Pintxos (pronounced "PEEN-chos") — the Basque Country's small bites served on bars of restaurants and txokos (private gastronomic societies) — are not tapas. Tapas are served in portions determined by the kitchen. Pintxos are individual pieces, often skewered with a toothpick (the word comes from "pinchar," to pierce), displayed on the bar counter, and selected by the customer. The pintxo crawl (txikiteo) — moving from bar to bar through San Sebastián's Parte Vieja (old town), eating 2–3 pintxos at each stop with a glass of txakoli (local sparkling white wine) — is the Basque equivalent of the Venetian giro di ombre (see IT-R18). San Sebastián has the highest concentration of Michelin stars per capita of any city on Earth, and the pintxo bar culture is the foundation upon which that fine dining scene was built.
- **The counter display is the menu.** You don't order from a printed list — you survey the bar, point, eat. The visual display is the sales mechanism. - **Toothpick counting is the bill.** Each pintxo comes on a toothpick or small plate. At the end, the bartender counts your toothpicks or plates and charges accordingly. Honour system. - **Hot pintxos are ordered separately.** The cold pintxos sit on the counter. Hot ones (croquetas, grilled prawns, miniature portions of larger dishes) are ordered from the kitchen and arrive fresh. - **The txoko (gastronomic society) is the incubator.** Basque txokos — private members' cooking clubs, traditionally men-only (this is changing) — are where pintxo innovation happens. Members cook for each other, compete, experiment. The best creations migrate from txoko to public bar.
THE 2,000th ENTRY AND BEYOND — FILLING THE FINAL GAPS