If you only have time for one pintxo in San Sebastián, make it the delicia. This simple bite, from one of the city’s oldest pintxo bars, defies the general rule that bar-top pintxos aren’t worth the stomach space. A thin slice of bread with two thin slices of hard-boiled egg, salt-cured anchovy, and a finely chopped mixture of onion and garlic on top, finished with a dash of Worcestershire sauce—this pintxo also defies the laws of matter, packing more flavour than seems humanly possible into two small bites.

When a bar predates color TV and is still packed all day, you know it must be good. That’s the case with La Espiga, which opened in 1928 and is currently run by the fourth generation of the founding family. It’s located on a pedestrian shopping street that includes the world’s busiest Zara (don’t let that deter you), and it’s usually packed with both locals and tourists who all have a glass of wine in one hand and a pintxo in the other.

One of the best bites in San Sebastián (and perhaps on earth) is the humble "Delicia" pintxo—anchovy, hard-boiled egg, and parsley-onion vinaigrette on a baguette slice—at this no-frills bar that's always filled with locals.

Our final Pintxos bar visit, the 21st in this long list, was enjoyed on a Saturday night at 11pm at La Espiga in the downtown area of San Sebastian. I was amazed at how busy La Espiga was so late at night, especially since the majority of the diners were seniors, sipping wine and nibbling on sardine toast into the wee hours of the night. My search for the best Pintxos in San Sebastian was an absolute blast and one of the most fun work projects I’ve ever been tasked at researching.

En sus propias palabras, «un bar que ya se acerca a su 100 aniversario, regentado por la mejor familia que trabaja más que nadie, y que, casualidad, tiene uno de mis pintxos favoritos: la delicia. No sé por qué es tan perfecto, pero lo es». Además de la delicia, hay otras 'delicias' como ensaladilla rusa (8 euros), lomo ibérico (20 euros), merluza rebozada (17 euros), albóndigas de la amatxo (11,5 euros), callos a la madrileña (11,5 euros) y muchas cosas más.

That’s the case with La Espiga, which opened in 1928 and is run by the fourth generation of the founding family. Order the specialty, la delicia, a toast of cured anchovy with hard-boiled egg, vinegary onions, and a dollop of mayonnaise (get it with a splash of Worcestershire). And definitely try one of the fried bites, like veal with cheese, meat-stuffed peppers, and lamb brain marinated, battered and served piping hot.

Bar la Espiga: On the first floor an elegant table is inviting you to enjoy the many displayed pintxos. The atmosphere is relaxed but elegant with round tables, white table linen and big paintings made by local artists. Their specialty is “Jaliscos”, which is an original local Basque tapas made of ham and topped with a mushroom looking like a Mexican sombrero.

Although it’s a little ways away from the Old Town, Bar La Espiga is worth the trip for the anchovies alone. (Not an anchovy fan? You will be after eating here.) This lovely little traditional bar near La Concha Beach is bursting with local atmosphere and flavor. They’re best known for their seafood, but you can’t go wrong with any of their fabulous pintxos.

La Espiga opened in 1928 and still to this day serves some of the best pintxos in San Sebastián. It has an exceptionally welcoming and friendly atmosphere as it’s still run by the fourth generation of the family. It’s the go-to spot if you are feeling adventurous and want to try some of Basque’s finest offals.

This place is a bit far from the others that we have mentioned, but we wanted to propose it to you anyway, it is a family-owned place that opened in 1928, where we can find a wide variety of pintxos, what's more, some local will tell you that the pintxos were invented in the Espiga (we cannot confirm it).

I continue in the center of San Sebastian to show you a bar with a special charm located in San Martzial street. It is a very modern bar with a very striking decoration based on murals. La Espiga serves both pintxos and raciones and its dishes are specialized in Basque and Spanish cuisine.

A charming local hang-out spot, extra affordable in comparison with most places in the old town. It’s simple and great for a quick stop to try authentic pintxos in San Sebastián. Have a seat in the bar and chitchat with the people by your side or just observe the ambiance.

On the other side of the Urumea, on the La Concha beachfront, you’ll find one of the most emblematic restaurants in the city, the La Espiga bar. Frequented for its pintxo bar, it also offers “traditional” quality portions and dishes that don’t hurt your pocket.

La Espiga is a bit south of Old Town, just off the San Sebastián promenade, near Mercado San Martín. Thanks to being a little bit off the beaten path for pintxos crawls, La Espiga has a somewhat more laid-back atmosphere. Plus lots of eggs & shrimp.

I like to pintxo-hop the way Basques do: one bar, one pintxo, one glass of wine y vámonos. But “La delicia” is my exception to the rule. Is it the way the salt-cured anchovy balances the bite of finely chopped onion parsley vinaigrette?

They are similar to padron peppers in flavour, but thinner and a bit more bitter. The next day we came back for the truffle tortilla. This was delicious, but not worth the threefold increase in price vs the standard tortilla.

One of the best bars in San Sebastián – don’t miss the pintxo La Delicia (pictured above), which is made with anchovy, egg, onion and parsley. Call +34 943 421 423

Bar Vallés (Calle de los Reyes Católicos, 10) Go for their Jamón Ibérico de Bellota’. The ‘Gilda’ is alleged to have been invented here.