What Are Pintxos – A Simple Guide to Basque Bar Culture

Small, colorful, and all laid out on the bar, picks sticking out – what are Pintxos, these creative bites that started in the Basque bar culture?

So you’ve tried tapas, you know what they are and how to order them – and now you’re ready to try Pintxos (or pinchos). Maybe you’re going to San Sebastian or Bilbao, maybe you just found a Basque restaurant in Barcelona you want to try, but you saw those pintxos on the bar, and they look so interesting!

What are Pintxos?

These are small bites, most of the time served on a slice of baguette and pierced by a cocktail stick, to hold everything together. There can be anything in Pintxo: seafood, fish, cheese, meat, potato salad – the point is to be creative.

Pintxos are not always on bread, though. They can still be Pintxos and be served in a ceramic spoon or as one item on a small plate with different sauces.

What makes something a Pintxo is the fact that it is small and individual. You would not split a Pintxo with somebody; you’d each get one.

Types of Pintxos

Based on the temperature it is served, you can get cold or room temperature Pintxos – those are the ones laid out on the bar. For the warm ones, you would either order them from the kitchen or, in some restaurants, they come out with a tray of them and offer them at each table. In any case, Pintxos are not free, unlike the tapas in Granada or Leon.

While the Basque Country prides itself with creative and more elaborate Pintxos, you’ll see them in a simpler format in other areas in the North of Spain, such as small sandwiches with pork loin, cheese, or fried beef fillet.

How to order Pintxos

Your best bet is to first find a table where you want to eat – be that a tall table, a barrel, or a lower table – and then go to the bar, where all the Pintxos are laid out. Some places have a stack of plates, and you’d just add all the Pintxos you want onto it; other places have a waiter you can ask or point to what you want, and they would hand it to you.

The point is to try as many versions as possible, so don’t think of this as one trip and done. Get a couple of Pintxos, eat them, then get some more. You may need to pay on the spot, or you’ll pay when you’re ready to leave.

Why are Basque Pintxos more creative?

Since you can see these Pintxos on bar counters, even from the street, they need to be inviting. So, restaurants started getting competitive about who has the most interesting displays, to bring in customers.

But the people in the Basque Country are deeper than a beautiful display; they care about how a dish tastes. So they started having several yearly competitions to decide the best Pintxos in different categories. That way, people who visit would know where the best small bites are to try.

Pintxos you should try

In any case, the best way to experience Pintxos is to go to San Sebastian or Bilbao (or both), walk up to a display that looks good and order. Then go for the hot Pintxo list and order from the kitchen. And do that again at another bar, until you’re full!