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Hudson Yards has plenty of flash already—giant shiny Vessel, sky-high Edge, shops stacked with luxury labels—but now it’s getting something even more New York: a big, fire-fueled steakhouse courtesy of José Andrés.
Txula Steak, which opened this week inside Mercado Little Spain, takes over the space formerly known as Leña and cranks it to prime ribeye levels. The name itself riffs on the txuletón, a Basque tradition of dry-aged beef ribeye that’s grilled over blazing coals until charred on the outside and juicy inside. That’s exactly the kind of live-fire cooking that defines Txula, with a Josper charcoal oven searing steaks, seafood and vegetables.
“The food of Basque Country, or País Vasco, has such an amazing story to tell,” Andrés said in announcing the project. “The Basque country of Spain has some of the best ingredients on the planet, both from the sea and the land.”
If that sounds like a lot of meat, it is. The menu reads like a carnivore’s passport, with Spanish lamb making its U.S. debut, Ibérico pork, American prime beef, cochinillo (suckling pig) and lechal (baby lamb). There’s also the Txuleburger, a dry-aged ribeye burger that all but dares you to eat it with your hands. Pair it with a Martina Hayworth, a martini shaken up with olive oil-infused gin and topped with a Basque gilda, and you’re basically doing date night Bilbao-style.
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Not that it’s all meat sweats—Txula also pulls from the sea, with txipirones (baby squid), Spanish red shrimp and bluefin tuna making the leap from Iberian waters to the Hudson. Classic pintxos like croquetas and jamón Ibérico keep things snackable, while a cheesecake cart rolls through with Basque cheesecake plus toppings like truffles, honey and olive oil.
The drinks program is nearly as extensive as the menu, with 250-plus Spanish wines, cider, beer and a tableside vermouth service that practically begs to be Instagrammed. Interiors, designed by Rockwell Group, play up the drama with wood walls, moody lighting and even a thick pane of yellow glass to carve out intimacy from the bustle of Mercado.
Lunch service kicks in on October 13, with dinner already live nightly. For Hudson Yards, it’s another feather in the cap—or maybe, another steak on the grill.