Pintxos and Wine Pairing in San Sebastián: What to Drink with What (2026 Guide)

The master pintxo–wine pairing table

Our picks are in bold. “NA” means a non-alcoholic alternative.

Signature pintxos at the famous bars (and what to order with them)

• Casa Vallés: the bar credited with inventing the Gilda. Txakoli or vermouth.
• Bar Txepetxa (since 1972): marinated anchovy on warm toast, with more than a dozen toppings. The jardinera (pepper-onion vinaigrette) and crema de centollo (spider-crab cream) are the classics. Getariako txakoli is the match.
• Goiz Argi (Fermín Calbetón 4): the brocheta de gambas. Txakoli rosé.
• Ganbara (since 1984): seasonal hongos a la plancha with egg yolk and a txangurro tartlet. Rioja Alavesa crianza for the mushrooms and Albariño for the crab.
• La Cuchara de San Telmo: cooked-to-order hot pintxos, known for foie and slow-braised meats. PX with foie, crianza with the meats.
• Borda Berri: braised meats (carrillera, rib “kebab”) and Idiazabal risotto. Rioja Alavesa crianza.
• Casa Urola: seasonal vegetables and product-led plates in the bar downstairs. Rioja Alavesa blanco or txakoli.
• Gandarias: sirloin pintxo and a deep wine list (Devour counts eight txakolis). Crianza with the beef.
• Zeruko: once known for modern, theatrical pintxos, it is now closed with no reopening date.
• Atari: modern pintxos opposite Santa María basilica, with a good by-the-glass list. Let the staff pour you something local.
• A Fuego Negro: historically known for avant-garde pintxos. Some listings now mark it closed, so check before you go.
• Bar Bergara (Gros): the Txalupa. Cava.

Opening days change, and many Old Town bars close on Mondays and some on Sunday evenings, so check a bar’s current hours before you plan a route around it.

Seasonal pintxos and pairings

Cider season opens every January with Sagardo Berriaren Eguna (“new cider day”). In 2026 the 33rd edition was held on 14 January, when the first barrel (kupela) was opened at Petritegi in Astigarraga at 13:45, according to San Sebastián Turismo. The season runs to April or early May. About 70 cider houses are spread across 24 towns. Astigarraga has the most (more than 20), followed by Hernani (more than 10), then Urnieta, Oiartzun and Usurbil. Expect a fixed cider-house menu with unlimited cider for roughly €35–50, depending on the house; Ola Sagardotegia lists €42, for example. Some, such as Petritegi, serve the menu year-round. Our Basque cider houses guide compares the houses and how to book them.

Where to have a food and wine experience in San Sebastián (2026)

Wine bars with good food

• Curdelón (Gros): our pick for a “wine bar with food.” This family-run wine shop and bar near Zurriola beach has more than 1,500 labels you can open for corkage. A by-the-glass list of around 30 wines changes weekly. Expect Iberian ham, cheeses and pâtés; its star dish is octopus. It’s strong on Champagne, Burgundy and Rioja Alavesa.
• Bar Ibai: a counter-and-dining bar with a serious list, recognised by Star Wine List (the restaurant also holds a Michelin star). Expect lunchtime crowds.
• Ganbara, Casa Urola, Atari: Old Town pintxo bars with lists deep enough to drink well by the glass.
• Gerald’s Bar, Arenales, Bodega Donostiarra: more relaxed options for a sit-down bottle with food (check current hours).

Our best wine bars in San Sebastián guide has the full list with a self-guided route.

Wine tasting dinners and pairing menus

San Sebastián Turismo says there are 19 Michelin stars within a 25 km radius of City Hall, 11 of them across six restaurants in the city itself. It adds that, apart from Kyoto, nowhere has a higher concentration per square kilometre. Three of Spain’s 16 three-star restaurants (Akelarre, Arzak and Martín Berasategui) are in or around the city. The 16 figure matches the Michelin Guide Spain & Andorra 2026, which lists 307 starred restaurants in total. Menu prices change every season, so check the restaurant’s own site before you book.

Wine tastings with lunch

• Getaria txakoli winery + lunch: half-day trips to hillside txakolindegis (Ameztoi, Txomin Etxaniz and others) usually combine a cellar visit and tasting with anchovies, followed by a grilled-fish lunch by the port. For the tasting half, the Getaria Txakoli wine tour from San Sebastian ($168, 4.7/5 from 45 reviews) includes hotel pick-up and txakoli with a local appetiser; lunch is not included, so book a grilled-fish table by the port for afterwards.
• Rioja Alavesa (Laguardia): a full-day trip about 1.5–2 hours south. Most wineries pair tastings with a winery lunch or a meal in Laguardia’s old town. The Private Rioja Wine Region Day Tour ($357 per person) handles the driving; it is rated 5.0/5 from only 8 reviews so far. Routes, winery prices and hotels are in our guide to a Rioja day trip from San Sebastián.
• Cider house lunch (Jan–Apr): the most Basque “lunch and wine tasting” there is, except the “wine” is cider. The Traditional Cider House Tour with Lunch ($96, 4.9/5 from 193 reviews, 4 hours) includes transport from a meeting point, the txotx ritual and a cider-house lunch of cod omelette, steak and cheese.

Guided pintxos and wine tours (2026 prices)

The two Devour tours are the safest picks: the three-hour Old Town tour if wine is the point, and the shorter evening tour for $5 less if you mainly want to eat like a local. The Secret Food Tours listing is new on GetYourGuide, so six reviews are too few to judge it yet. Prices vary by season and channel, so check the date you want.

Cooking class + wine pairing

If you’d rather cook the pintxos yourself, the Basque Cooking Class, Wine & Cider Tasting ($161, 4.8/5 from 144 reviews) has you cook four dishes and eat them with paired drinks, in a group of 10 or fewer. The Market Tour and Basque Cooking Class ($161, 5.0/5 from 25 reviews) starts with a market shop. The Basque Culinary Center also runs public courses, so check its calendar.

Gastronomic societies (txokos)

These members-only cooking clubs are central to Basque home cooking. You can’t walk in: the way in is an invitation from a member, and dinner usually comes with txakoli, Rioja and cider on the table. If a local friend offers, say yes; it’s one of the most memorable food and wine evenings in the region.

How to order and pace a pintxo and wine crawl

• One pintxo, one drink, move on. Order a txikito (a small glass of wine), a zurito (a small beer) or a txakoli. Small pours keep you upright for five bars.
• Cold vs hot. Take cold pintxos from the counter (ask first, or point). Order hot ones from the board. They’re cooked to order and usually the best thing in the bar.
• Pay at the end. Tell the bartender what you had.
• Timing. Lunch pintxos run around 12:30–15:30 and evening ones around 19:30–22:30. Arrive at the start of service for space. Mondays are thin, because many famous bars close.
• Budget. Counter pintxos cost about €2.50–4, hot or premium pintxos €4–8+, a glass of txakoli about €2.50–4, and Rioja crianza by the glass about €3–5. A 4–5 bar evening costs about €35–50 per person.
• Etiquette. Stand, squeeze in, keep elbows friendly, drop napkins on the floor at old-school bars only if locals do, and never hog the counter.
• Dietary needs. Gluten-free is harder at bread-based counters, so ask for sin gluten and lean on grilled seafood, tortilla, peppers, jamón and cheese. Vegetarians do well with mushrooms, peppers, tortilla, Idiazabal and seasonal vegetables (Ganbara, Casa Urola). Every pintxo has a non-alcoholic match in the table above, and our gluten-free and alcohol-free guide goes further.

For the Spanish and Basque words to order each glass, see how to order wine in San Sebastián.

Build-your-own pintxos and wine crawl (5 stops, Old Town)

Gros alternative: swap stop 4 for Bar Bergara’s Txalupa with a glass of cava. Bar Txepetxa has reportedly closed on Sunday evenings, all day Monday and at lunchtime on Tuesday and Wednesday, so on those days start at Casa Vallés.

Fun facts to drop at the bar

• The Gilda is generally traced to Casa Vallés in the 1940s. It was named after Rita Hayworth’s 1946 film Gilda because it was, like her character, “green, salty and a little spicy.” Sources differ on whether that was 1946 or 1948.
• Burnt Basque cheesecake was created by Santiago Rivera at La Viña (the bar says 1990, though some sources say 1988). The New York Times profiled him in May 2026.
• Bar Nestor makes just two tortillas a day, reportedly at 13:00 and 20:00, with about 16–17 portions each. Put your name down about an hour ahead.
• Txakoli + anchovy is the city’s most local match. The anchovies are landed in Getaria, a few kilometres from the vineyards.

Frequently asked questions

What wine goes best with pintxos?

Txakoli is the most versatile pintxo wine. Its high acidity, light fizz and low alcohol suit salty, fried, pickled and seafood pintxos. Switch to Rioja Alavesa crianza for meat and mushroom pintxos.

What do you drink with a Gilda?

Order txakoli, manzanilla sherry or red vermouth. Each has enough acidity to stand up to the vinegar-pickled pepper, olive and anchovy.

What is the best wine with steak (txuleta) in San Sebastián?

A Rioja Alavesa reserva or crianza, made mainly from Tempranillo. Its tannins soften against the salt and charred fat of Basque old-cow txuleta.

How much does a pintxos and wine evening cost in San Sebastián in 2026?

Cold pintxos cost about €2.50–4 and hot ones €4–8, and a glass of txakoli costs about €2.50–4. Budget about €35–50 per person for four or five bars, or roughly $115–170 for a guided pintxos-and-wine tour booked on GetYourGuide. Our guide to what a wine tour really costs compares tastings, winery visits and day trips.

Where can I do a wine tasting dinner in San Sebastián?

For a full pairing menu, book Kokotxa (from €135 for the menu), Itzuli (€240 with pairing), Arzak or Akelarre. For a casual “wine bar with food,” try Curdelón in Gros.

Can I do a wine tasting with lunch near San Sebastián?

Yes. Getaria’s txakoli wineries (about 25–30 minutes away) pair tastings with anchovies and a seafood lunch, and Rioja Alavesa wineries offer winery lunches on a day trip.

When is anchovy season in San Sebastián?

The 2026 Cantabrian anchovy fishery, the costera, opened on 3 March, and the best of the fresh catch comes from March to June. Spring is the best time for the txakoli-and-anchovy pairing.

When is cider season?

Txotx (cider-house) season runs from mid-January to April or early May. Expect a fixed menu with unlimited cider for roughly €35–50.

Is San Sebastián good for non-drinkers?

Yes. Ask for mosto (grape juice), Basque apple juice, a 0.0 zurito or alcohol-free vermouth. Most bars stock at least one.

Taste it with a local

Tasting txakoli from a height next to a warm anchovy toast teaches more than any chart. The pintxo tasting paired with wines from Local Experts Tours matches eight pintxos with three Spanish wines, a cider and a local liqueur over three hours, from $121, and is rated 4.8/5 from 835 reviews (our breakdown). If you want Devour’s five-bar Old Town route, the Pintxos and Wine Tour costs $120 for three hours, and its guides offer non-alcoholic options (our breakdown).

Related reading:

• San Sebastián wine tours and tastings: the complete guide
• Basque wines explained: txakoli and Rioja Alavesa
• The best wine bars in San Sebastián
• Wine tasting for beginners
• Gluten-free and alcohol-free in San Sebastián
• How to order wine in San Sebastián
• Basque cider houses near San Sebastián
• Private wine tastings in San Sebastián
• Rioja day trip from San Sebastián