San Sebastian, nestled in the Basque Country of northern Spain, is widely considered one of the greatest food cities on the planet. In the first season of A Cook’s Tour (2002), Anthony Bourdain made his inaugural televised pilgrimage to this culinary Mecca, eager to experience the legendary gastronomic culture that seamlessly blends high-art innovation with deeply rooted, everyday traditions. This episode captures the sheer joy and sensory overload of a chef discovering a place where food is elevated to a near-religion. Bourdain’s exploration of San Sebastian highlighted the profound duality of its food scene. He experienced the mind-bending creativity of avant-garde, Michelin-starred dining, but he seemed equally, if not more, enraptured by the chaotic, communal joy of the pintxo crawl. Moving from bar to bar in the old town, sampling exquisite, bite-sized masterpieces of seafood, cured meats, and wild mushrooms, he discovered a culture where world-class eating is accessible, social, and incredibly fun. Here are the essential spots that defined his unforgettable introduction to the Basque culinary phenomenon.
When Anthony Bourdain visited San Sebastian, Basque Country, Spain on his show A Cook’s Tour, he and his crew picked many restaurants. Here are all the addresses and the dishes showcased in a convenient list.
This is A Cook’s Tour, season 1, episode 8. It first aired on February 19, 2002.
READ MORE: SAN SEBASTIAN: ALL OF THE RESTAURANTS PICKED BY ANTHONY BOURDAIN ON PARTS UNKNOWN
DISH – “Modern Basque Food”
WHAT IS IT?
Poached egg with goose fat with caviar or mushroom and chorizo puree, sheep’s milk yogurt and foie gras, fish with eggplant, sea bass with dark sauce, and roasted duck with seasonal vegetables.
“It’s extraordinarily good food, widely creative. Is it art? You know, we could argue about that all day. But it is craft formed at its highest level.” -Anthony Bourdain
WHERE IS IT?
Arzak
Alcalde J. Elosegi Hiribidea, 273, 20015 Donostia, Gipuzkoa, Spain
San Sebastian, Spain
DISH – Pintxos – Anthony Bourdain San Sebastian
WHAT IS IT?
First: Wild mushrooms with raw egg yolk in the middle.
Second: White anchovies, smoked salmon, octopus and white asparagus.
“How could you look at this without going insane? Where does one begin? You mean, if you eat that, that means you might not be able to eat that.” -Anthony Bourdain
WHERE IS IT?
Ganbara
C. de San Jerónimo, 21, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian, Gipuzkoa, Spain
San Sebastian, Spain
READ MORE: SPAIN: ALL OF THE RESTAURANTS PICKED BY ANTHONY BOURDAIN ON PARTS UNKNOWN
DISH – Fish Cake and Codfish – Anthony Bourdain San Sebastian
WHAT IS IT?
Fish cake and codfish with onions and peppers.
“I enjoy this whole style of eating. You know, bouncing around, drinking, lots of women going from bar to bar, eating a little bit, drinking a little bit. I’m a short attention span guy so this whole idea of going right in, grabbing what you want and moving on really appeals to me. And it’s just a lot of fun.” -Anthony Bourdain
WHERE IS IT?
Astelena
Euskal Herria Kalea, 3, 20003 Donostia, Gipuzkoa, Spain
San Sebastian, Spain
DISH – High-End Tapas Food – Anthony Bourdain San Sebastian
WHAT IS IT?
Ravioli stuffed with black pudding and foie gras.
“They moved away from the traditional pintxos and dressed it up a little. They use squeeze bottles.” -Anthony Bourdain
WHERE IS IT?
Bar San Telmoko Goilarea
San Sebastian, Spain
NOTES – Anthony Bourdain San Sebastian
Unfortunately, we couldn’t find the exact location of this bar.
DISH – Chocolate and Churros – A Cook’s Tour San Sebastian
WHAT IS IT?
Anthony Bourdain visited Churreria Santa Lucia located at San Sebastian, Spain.
There, he had churros and hot chocolate that you can dip your churros into.
“Nothing like a serious, like, a sort of grease and sugar rush first thing in the morning.” -Anthony Bourdain
WHERE IS IT?
Churreria Santa Lucía
Portu Kalea, 6, 20003 Donostia, Gipuzkoa, Spain
San Sebastian, Spain
READ MORE: SPAIN: ALL OF THE RESTAURANTS PICKED BY ANTHONY BOURDAIN ON PARTS UNKNOWN
This early visit to San Sebastian clearly left an indelible mark on Bourdain, establishing the Basque Country as one of his absolute favorite culinary destinations—a place he would return to frequently throughout his career. By showcasing the city’s unique ability to respect its ancient culinary traditions while simultaneously pushing the boundaries of modern gastronomy, he highlighted a food culture that is both progressive and profoundly comforting. His obvious delight in the communal, kinetic energy of eating pintxos underscored his belief that the best dining experiences are often the most social and unpretentious. The episode remains a perfect primer on how to eat in one of the world’s great food capitals. When you visit San Sebastian, pace yourself, follow the locals, and prepare to eat standing up.
