San Sebastian Restaurants and Dining

(Donostia - San Sebastian, Gipuzkoa, Basque Country, Spain)

Where to eat in San Sebastian can be a difficult decision, with so many restaurants and dining opportunities available. San Sebastian is known throughout the area for its Basque-style cuisine and fine dining, and some of Spain's best restaurants can be found in the Basque Country.

Where to Eat

When dining in San Sebastian, you tend to eat at the same times as the locals. As you would expect, breakfast in San Sebastian (desayuno) always takes place first thing in the morning. Lunch (la comida) is usually held between early to midafternoon, 13:00 to 14:00, finishing as late as 15:00 or 16:00. Restaurants in San Sebastian always make an extra effort for Sunday lunches, which are not to be missed.


Lunchtime snacks are varied and the Mercado de la Bretxa, a recently refurbished shopping mall, is known for its selection of daytime eateries and snack / juice bars.

Although a large number restaurants in San Sebastian open for evening dinner from around 18:00 onwards, this is aimed at the tourist market and those who prefer to dine earlier. Dinner (cena) in San Sebastian really begins at around 21:00 at the earliest, with restaurants and dining venues staying open until gone midnight.

Many of the most traditional and appealing restaurants in San Sebastian can be found around the city's Old Quarter district (Parte Vieja), where seafood is often a major part of the menus. The Old Quarter of San Sebastian is also known for its selection of pubs, taverns and cider bars, where locally made wines and ciders are a must, often served with Pintxos or Tapas, small savoury snacks.

Further restaurants in San Sebastian can be found around the Parte Vieja area, where a number of bars, clubs and eateries stand along the Fermin Calbeton, Puerto and Juan de Bilbao, and also in the Zona Romantica area, particularly along San Sebastian's Calles Larramendi and the Calles Reyes Catolicos streets.