Best 30 steaks in the world, from Argentina to Japan
Where some of the biggest names in beef go for their favourite cut
Restaurant food doesn’t get much simpler than a properly cooked chunk of beef—and rarely delivers so much pleasure.
The smoky sweetness of the char, with its hint of crispness. The soft flesh releasing the deep and earthy flavors of the meat. It’s the stuff of meaty dreams and enjoyed worldwide.
Yet it’s easy to ruin a steak. No amount of sauce or mustard can fix bad beef. Overcooked meat will be dry and chewy. Walk into a random steakhouse when travelling and you may suffer more disappointment than joy.
Help is at hand. We asked leading chefs and restaurateurs for their picks around the world, from the classics of New York through the quality meats of South America through to the upstart steakhouses of London and Tokyo.
US
Bar Masa, New York
“I love the steak with garlic and soy,” says chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, whose restaurants include Jean-Georges and Prime steakhouses in Las Vegas. “It’s wagyu beef wood-grilled, brushed with garlic and soy, cooked rare, sliced and served with white rice on the side.”
Beatrice Inn, New YorkThis chophouse (and former speakeasy) in the West Village is the pick of chef Chris Cosentino of Cockscomb in San Francisco. “The best steak I ever had, hands down, is at the Beatrice Inn. It was a 137-day whisky-aged huge tomahawk. (Chef) Angie Mar learned the technique in France and brought it to the U.S. That steak blew my head off. It was insane.”
Keens, New York
“It’s my favorite steakhouse,” says chef Daniel Boulud, whose New York restaurants include Daniel. “It’s the oldest in New York city, since 1885, and the most authentic and classic. Plus they have the most amazing collection of Scotch.”
“There’s so much history there,” says Will Guidara, co-owner of Eleven Madison Park and NoMad, in New York. “It feels as New York as any restaurant in the city. Go for the mutton chop and stay for the prime rib hash.”