Few establishments are globally renowned among food lovers. One of them, however, is the La Viña restaurant and its burnt cheesecake, which many consider the best in the world.
The birthplace of this legendary cheesecake, famous worldwide, is La Viña, a renowned establishment on the bustling Calle 31 de Agosto in San Sebastian. The current owner, Santiago Rivera, has been familiar with gastronomy since childhood. When he took over the family business, he realized that something essential was missing from the menu—a dessert that would perfectly conclude every meal. He sought inspiration in cookbooks and soon began experimenting with cheesecake recipes. He tried various versions, combining the best of each until he was satisfied with the final recipe.
It was the year 1990 when the famous Basque burnt cheesecake saw the light of day.
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Its magic lies not only in the recipe but also in the precise baking process. The cheesecake from La Viña is already burnt on the outside, yet inside it’s still gooey and almost liquid. It contains no cookie crust; the dessert is made only from local cheese, eggs, sugar, cream, and a little flour to thicken the mixture. Just five ingredients, nothing more. It’s baked quickly at a high temperature. The burnt surface gives the cake an incredibly delicious caramel flavor.
The cake soon gained admiration among locals, and a few years later, the craze for the cake fully erupted. The burnt Basque cake from this small establishment in San Sebastian was written about everywhere. The New York Times declared it the flavor of the year 2021, and even National Geographic wrote about it. Hundreds of “guaranteed” recipes and methods for the burnt cake can be found online.
The cake has completely dominated the La Viña restaurant. The establishment still operates as a restaurant offering popular pintxos and Basque dishes, but the goal of all visitors is clear—the Basque burnt cheesecake, the best cake in the world.
I must admit that the burnt cheesecake was on my list of dishes to try in the Basque Country (but after the pintxos, of course!). Thanks to arriving in San Sebastian early in the morning, I had the chance to be at La Viña just after it opened. Even then, the place was not empty; several tables were already occupied.
The burnt cake, which was served to me by the owner himself, was luxurious. The burnt spots taste like caramel, slightly crunchy, and perfectly complement the still almost liquid center of the cake.
One portion of the burnt Basque cheesecake from La Viña cost 6 EUR.
As I was leaving, a very long queue had already started to form on the street.
Bon appétit!
For more information about La Viña restaurant, click the link on the map:
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