Txula Steak

Txula Steak is the Basque-inspired steakhouse that opened inside Mercado Little Spain in October 2025, and the Txuleburger reads as a direct expression of the kitchen around it: a 60-day-aged Black Angus ribeye patty cooked over charcoal, then finished like an American cheeseburger.

We ate it in November 2025. The dry aging gives the patty real depth, and the charcoal runs smoke through the whole bite. The exterior looked more aggressively cooked than we expected, but the burger held enough moisture to stay rich rather than turning dry.

The pickled piparra peppers are the most important supporting component. They bring acidity, brightness, and a lightly briny kick against the beef and the American cheese, which stays supportive rather than competing. The Txula sauce adds creaminess, more smoke, and a chipotle-like heat that connects naturally with the charcoal.

The brioche bun was very good, and soft and chewy enough that we first took it for potato bread. It held the construction together without becoming airy, dry, or overly sweet.

Both contrasting components worked. We simply wanted more of them. A few additional piparras and a heavier hand with the sauce would have given the fat and dry-aged richness a cleaner counterpoint.

The broader meal was equally strong. The Jamón Ibérico is an obvious order, the piquillo peppers brought an excellent sweet and smoky contrast alongside the burger, and the Basque cheesecake with smoked Manchego was one of the best finishes we have had. The restaurant was still new and surprisingly quiet at lunch. The quality deserved a fuller room.

Txula separates itself through the combination of dry-aged ribeye and charcoal cooking. The beef carries substantial depth and smoke, while the piparra peppers and Txula sauce establish the burger's Spanish identity.

The central execution is strong, but a larger amount of both contrasting components would have made the complete bite more balanced and expressive.