DONOSTIA-SAN SEBASTIÁN - ANTONIO BAR

ANTONIO BAR

This is one of the top, more modern pintxo bars with a restaurant in San Sebastián. It is in a not-so-busy area a couple of blocks from the Parte Vieja (old town), but it is well worth the sidestep.

It is a great place to visit alone, if you wish, or with friends to socialise in a casual atmosphere. Many locals stop by to grab a bite and chat with friends before going home.

All the hot pintxos are cooked to order, so you may have to wait a while for those, or you can choose from the large selection of cold pintxos on the bar.

There is an excellent selection of fish and seafood. On a previous visit, we had the kokotxas de merluza (hake cheeks), which were amazing—soft and gelatinous, as they should be.

Solomillo (grilled sirloin steak)

The hongos del pais con yema de huevo y foie (porcini mushrooms with raw egg yolk & foie gras) in which you mix all three ingredients together. This bar is worth visiting for this dish alone.

Gamba a la gabardina (deep-fried battered prawns).

Txistorra (Basque sausage) with crisps.

Brocheta de gambas (prawn skewer).

Also, recommended pintxos, are,

Carpaccio de atún rojo (tuna)

Foie con morcilla y crema de puerros (foie gras with black pudding and Leek cream) Chipirones encebollado (squid with onions)

And one of the very best tortillas de patatas in town.

Everything is delicious, including the beer, wine, and desserts.

If you walk in at around 8 pm, it looks like a small bar frequented by many locals. If you look around, you will see a sign pointing you downstairs to the restaurant area, should you require a more formal dinner. At this time, you will probably be the only ones in there; not until about 9 pm, at the earliest, after they have had a few pintxos, will other people come down for dinner.