And because each pintxo is cheap and small, there’s no need to choose between antxoas with foie and apple compote, or with roe, or sea urchin, or papaya. You can have the lot. With football on the TV, aluminium barrels in the corner, plastic ferns, just the three tables, and a general air of convivial scruffiness, it all looks too normal to be a compulsory stop for foodies and visiting celebrities, but study the newspaper cuttings and photos on the wall and you’ll spot jefe Manu posing with everyone from Ferran Adrià and Juan Mari Arzak to Glenn Close and Gandalf.

We like to think there’s an anchovy pintxo for everyone at Txepetxa, even those who aren’t big on tinned fish. For decades, this small bar has been putting all kinds of anchovy flavor combos on sliced baguette, some of which might raise a few eyebrows. There are savory bites featuring anchovies topped with vinegary giardiniera and tapenade, and sweeter options like foie gras with apple compote and blueberry jam that tastes twice as sweet from all the fish’s saltiness, making it pop with flavor.

Two love-’em-or-hate-’em ingredients—anchovies and sardines—form the basis of many of this haunt’s most popular pintxos, but the toppings that accompany them are what's unexpected. Blueberry jam, aioli and papaya, and crab sauce (pictured) are just a few of the flourishes you might find atop the salty filets. Regardless, don’t leave without nabbing the Gilda, a more traditional (and perhaps widely palatable) emblematic pintxo of San Sebastian: anchovies with green olives and pickled peppers.

Txepetxa is an old-school spot, with walls covered in photos of famous guests and ceramic replicas of its famous anchovy toasts on the bar. The foundation of the menu is a daily selection of the freshest anchovies in the market, marinated according to a secret family recipe by second-generation chef and owner Manu. Try the silvery filets atop freshly toasted bread, garnished with signature mixtures from spider crab cream to the vinegary onion and pepper jardinera.

Txepetxa is the place to come in the Basque country, and arguably all of Spain, for anchovies. Serving the salty fish for over 100 years, the family-owned bar has perfected the art the of the perfect anchovy pintxo and distilled their offerings down to 16 different options. Try the clean and crisp anchoas jardineras for an unbeatable first round before branching out to the more exotic anchovies with tropical fruit.

But at Bar Txepetxa, you want plump boquerones (vinegar-cured anchovies) layered on crusty bread and topped with diced peppers and onion. Haven’t got a cheat sheet?. Then go nouveau at Borda Berri, a younger bar striving for a menu with breadth over depth.

at Arrandegi Kalea 5 in the Parte Vieja section of San Sebastián and you’re certain to see a small throng of hungry people milling about.

Come to Bar Txepetxa for a glass of crisp Txakoli (traditional dry white wine from Basque Country) and inventive anchovy pintxos in San Sebastian. At this small, popular, always-buzzing tapas bar in the Old Quarter, house-marinated anchovy is prepared with unusual ingredients, including coconut, blueberry compote, and sea urchin roe. If strange salty fish combinations don’t whet your appetite, the bar serves other delicious tapas such as vegetables, crab, octopus, mussels, and shrimp.

Hauled in by the boatload from the Cantabrian Sea, anchovies make for affordable and delectable pintxos, whether they're flash-fried, canned or pickled. Achieve anchovy nirvana at Txepetxa, a cozy old bar whose fat, salty anchovies are so coveted that the family recipe sits under lock and key at a local bank. Spring for the sampler of griddled anchovy toasts topped with optional accompaniments like crab mousse, fresh sea urchin and cooked-down blueberries—an absolute revelation.

Then they come to Txepetxa (pronounced "che-peh-cha"), where they're pleasantly surprised to find that they've been proven wrong about these salty little fish. With more than 120 years of experience under their belt, this no-frills traditional bar serves up the best seafood pintxos in town. Their specialty: house-marinated anchovies, made according to a generations-old recipe that's singlehandedly responsible for converting many an anchovy-hater.

«Las anchoas en vinagre más especiales de este mundo y el mejor trato de la Parte Vieja. Les quiero un montón y a la jardinera (pimiento y cebolla encima de anchoa con pan), más». Ganadores del Gran Premio Keler Bar de Bares 2021, el Premio Barandilla de Oro 2019 o Premio al Producto Gastronómico que entrega la Kofradia-Itsas Etxea, por su barra han desfilado desde gentes de toda la vida de aquí hasta estrellas de Hollywood.

Txepetxa is a family-run pintxos bar that specializes in anchovies, offering a wide variety of creative and delicious pintxos that showcase this humble ingredient. Located in the Old Town, Txepetxa is a hidden gem in San Sebastián that has gained a loyal following for its innovative approach to traditional Basque cuisine. Each pintxo is meticulously crafted, combining flavors and textures in surprising and delightful ways.

Direction: Arrandegi Kalea, 5, 20003 Donostia, Gipuzkoa.Schedule: Of Wednesday to Saturday of 12:00h to 15:00h and of 19h to 23h, Sundays of 12:00h to 15:15h. In the Bar Txepetxa, in the old helmet of Donostia, will find until 14 different combinations of pintxos of anchovy, starred by this sabroso fished. From anchovies with vegetables until anchovies with cream of centollo, the options are varied and delicious.

The humble anchovy – a celebrated local product that features in almost every pintxos bar, but none so much as Bar Txepetxa who specialise in these salty morsels. I loved the combination of anchovies with fresh peppers or stewed Mediterranean vegetables atop fresh bread. Another more lavish option was the pintxos of bread topped with crab salad with an anchovy and sardine draped over the top.

Txepetxa is also a family legacy, with 3 generations of the family involved in the running of this sensational pintxos bar. The restaurant is always filled with locals enjoying white wine and grabbing some munch at the bar; you might have to hustle your way to trying one of their divine Pintxos. The bar has been nominated for many awards over the years – try the food and you’ll taste why.

Wonderful pintxos bars like La Vina, Txepetxa and Gandarias offer a fun, lively ambience to graze on tasty, simple food and affordable Spanish wines. The city and its surrounding towns are filled with fantastic seafood restaurants, many with excellent, great-value wine lists. The best turbot I had in my life was at Zelai Txiki – simply grilled with just a sprinkling of salt and lemon.

With more than 120 years of experience under their belt, it’s safe to say that Txepetxa is doing something right. That “something” comes in the form of house-marinated anchovies in inventive and pleasantly surprising flavors, many of which have won over staunch former anchovy-haters. A crisp glass of their excellent txakoli provides the perfect contrast to the salty fish.

One of the most famous places in San Sebastian, and for good reason, is Bar Txepetxa on Calle Pescaderia, which produces an array of stunning anchovy pintxos. In fact, this place is so well-known that it has a wall of photos of all the famous people who have visited, including Glen Close, Ian McKellen and Ethan Hawke. But the real stars are, of course, the anchovies.

Bar Txepetxa, is one of the most popular tapas bars in San Sebastian, it opened its doors in 1973 and has been on the receiving end of many gastronomic awards over the years. They serve some of the best homemade pintxos prepared with love and dedication. You can enjoy a large variety of local ingredients including crabs, octopus, anchovies, mussels and shrimp.

The service is fast and friendly, and you’ll get a great bang (and bite!) for your buck. Txepetxa specializes in all things anchovy, featuring this small salted fish atop creative toasts with a variety of inventive flavors. In Spain, this specific type of vinegar-cured white anchovies are known as “boquerones,” and they’re not too fishy, oily, or mushy.

Bar Txepetxa (Calle Pescaderia, 5) – the chilly waters around San Sebastián produce some of the best anchovies the world has to offer. Bar Txepetxa specialises in these Cantabrian beauties where generations of the same family have been serving them for over 100 years. The pick of the bunch for me was the anchovy topped with sea urchin roe.

A bar specializing in anchovies and boquerones — what’s not to love?. Every order is a good one here, but the Gilda is particularly luxe on the fish front. There’s usually a line outside at opening time, but that goes for most places in San Sebastián’s pintxos-packed old town, and the upside of snacking is a perpetually speedy turnaround.

I will speak for the majority of America in saying that we do not appreciate the lowly anchovy. After all, we really only know this tiny fish as something pulled from a can and usually plopped on a pizza by only those with the fortitude to withstand its intense flavor profile. But at Txepetxa, the anchovies are fresh and taste of the sea.

High-pouring cider and Txakoli-style wines were in full effect sitting at the bar which was fun to watch in action. Visitors flock from all over the globe to family-run Txepetxa for this exquisite pintxo, crowned with one of a dozen different toppings, like the pepper-onion vinaigrette (the jardinera) or spider-crab cream (the centollo).

Boquerones, or vinegar-cured white anchovies, are a pintxo fixture. Shiny and silver, with a white underflesh, they are the gateway anchovy for the anchovy-dubious—and they’re the specialty at this Parte Vieja cubbyhole. Txepetxa’s anchovies are phenomenally fresh (read: not fishy) and marinated in a top-secret potion.

When talking about Bar Txepetxa, you’re talking about anchovies. This small yet iconic Old Town bar has turned anchovy-based pintxos into an art form, using only the highest-quality fish. Some of their most famous creations include anchovies with crab cream, anchovies with blueberry jam, and anchovies with foie gras.

Also known as ‘the anchovies king’, at Txepetxa you will find anchovies cooked in many different ways, including anchovies ‘jardinera’ (on a toast with a mixture of onions, red and green peppers), anchovies with crab cream, with back olives or with sea urchin roe. Either way, they are delicious!

Txepetxa has been making their vinegar-cured white boquerón anchovies since 1972, and their family recipe has a 99% anchovy-hater conversion rate. Elbow up to the bar, shout your order to the barman, and enjoy the celebrity photo-lined walls featuring everyone from Gandalf to Spanish royalty.

Some of the most famous places to eat pinxtos in San Sebastian are: La Cuchara de San Telmo, Zabaleta (Spanish omelette), Bar Sport, Borda Berri (risotto), La Viña (cheesecake), Atari, Goiz Argi (skewered prawns), Txepetxa, Dakara Bi, Txuleta, Gandarias… There are many places to choose from!

Bar Txepetxa specialises in anchovies and boquerones, offering fourteen different combinations. These can be either cured or marinated, and are often accompanied by vegetables or other seafood. The flavours are simple and pure, with a strong emphasis on using high-quality ingredients.

Bar Txepetxa boasts 14 different varieties of Pintxos all using the freshest, plumpest anchovies I have ever tasted. My favourite combinations are with Papaya (trust me, it works!) & their Jardiniera topped with pickled bell peppers. My favourite of San Sebastian’s traditional spots.

Bar Txepetxa is the place to go for anchovies, a regional staple. Here, the fish is cured, fried, grilled and confited in olive oil. A slice of baguette is topped with charred slices of red capsicum, a marinated anchovy fillet and a salted anchovy fillet, then a fine, raw mirepoix.

An award-winning pintxos bar and a great place for many different renditions of delicious antxoas (anchovies). “The specialties are anchovies and spider crab toast, jardiniera-style anchovy toast.” - Chef Andoni Luis Aduriz of Mugaritz. “The valhalla of fresh anchovy dishes.

This family-owned bar has been made famous by their treatment of the humble anchovy. Offering endless ways to sample the house-marinated anchovy, Bar Txepetxa can even convert the anchovy-haters. This is the type of place you stop off at for an afternoon snack.

Another one of my absolute favourite pintxo bars is Bar Txepetxa. This spot specialises in one thing only – fresh, marinated anchovies. Now these aren’t anchovies out of a tin, these are fresh fish that are marinated served on bread with a choice of toppings.

You can discover these dishes in La Cuchara de San Telmo, in Bar Txepetxa, in Gandarias, one of the classic bars of Donostia, in Borda Berri or in La Viña, which are the most traditional bars, but the whole city has excellent places to discover its flavors.

Here you’ll find one of San Sebastian's top pintxo bar - Zeruko (C/Pescadería 10) and noteworthy neighbours Txepetxa (C/Pescadería 5) famous for their elaborate menu of marinated anchovies and Bar Tamboril (C/Pescadería 2) for crispy battered shrimp.

We visited Bar Txepetxa a couple of times, it was just such a great little bar. They are famous for their made-to-order anchovy pintxos. We had our first Keler beers here, another, more pleasing local lager, as well as a boiled chorizo.

Since more than a century they have been serving pintxos in the old part of San Sebastian. This bar, also known as the “Sistine Chapel of the Antxoa ¨ , offers 13 different types of pintxos all prepared with the best market antxoas .

While waiting for our food at Bar Nestor, my friend decided to grab some pintxos from Txepetxa, which is just a stone’s throw away. This bar specializes in anchovies!. So if you have a taste for fishy fish, this is the place for you!

Anchoas – Bar Txepetxa specialises in marinated anchovies served on slices of bread with various toppings, ranging from creamed spider crab to jam (yes, really!). It's run by the grandson of the man who opened it a century ago.

Also on my radar were Geralds Bar, Mendaur Berria, Ganbara, Txepetxa, and Borda Berri. If you go, it’s nice to have a list of places to go but also great just to wander and see what looks good. If a place looks fun, go for it!

Visitors flock from all over the globe to family-run Txepetxa for this exquisite pintxo, crowned with one of a dozen different toppings, like the pepper-onion vinaigrette (the jardinera) or spider-crab cream (the centollo).

We first tried the popular Txepetxa, a pintxo bar that specializes in everything anchovy. If you like anchovies it is wonderful. They have some crazy combinations such as anchovy and blueberry which is surprisingly tasty.

Eat: Fresh anchovy fillets prepared several different ways; my favorite was the “jardinera” with green and red peppers, chili and onion (you’ve NEVER had anything like these before). Drink: cold bubbly txakoli.

In the heart of the Old Town on Calle Arrandegi, is Bar Txepetxa. This pintxo bar is famous for their anchovy snacks!. They are mainly made to order with a number of different marinades and topping available.

Another speciality pintxos place, Txepetxa focuses on anchovies!. They offer dozens of styles of anchovies on toast. Some options include crab cream, sea urchin, olive pate, papaya, and salmon.

It’s not difficult to find Gildas, but having one at a pintxos bar that specializes in anchovies is a treat. Address: Arrandegi Kalea, 5, 20003 Donostia, Gipuzkoa, Spain ( map)

I tried the anchovies mixed with the delicacy that is spider crab cream – super moreish. Open Wednesday to Sunday 12-3pm and 7-11pm; Tuesday 7-11pm; closed Monday.

You can also do this tour on your own and make your way to some of the top rated restaurants in the city like Restaurante Kokotxa, Goiz Argi, Txepetxa and Zeruko.

The blueberry jam and pickled anchovy might sound odd but it’s remarkably good. Finally, head to Bar Sport for impeccable calamari and a buzzy vibe.

with a traditional fare and big terracotta pans with stews straight on the bar top. Here, 6 pintxos and two glasses of Rioja red wine, 16€.

When you walk into this traditional bar and see all the retro, ceramic anchovy pintxos, displayed on the bar, you may have second thoughts.

They visit some of the best places to eat pintxos in the Basque Country, including Gandarias, Txepetxa and Bar La Cepa.