7 Typical Foods in San Sebastian: Cheese, Fresh Fish, Spicy Peppers, & More

San Sebastian is synonymous with top quality food—so much so that it’s even considered the world’s best city for foodies.

It boasts nearly a dozen Michelin-starred restaurants, a thriving pintxos bar scene, and beautiful local markets filled with fresh seafood, local meats, and seasonal vegetables. And that’s not to mention the excellent local wines and ciders!

First-time visitors to San Sebastian can easily become overwhelmed with choices. This is a small city, but the abundance of excellent Basque cuisine also makes it one a food lover could spend months enjoying!

If it’s your first time visiting San Sebastian, we recommend focusing less on where to eat, and more on what to eat. This city is known for some very special dishes, so without further ado, here are our picks for can’t-miss typical foods in San Sebastian.

food tour San Sebastian — Looking for something different? Don’t miss the pickled anchovies (*boquerones en vinagre*), which aren’t salty in the least but rather doused in local vinegar, garlic, and olive oil.

Contents hide

1 The best typical foods in San Sebastian

1.1 Anchovies and the “Gilda” pintxo

1.2 Fresh foie gras

1.3 Salt cod

1.4 Txuleta

1.5 Kokotxas de merluza

1.6 Whole roasted hake, sole, or turbot

1.7 Idiazabal cheese

The best typical foods in San Sebastian

Anchovies and the “Gilda” pintxo

The nearby Cantabrian Sea is home to some of the world’s best anchovies, and San Sebastian knows exactly what to do with them. The most exclusive (and expensive) go to the canneries, which have mastered the art of preserving and canning these tiny fish. The end result: a melt-in-your-mouth, slightly salty anchovy and one of the best things you’ll try here—we promise!

If you’re still on the fence about eating anchovies, trying them when combined with other ingredients—like in many typical pintxos—is a good way to ease yourself into it. A great choice is the Gilda, one of San Sebastian’s signature pintxos. Consisting of green olives, spicy local pickled peppers, and a plump anchovy, it’s especially delicious when paired with a glass of local vermouth or cider.

Several small glasses of vermouth lined up atop a bar. — Vermouth, anyone?

Fresh foie gras

The Basques love their foie gras, whether in paté form or freshly grilled. We recommend that if you try this decadent bite while visiting, you opt for the fresh version you’ll find in many of the city’s excellent pintxos bars.

Fresh foie gras is best well seared and with a dusting of sea salt on top. It pairs well with jams and marmalades, ideally something with a zing of acidity to balance out the richness. We highly recommend the famous foie gras pintxo served with apple at Bar Haizea in the Old Town.

Salt cod

Basque fishermen were among the first Europeans to reach the New World as they fished off of the coast of Canada as early as the 15th century. What were they fishing for so far from home? Codfish (bacalao)—which quickly became a staple of the Spanish diet and a trading commodity throughout the entire world.

Credited by some with inventing the method of salting and drying salt cod, which allows it to be easily reconstituted with fresh water, Basques have created countless salt cod dishes. Some of the must-try ones are:

Salt cod brandade
Pil-pil style: a special technique of moving the serving dish while adding olive oil. If done correctly, it results in a delicious emulsion sauce of the cod’s natural juices, garlic, and olive oil.
Cod fritters (bunuelos de bacalao)
Cod omelets (tortilla de bacalao), a popular first course at Basque cider houses.

food tours in San Sebastian — Juicy salt cod with roasted peppers, an “appetizer” at the Basque cider house!

Txuleta

Aged grass-fed beef is something special, yet not what first comes to mind when many people think of San Sebastian. But the Basque Country is one of the best places in Spain to enjoy a great steak, and San Sebastian has many restaurants that do justice to these prime cuts of meat.

If you’re here during the cider season (January to April) don’t miss a trip to a traditional sagardotegi (Basque cider house). Here, txuleta is the main course (after appetizers and plenty of local cider, of course!).

Insider Tip: Looking for the best steak in San Sebastian? Our guide shows you where to go and what to order!

Basque steak, beef in San Sebastian — A typical presentation of *txuleta* at a cider house.

Kokotxas de merluza

Kokotxas are fish cheeks or throats, and technically a gland. It might not sound all that appetizing, but trust us—this is one of the most pleasantly surprising typical foods in San Sebastian.

While many chefs throw out this part of the fish, in the Basque Country they are much revered. Hake cheeks (kokotxas de merluza) are among the best, usually served pil-pil style.

Kokotxas (fish cheeks) served in the Basque Country — *Kokotxas* are one of the most unexpectedly delicious things you’ll try in the Basque Country.

Whole roasted hake, sole, or turbot

When in San Sebastian, do as the locals do and make sure to have at least one leisurely lunch at a good fish restaurant. You’ll want to order a whole fish, generally intended for two or more people, along with other raciones (shared plates) from the menu. Some of the most delicious fish to order are merluza (hake), lenguado (sole) and rodaballo (turbot).

Idiazabal cheese

One of Spain’s most distinct dairy products, this delicious sheep’s milk cheese is a must-try in San Sebastian. Historically, Idiazabal cheese was kept in local farmers’ dwellings to cure, and would smoke slowly as a result of the family fire.

Though produced differently these days, Idiazabal is still smoky and delicious. You can enjoy it on its own, or find it served in creative pintxos, such as risotto with Idiazabal sauce, and desserts, like creamy Idiazabal cheesecake.