Pintxo
Basque equivalent of a tapa: a single bite, often skewered with a toothpick onto a slice of bread, displayed on the bar for self-service.
A pintxo is the Basque Country's small-plate format, structurally different from a Spanish tapa. The pintxo is usually one bite, often built on a slice of bread, frequently skewered with a toothpick to hold it together (and to count it later). Bars in San Sebastián, Bilbao and Logroño lay rows of pintxos out on the counter; you walk in, pick what you want, eat it standing, and at the end the bartender counts the toothpicks on your plate to calculate the bill. The format encourages a multi-bar crawl: two or three pintxos per stop, then move on. The pintxo scene in San Sebastián is one of the most-cited food destinations in the country.
How it's served
Laid out cold on the bar (cold pintxos) or made to order from a kitchen behind the bar (hot pintxos, called pintxos de cocina). You eat them standing, often in a multi-bar crawl. Pintxo bars in the Basque Country usually have a fixed price (€2-5) per bite.
Regional variation
San Sebastián's old town (Parte Vieja) and Bilbao's Casco Viejo are the canonical pintxo zones. Logroño, just south in La Rioja, has its own dense pintxo street called Calle Laurel. Pamplona and Vitoria also have strong pintxo scenes. Outside the Basque Country and Navarra the format barely exists; what gets called a 'pintxo' in Barcelona is usually just a tapa with a stick in it.
- Origin
- Basque Country
- Etymology
- From the Spanish pinchar / Basque pintxar ('to pierce' or 'to skewer'), referring to the toothpick.
- Also called
- pincho
Where to try it in Barcelona
17 restaurants on Guidavera mention pintxo in their kitchen description.
- Abasolo EtxeaSarrià-Sant Gervasi
- BambarolSarrià-Sant Gervasi
- Bar GañánSarrià-Sant Gervasi
- Bar TrezeSarrià-Sant Gervasi
- Bar ZodiacoPoble-sec
- Casa FernándezSarrià-Sant Gervasi
- Cervecería CatalanaEixample
- Colmado MúrriaEixample
- Golfo de BizkaiaEl Born
- Irati Taverna BascaGothic Quarter
- JaizkibelEixample
- MaiteaEixample
- MitoLes Corts
- Taktika BerriEixample
- TelefericEixample
- TxalapartaSants
- Txapeldun EgarriNou Barris
Frequently asked
What is a pintxo?
A Basque single-bite snack, often built on a slice of bread and held together with a toothpick. Pintxos sit out on the bar for self-service; you take what you want and the bartender counts toothpicks at the end. The Basque Country's answer to the tapa, with a different format and ritual.
Pintxo vs tapa: what's the actual difference?
A tapa is a small plate of food ordered when you want it, brought to you by the bartender. A pintxo is usually a single bite, skewered with a toothpick, displayed openly on the bar for you to grab. Format and serving style differ; both are designed for bar-standing with a drink.
How do you pay for pintxos?
You eat them standing at the bar, then ask for the bill. The bartender counts the toothpicks on your plate and adds up the drinks. Most pintxos cost €2-5 each. Some bars now use a tablet to track orders, but the toothpick system is still common.
Related terms
- TapaA small plate of food, usually eaten standing at the bar with a drink. The foundational social-eating format of Spain.
- RaciónA full plate of food meant to be shared, halfway between a tapa and a main course. The default order size when sitting at a table.
- TxakoliLight, slightly sparkling, very dry Basque white wine, traditionally poured from height into a tumbler.
- TapeoThe social act of going for tapas: walking from bar to bar, eating a few small plates at each, with no plan and no rush.
- AnxovesCured anchovies, packed in salt or olive oil. The two great Spanish traditions are anxoves de l'Escala (Catalan) and anchoas del Cantábrico (Basque/Cantabrian).
- BoqueronesFresh anchovies in two classic Spanish preparations: white in vinegar (boquerones en vinagre) or whole and deep-fried (boquerones fritos). Different fish from cured anchoas.
- GildaBasque pintxo skewered with a cured anchovy, a green guindilla pepper and a Manzanilla olive. The original San Sebastián pintxo, named after the Rita Hayworth film.
- KokotxasThe small gelatinous chin pockets of hake or cod. A Basque specialty, cooked in pil-pil emulsion or briefly in garlic and oil.
- TxangurroBasque spider crab dish: shredded crabmeat sautéed with onion, tomato, brandy and breadcrumbs, baked back inside the crab's own shell.