Along with Chef Arzak, Pedro Subijana is one of the two grand old men on the culinary scene in the city. His "preparations... define la nueva cocina vasca (modern Basque … cuisine), a sublime mix of traditional farmstead preparations (beans with bacon, chorizo, and pork ribs or a special marmitako fisherman's stew) with innovative dishes like boiled cabbage stuffed with duck and served with purée of celery." [link]

"Arzak pays tribute to Basque tradition, but his willingness to experiment, with techniques like quick-freezing ingredients in liquid nitrogen or vaporizing liquids into … a powder, inspired his protégé Ferran Adrià of El Bulli fame ; Arzak set up his own food "laboratory" to explore new techniques long before Adrià did. While the ingredients on Arzak's menu may be familiar -- oysters, foie gras, crayfish, squid, pheasant -- what Arzak (and now his daughter Elena) does with them continues to amaze diners." [link]

"Most Spaniards would consider Juan Iturralde of Juanito Kojua as the third pillar of San Sebastian's gastronomic culture. Though Michelin stardom has somehow escaped … this snug seafood restaurant in Old Town, with its unpretentious 1950s-vintage pine-paneled decor, it's famous throughout Spain for the reliable excellence of its fresh fish and shellfish, prepared with robust Basque recipes." [link]

"As the next generation has come into its own, they've taken those influences in surprising new directions. Chef Andoni Luis Aduriz carries on the high-tech torch at his … countryside restaurant Mugaritz, 20 minutes southeast of town. Restaurant magazine named it the fourth best restaurant in the world in 2008. His gastronomic flights of fancy can be anything from vacuum-poached baby carrots, baby squid, and carrot blossoms floating in squid broth, to tiny purple Basque potatoes transformed into hard-shelled "pebbles" that melt in your mouth." [link]

"On the outskirts of town, Martín Berasategui learned his craft from his mother, but what has won him three Michelin stars is a fanatical attention to detail: For a … porrusalda (eel soup), for example, he collects the moisture eels give off when smoked and mixes it back into the savory broth." [link]

"Martin Berastegui's protégé Raúl Cabrera has caught his first Michelin star at Kursaal -- recently renamed as Ni Neu, a starkly modern light-filled … restaurant overlooking the beach in the Kursaal Convention Centre. Cabrera's recipes playfully explore the deep flavors of his locally grown products." [link]

"Simplicity seems to have been what scored the star for chef Daniel Lopez at Kokotxa, in the Old Town -- from the minimalist white decor of his airy dining room, to … attentive service, to meticulously cooked small portions of fresh seafood served on stark white plates." [link]