"Chef Daniel Lopez's one-star room in the Parte Vieja plates fish-led modern Basque tasting menus for a milestone dinner."
About Kokotxa
Kokotxa is chef Daniel Lopez's one-Michelin-star restaurant on Calle Campanario, tucked into the Parte Vieja, the Old Town of Donostia-San Sebastian. It takes its name from one of Basque cuisine's finest dishes, the kokotxa, the delicate barbel of hake or cod. It is one of the most accomplished sit-down tables in our San Sebastian guide, a city better known for its pintxos bars.
Lopez cooks a modern Basque author cuisine, threading Japanese, Indian and Turkish technique through local produce. The kitchen offers both a market menu and a longer tasting menu, with small, precise plates in which fish takes the lead.
The Kitchen
The cooking is refined modern Spanish and Basque, built on the day's catch and market. Dishes are small and impeccably presented, and the desserts have a strong following. The market and tasting menus both move with the season rather than holding a fixed list, and the wine guidance leans hard into the region. Expect upper-range pricing for a one-star room, though gentler than the city's three-star giants.
The Room
The dining room is bright and cosy, with simple, elegant decor and only a handful of tables, which keeps the mood intimate. It is calm and grown-up rather than showy, exactly the setting for a proposal or an anniversary. Service is warm and attentive across an unhurried meal.
Best for an anniversary, a proposal or a client dinner
Book the tasting menu for an anniversary or a proposal; the small, calm room and the Michelin pedigree also make it a fine place to impress a client.
Not for
A casual pintxos crawl or a budget meal: this is a small, seated one-star room with set menus, paced slowly across an evening.
Frequently Asked
Does Kokotxa have a Michelin star?
Yes. Kokotxa holds one MICHELIN star and is one of the most accomplished seated tables in San Sebastian, a city otherwise known for its pintxos bars.
Who is the chef at Kokotxa?
The chef is Daniel Lopez, who cooks a modern Basque author cuisine, threading Japanese, Indian and Turkish technique through local produce.
Where is Kokotxa in San Sebastian?
It is at Campanario 11, in the Parte Vieja, the Old Town of Donostia-San Sebastian.
What does Kokotxa serve?
Small, precise modern Basque plates in which fish takes the lead, available as a market menu or a longer tasting menu, with a strong following for the desserts.
What does the name Kokotxa mean?
The restaurant is named after the kokotxa, one of Basque cuisine's finest dishes, made from the delicate barbel of hake or cod.
Reserve a Table
Reserve at Kokotxa
Book well ahead; the room is small and the tasting menus sell out.
Affiliate disclosure: Restaurants for Kings may earn a commission when you book through our reservation links, at no cost to you. Our scores are editorial and never paid for.
Practical Information
AddressCampanario 11, 20003 Donostia-San Sebastian
NeighbourhoodParte Vieja / Old Town
CuisineModern Basque author cuisine
Price$$$$ · market and tasting menus
RecognitionOne MICHELIN star
SignatureFish-led tasting plates; kokotxas
