At number 45 of the central Calle San Mart\u00edn in San Sebasti\u00e1n, behind the classic fa\u00e7ade of an old convent belonging to the Servants of Mary religious order and built in 1887 with stone from the Igueldo quarry, stands today the Zenit Convento San Mart\u00edn Hotel. Its culinary proposal has conquered the hearts \u2013and stomachs\u2013 of locals and foreigners alike with an array of options like none other in the Basque Country.<\/p>\n
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Sukaldean \u2013which means “in the kitchen” in Basque\u2013 is the name with which this convent turned eatery has been baptized (pun intended) \u2013 an establishment where the first space that the client comes into contact with is the chapel that has been carefully restored and converted into the bar. Under the colorful stellar vault, customers enjoy cocktails with sacred names like Confession, Noviciate, Ascension, Lust, Sinner, Holy Water, and Hallelujah. The drinks from the chapel are accompanied by a snack menu featuring classic “banderillas<\/em>” (a type of skewer tapa), miniature cuisine, Basque sushi, dishes to be shared, cheeses, and desserts. For those who wish to have a drink outdoors, 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 spaces.<\/p>\n \n The restaurant has different zones with open kitchens, designed so that the gastronomic experience is different in each: an informal bar where you can enjoy freshly made pintxos<\/em>, dishes to share, cheeses, cold cuts, and grilled dishes; a sushi bar with a sushi chef who prepares extraordinary maki and nigiri; a cold cut bar with a master ham slicer and a collection of fine cheeses; a grill that is perfect for you to sink your teeth into an exquisite steak; and, lastly, a private dining area that can be reserved for family lunches or private meetings.<\/p>\n \n Orchestrating this culinary rhapsody is Aitor Santamaria, the third generation of a hotelier family whose members became pioneers of miniature cuisine in the 1980s, bringing avant-garde pintxos from San Sebasti\u00e1n to the hospitality world. His experience in the kitchen at establishments such as Arzak, the San Sebasti\u00e1n Aquarium restaurant, and Bokado triggered his passion and determination to think up a different and unique gastronomic proposal for Sukaldean.<\/p>\n \n \n <\/p>\n