TRAVEL GUIDE | SAN SEBASTIÁN, SPAIN 🇪🇸

San Sebastián or Donastia as it’s known in Basque, is famed for its golden sand beaches, Michelin-starred restaurants, art nouveau buildings and beautiful Old Town. We stayed for 4 nights in a lovely AirBNB just a 5 minute walk away from the buzz of Old Town with its humming pintxos bars and plazas. Heaven!

WINE BAR | GERALD’S BELLA BAR

Gerald’s Bar in Carlton North remains one of our favourite Melbourne haunts.

Gerald’s Bar in San Sebastián shared the same virtues - bistro style small plates of seasonal produce, bang on wine list, upbeat ambient and an exceptional team.

Since returning home, I can’t stop thinking about this Oliva Spritz - manzanilla sherry, cava, a dash of lemon juice and syrup made from olive jar brine.

Make sure you go on a night when Bella is on. She truly made our night. Read more.

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PINTXOS BAR | PACO BUENO

Paco Bueno is a stand-up pintxos bar, run by the sons of a famous Basque boxer of the same name. The walls are heaving with framed pictures of him in action. The locals come here for a beer and gambas en gabardina, tempura-like prawns on sticks, for only €1.75. Find a spot at the bar, order a beer and prawns and wait for them to come out piping hot. Read more.

PINTXOS BAR | BORDA BERRI

You won’t find pintxos on the bar at Borda Berri. Chefs Iñaki Gulín and Marc Clua serve up raciones (think small plates) and change the menu regularly. We spotted four must-try signatures - 6-hour cooked PX veal cheek in red wine, puntalette risotto with idiazabal Basque sheeps cheese, squid in its ink ravioli and crispy pig's ear with romesco (below). Read more.

PINTXOS BAR | BAR TXEPETXA

Anchovies! Sardines! It’s all about oily fish here at at Bar Txepetxa. The fish is prepared freshly, delicious silvery fillets marinated, not salted, and placed atop bread with unexpected toppings. Read more.

PINTXOS BAR | ZERUKO

The signature dish at Bar Zeruko is La Hoguera - The Bonfire. Served on a mini bbq of smoking rosemary and coals, you’ll cook the tender sliver of cod yourself. Served with a chaser of herb mayonnaise crostini and a test-tube shot of liquid salad. Read more.

PINTXOS BAR | GANDARIAS

Snacks at this Old Town hang emphasise the classic preparation of well-chosen ingredients. On any given night, you might sample seared sirloin atop a slice of toasted baguette, a trio of braised beef cheeks smothered in rich brown gravy, or a skewer of grilled baby squid dressed in sauce of its own ink. Trust your eyes and pick up whatever looks best; no matter what you choose, you’ll develop an excellent baseline for what pintxos should be.

PINTXOS BAR | BAR NESTOR

Bar Nestor is an institution amongst locals and known for ‘the holy trinity’. Wait patiently for a spot at the bar and order:

1. Fresh ox heart tomatoes chopped into chunks, splashed with olive oil, a little vinegar, plenty of salt and served with bread to mop up all the oil.

2. Padron peppers flash-fried in a hot pan with olive oil then doused with salt.

3. The Txuleta! A Basque cut of beef - sirloin on the bone cooked slowly over hot coals. Then sliced, YES doused with salt and served just like that.

Read more.

PINTXOS BAR | LA VINA

Finish your pintxo crawl through Old Town at La Viña. Opened in 1959 by Eladio Rivera and Carmen Jiménez, this institution is now run by their son Santiago Rivera. You’ll be lining up for their famous burnt Basque cheese cream cake. It’s the stuff of legends and perfect with a glass of Pedro Ximenez. Read more.

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SHOP | LANCE & MALONE

Owned by local artists, Lance & Malone is an art shop in Old Town selling illustrations, collages and photographs by local artists. I’ve made a habit of collecting local art whilst travelling and “Salud” by local artist Mikel Casal is now framed and hanging in our kitchen.

COFFEE & BREAD | THE LOAF

Grab an artisanal loaf and the best coffee you’ll find in San Seb from The Loaf. Slice up sourdough, lather with butter and top with anchovies.

🍸BAR | DRY

Maria Cristina Hotel was built in 1912 and given a facelift for her 100th birthday. The 5-star luxury hotel is located in the Belle Epoque buildings along the River Urumea in the heart of San Sebastian, home to Asian-style Café Saigon, cooking school/grocer Mimo San Sebastián and swanky lounge bar Dry Bar. Stop by for cocktails and take in the opulence. Read more.

Bar Nestor | San Sebastián

That’s Ryan patiently waiting for a spot at Bar Nestor. He looked a bit disgruntled so I popped across the lane to Bar Zeruko whilst we waited.

Bar Nestor is where the locals eat. It’s an institution and known for ‘the holy trinity’.

1. Fresh ox heart tomatoes chopped into chunks, splashed with olive oil, a little vinegar, plenty of salt and served with bread to mop up all the oil.

2. Padron peppers flash-fried in a hot pan with olive oil then doused with salt.

3. The Txuleta! A Basque cut of beef - sirloin on the bone cooked slowly over hot coals. Then sliced, YES doused with salt and served just like that.

Incredible. We’d go back time and time again. If you do make it there, try your luck on getting dibs on a slice of tortilla. The owner’s wife makes two, one for lunch and one for dinner, and slices it into 12 pieces. If you get in early you might be able to get your hands on an elusive slice. Once it goes, that’s it.

Gerald's Bar | San Sebastián

Gerald’s Bar in Carlton North remains one of our favourite Melbourne haunts. Gerald’s Bar in San Sebastián shared the same virtues - bistro style small plates of seasonal produce, bang on wine list, upbeat ambient and an exceptional team. Make sure you go on a night when Bella is on. She truly made our night.

Oliva Spritz

Homemade Pate de Campagne

Marinated white anchovies

Olasagasti tuna belly

Local tomatoes, vainalla

Bat Berri Txakoli, Itsas Mendi, H. Zuri, Bizkala

LA BIGOUDEN CREPERIE | SAUMUR, FRANCE

Saumur is a little town in the Loire Valley and renowned for the École Nationale d’Équitation, a national riding school home to the Cadre Noir equestrian corps. We left Valaire and stopped by Saumur on the way to La Rochelle and stumbled upon Crêperie Saladerie La Bigouden.

Traditional creperies use buckwheat flour which means they are gluten free. In typical form, we shared four crepes for three people... that’s just how we rolled through France. Chef’s kiss.

LA PANIER DE CRABES | LA ROCHELLE, FRANCE

La Panier de Crabes is tucked away in the charming Place de la Fourche within the Saint Nicholas District of La Rochelle. Brightly covered tables are dotted over the cobbled square, shaded under a beautiful big tree. We first stopped by in the evening and could not get a table so came by for lunch and ordered a plateau de fruits de mer.

Gandarias | San Sebastián

Gandarias is always bustling and we loved the variety and abundance here. The must-try pintxo here is the Solomillo - a juicy chunk of beer sirloin on bread topped with green pepper and a sprinkle of Maldon sea salt.

Borda Berri | San Sebastián

You won’t find pintxos on the bar at Borda Berri. Instead you’ll order raciones (think small plates). The menu changes frequently and we spotted four signatures on the menu. 6-hour cooked PX veal cheek in red wine, puntalette risotto with idiazabal Basque sheeps cheese, squid in its ink ravioli and crispy pig's ear with romesco. Chilled Txacoli to wash it all down did the trick.

Bar Txepetxa | San Sebastián

It’s all about sardines and anchovies pintxos here at Bar Txepetxa. They make them to order with unexpected toppings. The fish is prepared freshly, delicious silvery fillets marinated, not salted, and placed atop bread and your choice of…

• Jardinera – red and green peppers salsa, guindillas, onion

• Crema de Centolla – creamy spider crab

• Foie y Compota de Manzana – foie gras and apple sauce

• Huevas de Erizo de Mar – sea urchin roe

• Huevas de Trucha – trout roe

• Pate de Oliva – olive pate

• Arándanos – blueberries

• Coco – coconut

• Papaya – papaya

• Bocarta – salted anchovy and piquillo pepper

• Salmon – salmon

• Salazon – salted anchovy

Zeruko | San Sebastián

The signature dish at Bar Zeruko is La Hoguera - The Bonfire. Served on a mini bbq of smoking coals, you’ll cook the tender sliver of cod yourself. Served with herb mayonnaise and a test-tube shot of liquid salad. We tucked into pintxos here whilst waiting for a spot at Bar Nestor. Also try the zucchini flowers stuffed with cheese and creamy sea urchin.

La Viña | San Sebastián

Finish your pintxo crawl through Old Town at La Viña. Opened in 1959 by Eladio Rivera and Carmen Jiménez, this institution is now run by their son Santiago Rivera. You’ll be lining up for their famous burnt Basque cheese cream cake. It’s the stuff of legends and perfect with a glass of Pedro Ximenez. Get there early and go every night. I’m still dreaming of this a year on.

Paco Bueno | San Sebastián

Paco Bueno is a stand-up pintxos bar, run by the sons of a famous Basque boxer of the same name. The walls are heaving with framed pictures of him in action. The locals come here for a beer and gambas en gabardina, tempura-like prawns on sticks, for only €1.75. Find a spot at the bar, order a beer and prawns and wait for them to come out piping hot. The bocadillos, sandwich made with Spanish bread much like a baguette, are great value too if you are looking for breakfast.

Gambas en Gabardina

Pintxos

Bocadillos

AKERBELTZ | SAN SEBASTIÁN

Find a spot on the terrace and make your way through the craft beers. Akerbeltz is a popular spot, clocking over 30 craft brews both local and international. Enjoying the views of the port and a spot of people watching.

BUNBUNBUN | Shoreditch, London, United Kingdom

Fresh (but feeling not-so-fresh) off a long haul flight from Perth, had us craving fresh Vietnamese flavours. BúnBúnBún was our first stop and was, typically Shoreditch, absolutely buzzing.

F. COOKE | LONDON

The Cooke family has been running pie and mash shops for four generations since opening London’s first shop in 1862. It’s an institution and sadly I recently read that the Broadway Market location will soon be closed. On our trip in London in 2018 we visited F Cooke with a friend for pie and mash and jellied eels.

Interested in the history of the Pie and Mash shops of London? The Life and Slow Death of London’s Pie and Mash Shops by James Hansen is a great read.

jellied eels

large meat pie with potato mash and parsley liquor (don’t call it gravy)

DRY | SAN SEBASTIÁN

Maria Cristina Hotel was built in 1912 and given a facelift for her 100th birthday. Lucky lady.

The 5-star luxury hotel is located in the Belle Epoque buildings along the River Urumea in the heart of San Sebastian, home to Asian-style Café Saigon, cooking school/grocer Mimo San Sebastián and swanky lounge bar Dry Bar.

Before another round of pintxos hopping, we stopped by for swanky cocktails mixed by Adolfo ‘Fito’ Raba. He’s been working here for 30 years. That’s dedication.

BRIGHT | LONDON

DAMN (B)RIGHT. Brought to you by P Franco, Bright ticked all the boxes. That sando katsu was something else.

salame al barbaresco

baglio, biacno, sicily, italy, 2017

argala bitter & pet nat

razo clam, mussel & tomato vinaigrette

katsu sando

fig leaf cream, gooseberries, raspberries

🌯🌯 MUCHACHOS | Singapore

Inspired by American-style burrito joints in San Francisco's Mission District, Muchachos slings Mexican eats from noon till midnight. Located on Keong Saik Road where all the cool kids hang... you'll find Burnt Ends by Perth chef David Pynt, the Singapore iteration of Potato Head and Spanish tapas joint Esquina. 

EAT | NOBLE ROT (London, United Kingdom)

Sex & Drugs & Pinot Noir. You’ll spot wine lovers repping the coveted Noble Rot tote bag all through London.

Only a few days in London? Make time for this exceptional spot deep in Lamb’s, Conduit Street.

Bread and butter

Maldon rock oysters

Senorio Iberico Bellata Paleta D.O.P.

Cecina, beetroot and horseradish

Lincolnshire smoked eel, gazpacho and lovage

Burratina, Datterini, tomato and basil

Roast auvergne guinea fowl, pearl barley and girolles

Roast Cornish monkfish, bacon and pea sauce

Slipsole and smoked butter

Cheese plate - Saint Felicien, Comte Reserve, Bavarian Blue

Brillat-Savarin & White Peach Cheesecake

Lemon Verbena Posset, Kentish strawberries and shortbread

EAT | J & A CAFE (London, United Kingdom)

J&A Cafe is tucked in a courtyard between Clerkenwell Road and Great Sutton Street housed in an old diamond-cutting factory. Homestyle cooking with an Irish-edge makes it a nice little spot for a hearty brunch.

🧀🧀 | IAIN MELLIS CHEESEMONGER (Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom)

Iain Mellis Cheesemonger has been going strong for over 25 years. Located on Edinburgh’s charming Victoria Street, a curving strip of cobblestones with plenty of old-world charm. You’ll find walls of cheese and wine by the glass, making it the perfect pit-stop whilst discovering the old town.