San Sebastian in 2017 was a deeply personal pilgrimage for Anthony Bourdain during Season 9 of Parts Unknown. This Basque coastal city was arguably his favorite culinary destination on earth, a place he described as having more great food per square inch than anywhere else. The food culture here operates on two distinct, equally brilliant levels: the meticulously crafted, hyper-seasonal pintxos found in the chaotic Old Town bars, and the world-renowned, avant-garde gastronomy pioneered by his dear friends, the Arzak family. Bourdain’s angle was pure, unadulterated reverence; he wanted to showcase the profound Basque respect for ingredients, whether it’s a perfectly grilled turbot in a seaside village or a modernist masterpiece in a Michelin-starred temple. He celebrated a society where discussing what you are going to eat next is the primary pastime. To truly understand why Bourdain loved this city above all others, here is his definitive dining guide.
The great Anthony Bourdain left his mark everywhere he went. When his death was announced to the world in June 2018, media throughout the globe chimed in and listed all the great things he had done for their respective city, town, province, country. Whereas before, tourists would shy away from exotic foods, thanks to him, travellers now go the extra mile to find and try local bites. With this in mind, here are all the restaurants Bourdain visited and the dishes he tasted when he shot Anthony Bourdain San Sebastian for his show, Parts Unknown Season 9 Episode 3 (originally aired May 7, 2017):
DISH – Pintxos
WHAT IS IT?
Basque tapas, like fried quail egg, blood sausage, and peppers on bread, and sea urchin with onion and caviar.
WHERE IS IT?
Tamboril
Arrandegi Kalea, 2
Donostia, Gipuzkoa, Spain
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ANTHONY BOURDAIN SAN SEBASTIAN NOTES
In Parts Unknown San Sebastian, Anthony Bourdain went on a txikiteo (Basque term for bar crawl) with Juan Mari Arzak, Elena (Juan Mari Arzak’s daughter) and Gabriella Rinelli. Their first stop was at Tamboril.
DISH – Jamon y Hongos, Tartaletas de Txangurro, and Perretxikoak
WHAT IS IT?
Jamon y Hongos – Iberico ham with mushrooms; Tartaletas de Txangurro – crab tartlets; Perretxikoak – seared wild mushrooms and foie gras, topped with a raw egg yolk.
WHERE IS IT?
Ganbara
San Jeronimo Kalea, 19
Donostia, Gipuzkoa, Spain
ANTHONY BOURDAIN SAN SEBASTIAN NOTES
Anthony Bourdain calls Ganbara his favorite place in the Basque country.
DISH – Squid Served the Paleo Way, Kokotxas, and Grilled Turbot
WHAT IS IT?
Squid Served the Paleo Way – grilled squid with an onion-green pepper sauce; Kokotxas – cheeks of hake cooked pil pil style in olive oil; Grilled Turbot – turbot fish grilled over coals.
WHERE IS IT?
Elkano
Herrerieta Kalea, 2
Getaria, Gipuzkoa, Spain
ANTHONY BOURDAIN SAN SEBASTIAN NOTES
Elkano is a restaurant in the seaside village of Getaria, famous for their grilled turbot.
DISH – Marinated Prawns, Roast Pigeon, Kokotxas en Hojas de Bambú, Grilled Monkfish, White Tuna, and Squid
WHAT IS IT?
Marinated Prawns on lemongrass and mint, with beetroot and crunchy krill; Roast Pigeon with mastic and potato; Kokotxas en Hojas de Bambú – grilled hake jowls with teff seeds and fresh almonds, served on a bamboo leaf; Grilled Monkfish with pecan paste, and pumpkin and sweet pea hieroglyphics; White Tuna with green melon and jackfruit sauce; Squid with walnut-ginger paste, Sicilian sauce and black tomato.
WHERE IS IT?
Arzak
Avenida del, Alcalde J. Elosegi Hiribidea, 273
Donostia, Gipuzkoa, Spain
ANTHONY BOURDAIN SAN SEBASTIAN NOTES
Juan Mari Arzak’s restaurant that has been family-run since 1897, where, according to Bourdain, “”food is innovative, wildly creative, forward-thinking, but always, always Basque”.
DISH – Txapelas de Hongo a la Parrilla con Yema de Huevo, Salsa de Pato y Piñones, Grilled Tuna, Peas in Iberico Ham Consommé, and Squid with White Bean Sauce
WHAT IS IT?
Txapelas de Hongo a la Parrilla con Yema de Huevo, Salsa de Pato y Piñones – seared mushroom with egg yolk and pine nuts; Grilled Tuna with marmitako sauce; Peas in a consommé of Iberico ham; Squid served with white bean sauce.
WHERE IS IT?
Casa Urola
Fermin Calbeton Kalea, 20
Donostia, Gipuzkoa, Spain
ANTHONY BOURDAIN SAN SEBASTIAN NOTES
Casa Urola is a restaurant in the Old Town area of San Sebastian that serves Nouvelle-style Basque cuisine.
DISH – Ventre de Thon, and Roasted and Flambéed Pigeon
WHAT IS IT?
Ventre de Thon – tuna belly with tomato carpaccio; Roasted and Flambéed Pigeon served with pigeon terrine.
WHERE IS IT?
Restaurant La Ferme Ostalapia
2621 Chemin d’Ostalapia
Ahetze, France
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ANTHONY BOURDAIN SAN SEBASTIAN NOTES
In Parts Unknown San Sebastian, Anthony Bourdain also visit this restaurant in the French Basque country.
DISH – Chorizo, Grilled Razor Clams, Beluga Caviar, Grilled Gambas, Grilled Squid, and Galician Beef Chop
WHAT IS IT?
Chorizo – sausage made from Iberian pork loins; Grilled Razor Clams with a broth of beans; Grilled Beluga Caviar heaped over an almond paste; Grilled Gambas – grilled prawns; Grilled Squid served on its own ink; Galician Beef Chop – grilled and perfectly rested.
WHERE IS IT?
Etxebarri
San Juan Plaza, 1
Axpe, Bizkaia, Spain
ANTHONY BOURDAIN SAN SEBASTIAN NOTES
Etxebarri is a famous restaurant located in a valley about an hour from San Sebastian.
READ MORE: HERE’S A PICTURE FROM EACH COUNTRY I VISITED IN 2015
This San Sebastian episode is historically significant as one of the most joyful and completely unabashed love letters Bourdain ever produced for television. It highlighted his deep, enduring friendships within the Basque culinary community, specifically with Juan Mari and Elena Arzak, showing the profound personal connections food can forge. He continually reminded viewers that the Basque country’s fierce independence is intrinsically linked to its fierce culinary pride. The episode remains the ultimate testament to a region that elevated eating into a high art form. Book a trip, join the txikiteo, and eat the best food of your life.
