Restaurants in SJPP?

[Jennifer from Colorado]

Another pilgrim and I will be arriving via train in SJPP on Saturday evening, 21 May, arriving at 19.12. Hiking over to hotel/albergue will get us checked in around 19.45, and then...the hunt for food.

We are dismayed at the number of restaurants who post a closing time (closing!) at 19.30, but many of the restaurants/cafes have no closing time posted at all.

For all you recently experienced Pilgrims, are we going to run into trouble finding an open restaurant at 20.00 or 20.30 on a Saturday night? Any recommendations?

Thanks, all!

 

[whariwharangi]

Stay in Bayonne. Find a burger joint. Catch a train to SJPdP in the morning.

On my day of travel the French were having strikes.

I was already feeling like I'd been pulled backward through a hedge even though I had taken a night in Stansted after traveling from Vancouver.

The train arrived in SJPdP about an hour late and after dark.

The folks at the pilgrim office were able to direct me to an open restaurant with excellent Basque food. I closed the place so was lucky to get that. Everything else was closed.

 

[Jennifer from Colorado]

Stay in Bayonne. Find a burger joint. Catch a train to SJPdP in the morning.

On my day of travel the French were having strikes.

I was already feeling like I'd been pulled backward through a hedge even though I had taken a night in Stansted after traveling from Vancouver.

The train arrived in SJPdP about an hour late and after dark.

The folks at the pilgrim office were able to direct me to an open restaurant with excellent Basque food. I closed the place so was lucky to get that. Everything else was closed.

Whari, thanks for your comment, but what month were you there?
J.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Restaurants OPEN at 1900 to 2100. Fast food may close earlier. Casa Manolo, maybe the best pilgrim menu on the Camino does not open until 1900. You should find it open when you arrive. Buen camino.

 

[bernhugo]

I stayed in the Hotel Itzalpea. No cooking there but the restaurant next door was open till late at nights.

 

[movinmaggie]

Another pilgrim and I will be arriving via train in SJPP on Saturday evening, 21 May, arriving at 19.12. Hiking over to hotel/albergue will get us checked in around 19.45, and then...the hunt for food.

We are dismayed at the number of restaurants who post a closing time (closing!) at 19.30, but many of the restaurants/cafes have no closing time posted at all.

For all you recently experienced Pilgrims, are we going to run into trouble finding an open restaurant at 20.00 or 20.30 on a Saturday night? Any recommendations?

Thanks, all!

When in Spain... Many locals do not dine until 10pm. I' m sure you'll find something. Buen Camino.

 

[whariwharangi]

Whari, thanks for your comment, but what month were you there?
J.

23 - 25 October 2012.

 

[whariwharangi]

When in Spain... Many locals do not dine until 10pm. I' m sure you'll find something. Buen Camino.

SJPdP is in France.

 

[movinmaggie]

SJPdP is in France.

Yes it is......just a poor job of an old expression. Thanks for the correction.

 

[nreyn12]

Jennifer, if your train is on time you will have no trouble fitting in a meal. The walk from the train station to the center of the town is about 15 minutes. The Pilgrim's Office is open late enough to receive all the pilgrims on the last train of the day. They are also open at 7:30am the next morning, so you could wait until the next day to go get your credencial, stamp, and info for the walk over the Pyrenees.

When I lead groups from SJPP, we are always there on a Saturday night, and we usually eat at Hurrup eta Klik. They serve a pilgrims menu plus a la carte items - tasty food at reasonable prices. There are plenty of other places that will be open, but you will probably be most successful if you drop your bags at the hotel and head straight out to eat.

 

[spursfan]

But why worry at all - when on the Camino I leave my Michelin guide at home and instead I can survive on lots of liquid, some chocolate and bread/cold meat from supermercados
A friend of mine went to San Sebastian to enjoy some of their world-famous three-star restaurants; I found a supermercado and then kept on walking

 

[whariwharangi]

But why worry at all - when on the Camino I leave my Michelin guide at home and instead I can survive on lots of liquid, some chocolate and bread/cold meat from supermercados
A friend of mine went to San Sebastian to enjoy some of their world-famous three-star restaurants; I found a supermercado and then kept on walking

Because if the restaurants are closed ... so is the supermercado.

 

[spursfan]

Because if the restaurants are closed ... so is the supermercado.

What I also meant is that they should have ample opportunity to eat/buy food earlier on the Saturday rather than waiting for the evening - in Bayonne, for example - or at lunchtime

 

[Jennifer from Colorado]

What I also meant is that they should have ample opportunity to eat/buy food earlier on the Saturday rather than waiting for the evening - in Bayonne, for example - or at lunchtime

Ouch, Spursfan...

If we had "ample opportunity" anywhere else, of course that's what we would have done. I'm taking the morning train from Paris and presuming my train is perfectly on time, I arrive in Bayonne only a few short minutes before the train departs for SJPP. My companion is arriving on a different train from Lourdes a bit earlier and is taking the same train to SJPP.

So I understand your need to chastise me about planning for food better, but you're telling me I should have thought to go to a market in Paris the night before to buy my groceries.
What I was looking for, instead, was a kind recommendation for a late-open restaurant in SJPP so I DON'T have to buy groceries 22 hours before.

Further complicating is that my companion is starting his Camino on Sunday morning, and I am starting on Monday morning, rendezvousing in Roncesvalles, which is why we really wanted a restaurant together, not a grocery store.

Some of the restaurants say they are "Ouvert 17 heures-19h30" which from my admittedly poor French indicates they close at 19.30, not that they open at 19.30.

I am grateful for positive responses about cafes that are ouvrir entre 19.30 jusqu'à ... plus tard
Thanks to anyone who has recommended an actual restaurant, and buen camino

 

[Jennifer from Colorado]

Jennifer, if your train is on time you will have no trouble fitting in a meal. The walk from the train station to the center of the town is about 15 minutes. The Pilgrim's Office is open late enough to receive all the pilgrims on the last train of the day. They are also open at 7:30am the next morning, so you could wait until the next day to go get your credencial, stamp, and info for the walk over the Pyrenees.

When I lead groups from SJPP, we are always there on a Saturday night, and we usually eat at Hurrup eta Klik. They serve a pilgrims menu plus a la carte items - tasty food at reasonable prices. There are plenty of other places that will be open, but you will probably be most successful if you drop your bags at the hotel and head straight out to eat.

Thank you, Nryen - I'll scratch this down.
The key, of course, is "if your train is on time!" When it comes to trains, France/Spain is NOT Switzerland, alas...

 

[Jennifer from Colorado]

Restaurants OPEN at 1900 to 2100. Fast food may close earlier. Casa Manolo, maybe the best pilgrim menu on the Camino does not open until 1900. You should find it open when you arrive. Buen camino.

Falcon, having spent much time in Europe, I understand that traditionally the restaurants open late. However many cafe websites in SJPP say " "Ouvert 17 h.-19h30" which indicates they close at 19.30, not that they open at 19.30.

However, thanks so much for reference to Cafe Manolo!

 

[spursfan]

Jennifer
Apologies for chiding you - here's a tip in reply - once you're in Spain the lunchtime "menu del dia" is likely to be better than the pilgrim menu

 

[whariwharangi]

Thank you, Nryen - I'll scratch this down.
The key, of course, is "if your train is on time!" When it comes to trains, France/Spain is NOT Switzerland, alas...

Understanding the phrase "if your train is on time" is key to making travel plans.