‘Lust,’ ‘Sinner,’ and ‘Hallelujah:’ heavenly cocktails are served in this chapel
‘Lust,’ ‘Sinner,’ and ‘Hallelujah:’ heavenly cocktails are served in this chapel
Chef Aitor Santamaría of San Sebastián –a third-generation hospitality professional– has just opened a unique gastronomic space in the center of his city that has revolutionized the culinary scene: Sukaldean. The building in which it is located is the first thing that catches your attention, as the establishment is inside a former convent from the nineteenth century – now converted into the Zenit Convento San Martín Hotel.
What once was the ‘Servants of Mary’ Chapel (‘La Capilla’) has been carefully restored, bringing to light its colorful vault and replacing its original function with that of a bar where customers can enjoy signature cocktails baptized with such hieratic names as Confession, Novitiate, Ascension, Lust, Sinner, Holy Water, and Hallelujah. The drinks from La Capilla are accompanied by a snack menu featuring sushi, cheeses, and cold cuts. Those who want to have a drink outdoors can also do so, as the bar has a terrace behind the apse. The terrace is connected to the restaurant located on the lower floor by means of a glazed courtyard where a tree acts as a link between the two areas.
The restaurant is a completely open space, although it has two rooms for private reservations. Among the dining room tables there are several bars that stand out, each dedicated to a product or type of cuisine: cheeses, cold cuts, sushi, grilled foods, and pintxos. Thus, diners can sit at any of the dining room tables and try the dishes prepared fresh before their eyes at the different stations. Noteworthy dishes include the sushi made with local ingredients (like the changurro crab, anchovy, and Idiazabal cheese), the delicious pigeon stewed with parsley root cream, and roasted pineapple ice cream with coffee meringue. And, of course, we cannot forget the delicious breakfasts and the weekend brunches.
Whether you want to start the day with an energetic breakfast, have a business lunch, or enjoy an informal dinner with friends that ends with glasses of Holy Water in La Capilla, Sukaldean has become a regular pilgrimage site that does not disappoint. Truly miraculous!
Sukaldean
Calle San Martín 45, San Sebastián.
Tel.: +34 943 563 902
