by Wendy

We randomly chose to visit Cocteleria Dickens in San Sebastián in 2015, and deliberately in 2019. The bar feels vaguely 70s, with dark glossy wood, shiny brass, magenta walls, mirrors and candy-color cocktails with umbrellas and pineapple. It is known for serving some of the best, if not the best, gin and tonics. There is a collection of trophies and framed photos of famous people breezing by for a famous drink. Prices are high and thus the topic of scathing internet reviews, but we find the legendary Gin y Tonic Donosti soothes sticker shock. We perch on barstools and admire their creation, a strong and beautifully blended beverage to fortify weak Spanish skills for a chat with the genial bartender about the rare bourbon on display. We sip and accept snacks and briefly talk with the older gentleman presiding over bottles at the counter; he grins and points to a page in the extensive menu listing his awards. A woman rushes in with important information for him about a Woody Allen movie scheduled to shoot in a few days. He seems nonchalant, he’s no stranger to celebrities and he’s one himself, a renowned mixologist. We do not learn if Dickens Bar will be featured in the film, but its slightly mysterious, unapologetic worn glamour and proud alcoholic pedigree provides an interesting scenic backdrop, for locals or Hollywood or those on holiday.