The technique, the culture and our story
BEFORE THE TREND.
There was the griddle.
A smash burger starts with pressing beef onto a hot griddle to create a browned, flavourful surface.
A technique with roots.
Onion burgers were already part of the food culture of El Reno, Oklahoma, in the 1920s. Beef and onions cooked on the griddle made an affordable local burger. This documented tradition provides context for modern smash burgers without assigning the entire technique to a single inventor.
The American restaurant brand Smashburger started in Denver in 2007, a later chapter in the broader culinary story.
The original.
Our story.
La Prensa opened in Malasaña in January 2021. Our founding team describes bringing the smash-burger concept to Spain before its current popularity: beef pressed to order, browned edges, brioche and cheese made in-house.
That is the story we tell as founders. Discover the wider history of the technique and the publications that have written about us.
The history of smash → · Read the press →What makes the bite?
Pressing the beef increases its contact with the hot griddle, helping the surface brown. Our classic recipes combine two 80 g beef patties, brioche and homemade cheese, with truffle, goat’s cheese and Cabrales variations. Crispy chicken and vegetarian options are also on the menu.
Explore our menu