Hondarribia Pintxos: An Adventure in Basque Cuisine

Hondarribia Pintxos – a specific style of tapas in Basque Country, Spain – are a delectable part of the local cuisine. As foreigners, we failed miserably in our first attempt to partake in the Pintxos culture. However, once we finally figured it out and discovered the top Pintxos bars in Hondarribia, we were delighted!

Pintxos – pronounced PEEN-chos – are bar snacks. They range from simple cheese sandwiches to elaborate and beautiful gastronomic creations to made-to-order meaty morsels. The basic, pre-made bar top pintxos in Hondarribia typically cost just a few euros per piece, but handcrafted, cooked pintxos from the menu are slightly more expensive.

Regardless of price, they are nearly all delicious – and a night of Pintxos bar-hopping can constitute a full meal. Our story showcases our mis-steps – and later we share top picks for the Best Hondarribia Pintxo Bars!

 

Hondarribia Pintxos: A Savory Story

Our trip to Hondarribia was part of a longer Basque Country Itinerary – and one of the things we were most looking forward to was indulging in the cuisine. However, between crowded bars, our poor Spanish and being totally unfamiliar with the custom of ordering pintxos in Hondarribia, creating a meal out of the culinary sensation was befuddling us.

Our story starts as a tale of what not to do – and then we follow it up with some solid advice about how we ate the best Hondarribia Pintxos. 

 

Eating Basque Cuisine

Usually, ordering food in a foreign country is not difficult for us…but, in Hondarribia, Spain, we were struggling. We had read about Pintxos in Hondarribia – and we were beyond excited about the concept of the Basque-style tapas.

One of the things that we relish about traveling is trying new things, seeking out local twists and tasting the regional flavors. The concept of Pintxos ticks all the boxes. The problem was that we were completely lost in the Hondarribia food scene.

 

Hondarribia Restaurants vs Pintxo Bars

Our first taste of Basque cuisine was at a seaside spot. We (incorrectly) thought all Hondarribia restaurants served pintxos, but quickly found out that is not true. To our dismay, the place we chose to eat didn’t have the famous bite-size Basque cuisine.

In a moment of panic we ordered typical Spanish tapas that we recognized on the menu. Our waiter brought traditional croquettes (ham and cheese), a heaping plate of thick-cut, lightly-battered calamari, a basket of bread and a bottle of wine. It was good, but we were anxious to taste Hondarribia Pintxos and the Basque culinary treasures we’d heard about.

However, by the time we were ready for our next meal, we found ourselves smack in the middle of Spain’s siesta…and every Hondarribia restaurant was closed. Our internal clocks were struggling with jet lag, so we opted for a trip to the market to pick up a quick go-to picnic meal of meat, cheese, bread, wine and water. We ate on our apartment’s rooftop balcony and watched a stunning sunset.

Not exactly the Basque Cuisine we hoped to be eating on our first day in Hondarribia, Spain, but we were looking to rectify that on Day 2.

 

More Basque Cuisine Blunders

After a morning of wandering the quaint streets and the shoreline along the pier, we decided to have lunch at one of the trendy restaurants at La Marina Hondarribia.

There seemed to be a good mix of locals and tourists, but no one was speaking English…not even our waiter (who spoke Euskara, the Basque language, and Spanish). Still not confident on how to decipher the menu – and no bar-top Pintxos in sight – we ordered the recognizable “Uno Croquettes.”

The waiter seemed confused by our order, which was followed by our confusion when it arrived: a plate with ONE croquette. We were tempted to share it, but I went ahead and let Kris have the whole thing. We followed up the single croquette with a plate of Paella…but still no Basque pintxos.

 

A Taste Of Hondarribia Tapas

After an afternoon spent walking to the Faro de Higuer Lighthouse, we stopped at a restaurant near our hotel for a glass of wine. We noticed some basic bar-top snacks – prosciutto on bread – and grabbed one each to have with our wine.

Little did we know, we just ate our first Hondarribia pintxos! We were simultaneously excited and little disappointed, as we were expecting something a bit…more. 

We were tempted to navigate to another bar in search of the elusive pintxos in Hondarribia, but hunger struck. Instead, we turned our focus to the restaurant’s full menu and quickly selected a Whole Crab for me and Meatballs for Kris. What was delivered to our table was neither of those things. 

The ‘Whole Crab’ was a baked, crab casserole and ‘Meatballs’ were three meat patties drowned in tomato soup. While the food translation was less than stellar, the food itself was quite good. That said, it was again not the gastronomic experience had anticipated. Yet, now full, our Basque culinary adventures would have to wait at least one more day.

 

Pintxos Hondarribia: Finally Getting It Right! 

Our beginner attempts at Basque Country pintxos were, undoubtedly, failing miserably. But, we were determined to try the much talked about Basque-style tapas. After spending a fabulous day in St. Jean de Luz, France, we returned to Hondarribia in the early evening.

On the advice of locals, we made our way to the lower town along San Pedro Kalea where we were told we could find the best Hondarribia pintxos restaurants. We walked into a bar and were stunned. The entire bar was covered in platters of pintxos.

The presentation of the Basque Pintxos seemed to be just as important as the food itself. Most were bruschetta-like; small slices of bread topped with an assortment of cheeses, meats and vegetables. Shrimp sat atop a creamy spread. Sliced hard boiled eggs were accompanied by a dollop of mayo and a sprinkle of seasoning. Anchovies lay limp over roasted red pepper strips. 

We carefully selected our first round, even though we didn’t know exactly what it was that we were choosing. We immediately broke the unstated “one pintxo per bar” rule and, instead, selected three: a fried nugget with a mixture of goodness inside; a mayo-based spread with hard-boiled egg and shrimp and one with a mushroom and red pepper. They were divine. 

Absolutely jazzed that we were finally eating pintxos in Hondarribia, we moved on to the next restaurant and found that bar also covered in the appetizing, carefully-crafted bites!

This time we each just got one, accompanied with a glass of wine. I chose the prosciutto-Brie-dried tomato combo and Kris had a mini-sandwich with baked chicken and a sauce. Incredible. 

We had finally gotten a proper taste of Hondarribia pintxos and were delighted to find such a vast variety of the little Basque snacks. We would then go on to learn (and taste!) even more Pintxos in San Sebastian, which was the next destination on our Basque trip. 

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Best Pintxos Bars in Hondarribia, Spain

We are sharing a few of the top recommended Hondarribia Pintxo bars. In hindsight, this is the list we wish we would have had before our trip! 

Most of the bars are located on the iconic Hondarribia Pintxos street, San Pedro Kalea – which is a fabulous place to start a Pintxos bar crawl.

 

Bar Gran Sol

A Michelin mentioned Pintxo bar, Bar Gran Sol serves ready-made pintxos and made-to-order Pintxos Calientes. Top pintxos to order are the Hondarribia Pintxo (smoked cod with red pepper, foi gras and peach syrup), Huevo Mollete (eggs and potatoes) and Jaizkebel (mushrooms with cheese, ham and aioli). 

 

Bar Sardara

Friendly and welcoming, Bar Sardara offers an array of mouthwatering pintxos. That said, the top thing to order at Bar Sardara is the award-winning cod Pintxo, called Barbalada. 

 

Itxaropena

Casual and fun, Itxaropena is known for their big portions and inexpensive prices. While they don’t have a stand out dish, the traditional Pintxo bar serves classics to both locals and tourists. 

 

Vinoteka Ardoka

At Vinoteka Ardoka, classic Pintxos are enhanced with a touch of creativity and style. 

 

Gastroteka Danontzat

Not located on San Pedro Street, but well-worth seeking out, Gastroteka Danontzat serves traditional yet innovative Basque food in Pintxo, half-portion or full-portion sizes. If you are unsure what to order, let the helpful waitstaff make suggestions! 

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Hondarribia Travel Tips

Now that you know what to eat in Hondarribia, Spain, we have a few more tips for your trip! Our Basque Itinerary highlights the best things to do in Hondarribia and San Sebastian – and we have more travel guides for Spain.

• Day Trip to St Jean de Luz, France
• Walk to the Hondarribia Lighthouse
• Hike Monte Urgull in San Sebastian
• Eating in San Sebastian
• Best Spain Itinerary for Barcelona, Madrid and Seville
• Top Tapas in Barcelona – and Where to Find Tapas in Seville
• Travelers visiting Spain from abroad will also find helpful advice in our guide to Planning a European Vacation. 

As you begin making your plans for Hondarribia, Basque, Spain; it’s essential to keep track of the details. Our Printable Travel Planner is designed to ensure you stay on top of your trip specifics!

 

Getting To Hondarribia, Spain

We think the best way to get to Basque Country is via plane from Madrid. Travelers can fly into the San Sebastian Airport, which is actually located in Hondarribia. Alternatively, use one of the other Basque Country Airports in Bilbao or Vitoria. Search for the best prices for flights on SkyScanner – but first read our Guide to Finding Cheap Airfare.

 

Where To Stay in Hondarribia, Spain

In Hondarribia, we stayed at the Hotel San Nikolas in the Old Town. With its central location on a charming street, we think it is one of the best places to stay in Hondarribia. After reading our Top Tips on Booking Hotels, start your search for Hondarribia accommodations on Booking.com.

 

What To Pack For Hondarribia

Our final advice for your Spain trip is all about what to pack! Use our Complete Packing List and all our Best Packing Hacks to get started, then grab your FREE Checklist!

 

Walking Shoes

Be sure to pack a pair of comfortable walking shoes for your trip to Hondarribia. I like to explore on foot in my Columbia shoes – and Kris prefers wearing Merrell trail shoes. Read all of our tips in our best Travel Shoes article!

 

Travel Camera

Basque Country Spain is an absolutely gorgeous country! Capture the beauty with a real travel camera, rather than using your phone. We carry a DSLR Canon Rebel (which is great budget camera for beginners!) with a 18-135mm lens (so we only have to carry one with us). 

 

Spain Travel Insurance

Trip insurance may protect against cancelled flights and lost luggage, but it could come in handy if you get ill or injured abroad, too. If you haven’t already obtained travel insurance for your vacation to Spain, consider traveling protected with World Nomads.

 

Start planning your trip to Spain! Search for the lowest airfares, the best accommodations and fun things to do…then start packing!  Want more travel advice? Head over to our Travel Planning Page for more tips on traveling – and for country-specific information, take a look at our Travel Guides Page!

 

 

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