San Sebastian, indeed the whole Basque country, has become synonymous with great food. It has fast become the gastronomic capital of Spain. Join us on a foodie tour of San Sebastian, and all it´s delights.
A foodie tour of San Sebastian
Thanks to many famous chefs, San Sebastian has become a hotbed for delicious food. From pintxos, bitesize tapas that can be simple or extravagant, to fresh seasonal produce. Indeed, San Sebastian prides itself on food being cultivated and produced in the region. The food must be a cut above the rest and it shows.
So let´s look further at these eponymous pintxos, the first stop on our foodie tour of San Sebastian. The real soul of Basque food lies in these tiny but mouth-watering bites. The old quarter of San Sebastian is filled with rustic bars, the tabletops filled to the brim with pintxos.Homing in on the seasonal produce that the region is famed for, start with some fresh seafood. Ordering prawns that have been freshly grilled and sprinkled with salt is fabulous introduction to Basque cuisine. In fact, it is unmissable on any foodie tour of San Sebastian. If you choose something green to accompany your dish, you cannot go wrong with pimientos al padron. These can sometimes be spicy, so watch out! Again, sprinkle with salt and you have a perfect start.
To try something really traditional, order a pintxo called Gilda. This was the first ever pintxo invented in San Sebastian, and consists of anchovies with a spicy kick. Following on from that, it would be a mistake not to order some Basque cheese, a must for any foodie tour of San Sebastian. Try Idiazabal, which pairs beautifully with something sweet.
This is just a very small taste of what San Sebastian has to offer. So, let´s delve further into our foodie tour of San Sebastian.
Homestyle cooking in San Sebastian
The Basque region has more Michelin stars than any other place on Earth. They pride themselves on the style of cooking known as molecular gastronomy. Unfortunately, many of these restaurants have a hefty price tag and a waiting list to boot. So, let´s take a look at some traditional cooking in the Basque region.
The seafront is a fantastic place to experience any of the, with many buildings dating from the 1800s. There are many old-fashioned cider houses, which are a perfect place to try the local beverage. Alongside this, they will also stock wonderful, local white wines. It would be a shame to leave San Sebastian without tasting these at least once!
From here, you can try bacalao, salted cod typical all over the Iberian peninsula. The steak is also to die for, and for the meat lovers, you will not be short of options. There are slow-roasted ox cheeks, known as carrilera, which melt in the mouth. For the more adventurous, try oreja de cerdo, fried pig´s ear which is accompanied by a spicy sauce. Depending on the season, you can also find extremely fresh shellfish, such as spider crab just caught that morning. Seasonality is key to any foodie tour of San Sebastian and here, you can be in your element.
For the vegetarians amongst us, you can also find black beans, nestled in stew. During the autumn months, mushrooms are abundant in the region and feature heavily in risottos and rice dishes. Asparagus, artichokes, peppers and tomatoes all also feature heavily on Basque menus.
In short, you will never be short of anything to eat on a foodie tour of San Sebastian. For more information about city breaks, please visit Iberinbound for more information on packages.