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A Basque Pantry : Pantori

There's a new red awning in town.

Pantori is a store recently opened in the heart of San Sebastián, but it's been over a year in the making. It first took form as a different-product-every-day internet flashsale, which featured only the best hand-selected artisan food products across Spain at sweet prices. In fact, you can still sign up to receive these daily offerings delivered to your door.

This summer, however, the team behind Pantori opened their first bricks-and-mortar spot, which has turned out to be one of the most lovingly fashioned gourmet shops in town. From potato chips to cured meats to vermouth, this shop has some deliciousness going on. A stop in can result in heavy sampling, a conversation with a certain curly-haired Basque girl, or even a fortuitious tasting and chat with a local artisan. 

I asked the team at Pantori to give me their top three favorite finds that they have on the shelves currently, and these are the (resounding) responses I got. They would make quite the merienda, if I do say so myself:

Castillo de Canena aceite ahumado ::: Gotta love a product with beautiful packaging and an even more attention-grabbing taste.  This cold-infused olive oil tastes of wood smoke, and frankly, reminds me of my favorite restaurant. If you're going to have more than one olive oil at home, this is the one.

Moncedillo yogur de oveja ::: Moncedillo, a small producer in Castilla y León, crafts artisan dairy products from raw sheep's milk. They milk and craft on the same day, in small batches, for utmost quality and the best taste. The folks at Pantori were especially enamored of the yogurt.

Cerveza artesana de País Vasco ::: Microbrews are picking up steam in Basque Country, and in Spain in general. Some are Basque only due to their owner's location, some are kinda gross, but some are beers that deserve a closer look (and several bottles' worth of investigation). Example? Basqueland Brewing Project's line, which is available at Pantori, as long as you beat the crowds.

If you are in San Sebastián, looking for a snack with authentic local flavor, a beer to grab for the seawall, or an edible souvenir to take home, Pantori is smack in the middle of town and a one-stop shop for carefully curated deliciousness.

Pantori

www.pantori.es

Reina Regente / Erregina Erregentearen Kalea, 4