebastián come with a checklist not of sights, but of bites! From the bars of the Old Town to the Michelin-starred restaurants (with the most per capita in the world!), there is too much to eat in San Sebastián for 48 hours. Pace yourself – do as the locals do and have your big sit-down meals at lunch. After a lengthy lunch, enjoy a siesta and a walk around the town, exploring the shops, galleries, and even the city mountains, which are dotted with landmarks. When the evening rolls around, whet your appetite with a few drinks before hitting the city’s boisterous pintxo bars!

Where to Stay?

For me, there’s only one place to stay – Arbaso!

Located in the bustling shopping district of San Sebastián, Arbaso is a hotel that, more than any other hotel in the city, celebrates the Basque culture. Decorated in natural textures from oak to local Marquina marble, the 50 rooms are “haute Basque” – outfitted in furniture with a pedigree, much of it custom made, such as the side tables inspired by the stone weights lifted by harrijasotzaile, a type of traditional sportsman. The decor favours natural, timeless materials, but the hotel features the latest technology including iPads that greet you by name, Marshall Bluetooth speakers, and high-tech systems to control the shutters and heating. The hotel has more features than the typical city centre hotel in San Sebastián, including a gym, steam room, and sauna. The ground-floor restaurant, Narru, has been a local favourite since it opened over a decade ago, thanks to top-quality produce and its refined take on traditional Basque food. Sounds Expensive right – surprisingly, it’s not that bad, I stayed there in early May and with breakfast it was £105 per night!

The Reason you’re here, well, eating and drinking of course!

Rekondo

This family run restaurant located in a farmhouse right outside of town has it all. From the moment you walk up, the latticed trees over the expansive terrace create an enchanting atmosphere (the best spot to sit in summer). The menu reads like a Greatest Hits of Basque cuisine – squid in its ink, spider crab a la donostiarra, and rice with clams – yet the dishes are presented with a delicate hand under the eye of head chef Iñaki Arrieta. The real reason to visit Rekondo, however, is its wine cellar. Its 250-page wine menu reflects the richness of the stacks and stacks of rare wines that lie below its surface, all product of the owner Txomin’s lifelong obsession with wine, carried on by his daughter, Lourdes.

Rua 887

Beyond pintxos and Michelin stars, there are a group of young chefs hungry to make a mark on San Sebastián’s dining scene by serving the absolute best produce in simple yet refined presentations. Rua 887 is one of the best examples of this trend – run by chef Antonio Carlos Belotti, the restaurant has one of the most mouth-watering in the city. The spider crab, covered with a paper-thin sheet of pork fat and a sous vide egg yolk, is sensational, as is the simple fish (often served with beurre blanc) and the grilled lamb or steak. The bar and terrace menu is more snacky but no less impressive – don’t miss the cured Wagyu Cecina, grilled mussels, or the steak tartar with black caviar – yummy!!

Ganbara

This bustling pintxo bar would blend into the crowd of San Sebastián’s famous Old Port if it weren’t for the stacks of fresh mushrooms, peppers, and other produce atop its bar counter. The pintxos at Ganbara are both traditional and exquisitely prepared – time capsules, albeit delicious ones. From the croissant with jamón ibérico to the plate of seared mushrooms served with a glimmering egg yolk, Ganbara has been a ground breaker on the scene since it was opened in 1983 by Jose Ignacio Martinez and his wife Amaia Ortuzar. Today, it continues in the family, and the second generation has both preserved and even bettered the bar and restaurant, curating one of the city’s best wine lists.

In a town famous throughout the world for the sheer concentration of Michelin Star Restaurants, you have to try at least one right!? You’re a little spoiled for choice and whilst I’ve not visited every Michelin Star place in and around the town, I can with hand on heart tell you, Mugaritz is one of, if not the best restaurant I’ve ever been to!

Mugaritz is playful, Avant Garde and highly innovative! It’s a creative dining experience developed by culinary God Andoni Luis Aduriz and is aimed to open minds; Aduriz freely admits that not all of his plates are designed to be enjoyed by diners – a gelatinous pork tendon arriving mid-way through the experience is a case in point. Dishes on the 20-to-30-course menu, (yes, not a typo!!), which change throughout its eight-month season – enjoy the emotive names such as How Long a Kiss Lasts or Depends On How I Look At It!

Typical dishes: Expect the unexpected: Mugaritz is not for the faint-hearted. Drawing from a rich tapestry of Basque ingredients, Aduriz turns them on their head to serve crab upon a frozen tongue, raw pork heart or bellota ham plated on musical dishware that’s perfectly timed so all diners eat and orchestrate together!

Oh, and don’t be afraid to ask the waiting staff if you can go take a peek in the kitchen, the brigade, including Aduriz himself, love the interaction from the dining room – don’t you dare not ask!

Mugaritz is much more than just a restaurant, whilst a little cliché in most instances, Mugaritz genuinely is more a culinary experience!

What’s on this week?