Everyone’s favourite miniature cuisine, I’ve yet to meet anyone who doesn’t love pintxos! They range from the most traditional, like the “gilda” with green chilli peppers, anchovies and olives piled onto a small skewer, to full miniature haute cuisine dishes. The Basque Country is a foodie paradise and going bar hopping to sample the different pintxos on offer is one of the best ways to discover the region’s amazing gastronomy. The locals call it “txikiteo”, which means going from bar to bar having small glasses of wine known as “txikitos” accompanied by a pintxo. We recommend you try all the delicious delicacies on offer with a glass of local Txakoli wine or cider. It is a very social event, and the bustling bars are always very welcoming.
The colourful Calle San Pedro in Hondarribia, locally known as “La Marina”, is famous for its pintxo bars, overflowing out onto the terraces along the lively street, which is a pedestrian zone. You can start at “El Gran Sol”, probably the most famous pintxo bar in Hondarribia as it has won countless awards for its spectacular pintxos. For lovers of the traditional “pintxo de tortilla” (Spanish omelette) Bar Rafael is a must visit.
Another great area to enjoy pintxos is the old part of town with its cobbled streets and colourful houses. You can start at Badia Taberna in Plaza Gipuzkoa and move on to Mika in Plaza de Armas and, finally, Gastroteka Danontzat on Denda Kalea.
Of course, a trip to San Sebastián is also a must, with its old part full of pintxo bars along its pedestrian streets, but we’ll cover that in another post!