The theme this week is weekend escape and quite frankly, we’re up for any excuse to eat our faces off. San Sebastian is where aspiring chefs from all over the world come to sharpen their kitchen skills. Yes, San Sebastian is known for its pinxtos bars, which are a feeding frenzy for days on end. You could easily just do casual pinxtos for a long weekend and experience top food. However, sometimes you want to be a grown up and have a fancy dinner. This is where San Sebastian and its cousin down the road, Bilbao, really shine. When that mood strikes, these are our picks for the top 6  San Sebastian and Bilbao restaurants for fine dining.

Rekondo

Of all the restaurants on our top list in San Sebastian, Rekondo is the most approachable food. It’s also the restaurant that is almost always a stop for every wine and food expert who passes through San Sebastian. Rekondo puts a modern twist on traditional meals. Iñaki Arrieta has been Rekondo’s chef for over 20 years and uses local, farm-to-table ingredients in all of his dishes.

The most exceptional part though of Rekondo is the wine cellar, which includes thousands of bottles, including some of the oldest vintages in the world. After dinner it’s a highlight to tour the cellar where it isn’t just a visitor sport. Wine aficionados come in from all over the world to partake in the cellar, where you don’t need to break the bank on a top bottle.

Address: Igeldo Pasealekua, 57, 20008 Donostia, Gipuzkoa, Spain

Etxebarri

Etxebarri is considered by many as the Holy Grail of experimental dining. It’s not just one of the top San Sebastian restaurants, but one of the top in the world. Technically Extebarri is in Bizkaia, which is about an hour or so away from San Sebastian. It’s more off the grid location is also what makes it special. Everything about Etxebarri– the location, the service, and of course, the meals– is worth traveling for. If you’re lucky enough to get a reservation, you’ll have the chance to try Chef Victor Arguinzoniz’s fresh steak or seafood, straight off the grill.

Address: San Juan Plaza, 1, 48291 Axpe, Bizkaia, Spain

Arzak

Arzak is named after Chef Juan Mari Arzak, who was on the frontier of creating top Michelin-starred meals in San Sebastian. The chef won the National Gastronomy Award at 32 years old, and shortly after, Arzak earned a Michelin star. The restaurant serves traditional Basque dishes, but each with something new and unique added to them. Nowadays, Arzak is a family affair, where four generations create some of the best meals in San Sebastian.

Address: Alcalde J. Elosegi Hiribidea, 273, 20015 Donostia, Gipuzkoa, Spain

Mina Restaurante

Mina is one of the top San Sebastian restaurants for dinner with a view. The restaurant overlooks the La Ribera market and church, and the beautiful San Antón bridge. The tasting menu is innovative yet doesn’t go over the top. Instead they rely on seasonal produce to lead their creativity, versus trying to prove something. The chef, Alvaro Garrido is one of the youngest of the Michelin-starred chefs in San Sebastian, so the overall feel of his 25 seat restaurant is fresh and new.

Address: Martzana Kaia, s/n, Ibaiondo, 48003 Bilbao, Bizkaia, Spain

Azurmendi

Azurmendi has won three Michelin stars and secured a place on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, and for good reason. Chef Eneko Axta serves up exciting dishes like spider crab and caviar & nori. What makes Azurmendi so unique is the creativity of Chef Axta. Chef Alta is a risk-taker when it comes to developing new dishes, and he never misses the mark.

Address: Barrio Leguina, s/n, 48195 Larrabetzu, Biscay, Spain

Martín Berasategui

Martín Berasategui is the place to go for French-inspired cuisine in San Sebastian. Chef Berasategui was trained in France as a young man and has achieved excellence in his career. Menus are ever-changing with the seasons. Chef Berastegui constantly comes up with innovative new dishes for guests to try.

Address: Loidi Kalea, 4, 20160 Lasarte-Oria, Gipuzkoa, Spain

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