Visit the Home of the World’s Best Bar Snack in Spain’s San Sebastián

In the late 1940s, Rita Hayworth was turning heads in Hollywood with a sultry, sharp-tongued titular role in Gilda. Hayworth’s character made an impression even further afield, inspiring the creation of a pintxo — the tiny toothpick-speared snack — at Bar Casa Vallés in San Sebastián, Spain. 

Alluring yet bracing and with plenty of bite, the original Gilda has it all: olive (Manzanilla), anchovy (Cantabrian, ideally), pickled pepper (Guindilla). Salt, fat, acid, and just a little heat. She’s the ideal pintxo — drizzled with good olive oil, maybe resting on a small slice of bread to soak up all the briny, oily goodness. It’s just enough to temper a little tipple and awaken the appetite for a more substantial snack (or three) later on.

The Gilda has been showing up all over the world lately — I’ve encountered her in Paris, bathing in a martini; in Sydney, deconstructed and served on toast fingers; in Sicily, spruced up with a sliver of lemon.

But to really understand the Gilda, it’s best to visit her homeland of San Sebastián (Donostia to the locals), in Spain’s northeastern Basque Country. Snacking is the main event here, so one briny, piquant pintxo inevitably leads to one more, and then maybe one more next door, all washed down with a refreshing zurito (small pour) of beer or an herbal vermouth — or better yet a beautifully low-alcohol Basque cider or txakoli, both theatrically poured from a great height to release their flavor and fizz. 

The five spots below make the perfect bar crawl through the Gilda’s hometown.

Bar Sport

A classic, no-fuss experience — the establishment and its Gilda. Stand at the bar and choose your own adventure — start with the standard Gilda (served on a slice of bread) then maybe some tortilla, uni cream served in the shell, and a small slab of foie gras. Some pintxos bars only open in the evening, or close for siesta during the afternoon, but Bar Sport is open seven days a week from late breakfast until midnight, so you can start the snacking party whenever you wish. Fermin Calbeton Kalea 10

Bar Txepetxa

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. Arrandegi Kalea 5

La Cepa de Bernardo

Come for the jamón, stay for the Gilda, heavy on the Guindilla pepper and olive. And when you’re done, just slide next door for a slice of the legendary Basque cheesecake at La Viña — it really is as good as they say. 31 de Agosto Kalea 7

Bar Antonio

Bar Antonio might be better known for their tortilla (a gorgeous thing, it’s true) but their take on a Gilda — premium anchovies and grilled green peppers, doused in olive oil and mounted on a slice of bread — fits into the category and then some. Bergara 3

Bodega Donostiarra Gros

Here’s your chance to try a local spin on a local classic: the Induráin, which takes a standard Gilda (using anchovy-stuffed olives for extra kick) then tricks it out with a generous brick of Bonito del Norte and a slice of fresh onion. Named for the Spanish cyclist Miguel Induráin, who won five consecutive Tours de France back in the '90s, it’s the snack version of putting a hat on a hat (or a pintxo on a pintxo), but if you’re a Gilda fan it’s an easy sell. Peña y Goñi Kalea 13