Shake Shack's Serving a Texas Burger in Midtown Right Now

We're not quite sure how this happened, but NYC seems to have developed a touch of Texas fever. Tables are hard to come by at Tex-Mex restaurant Javelina, San Antonio chef Jesse Perez recently moved up north to opened Oxido, Stephen Starr's serving Frito pie in burrito form downtown at El Vez Burrito, and starting today, Shake Shack is offering New Yorkers a taste of the burger it's created for the chain's soon to open Austin location. The Lockhart Link burger features a jalapeño and cheese stuffed sausage from Texas barbecue institution Kreuz Market of Lockhart, TX set atop a classic Shack cheeseburger. The sandwich is available today through March 25, but only at the Midtown East location.

The Austin outpost is set to open later this year, bringing Shake Shack into direct competition with two similarly beloved regional chains — In-N-Out Burger and Whataburger. Perhaps the Lockhart link burger is an attempt to curry favor with the locals. New Yorkers might not be able to get the burger past next week but they can "roll their own" as Hill Country Barbecue sells the same sausage.

600 Third Avenue