Elite Traveler has rounded up the best steakhouses in the world, including the US and moving across the continents to countries like Italy, Argentina and Japan.
The US in particular is known for its abundance of steakhouses, even if the concept of serving steak in a restaurant was first born in France.
At the finest steakhouses in the US, the pricing list is slightly higher, but for good reason: the cuts of meat are usually matured by dry-aging for weeks, which is a process that takes time and resources.
The US has a competitor, though: Argentina. This country takes pride in his steaks, as they are often described as the best steaks in the world. Argentina also exports its meat all over the world to produce high-quality steaks, whereas London often sources its cuts from Ireland and Scotland.
And how could we mention Japan without talking about some of the most famous cuts of meat? Kobe, Sanda and Wagiu beef steal the show. Aragawa in Kobe and Kawamura in Tokyo serve exactly these, derived from Tajima cows from local farms, for it is velvety and rich and succulent, which also explains the high price.
But where can one enjoy the best steaks?
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Goodman Restaurant, London, UK
Goodman Restaurant brought the New York steakhouse to London in 2008 when the Russian-owned venue opened up in Mayfair, promising to serve the most tender, full-flavored steak in London.
Since then it has built a reputation for being one of the best steakhouses in the capital with three branches offering a selection of prime US beef, including a choice of corn-fed USDA beef, grass-fed Black Angus from Scotland and Ireland, and rare breed Belted Galloway from the Lake District, UK.
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When the restaurant first came to Mayfair in 2008, it marked the first steakhouse in the country to have a dry-ageing room on site (where cuts can be matured for up to 40 days). One of the most expensive ways to mature meat, it explains why Goodman’s steaks do not come cheap.
Kawamura, Tokyo, Japan
Considered to be one of the best places to get a steak in Tokyo, eating at Kawamura is one of the things to do while in the Japanese city.
Famed for its excellent Kobe beef, which hails from Tajima beef cattle in Japan, the chef at the restaurant prides himself on serving the highest-quality beef available in the country.
With fewer than 10 seats available at Kawamura, booking is notoriously difficult, so much so that diners have been known to book their next visit immediately after they’ve eaten at the restaurant.
[See also: The 20 best restaurants in Tokyo]
Maxelâ Ristorante Macelleria, Italy
When Maxelâ started out, it wanted to be different to your typical restaurant, offering a place where people could pick meats off the counter to be cooked by expert chefs, as well as having the option to buy them to take away and cook themselves; namely, a butcher-restaurant.
Diners eating at the restaurant are presented with a tray of steaks to choose from, including matured T-bone and ribeye, before they are cooked on the grill. Unlike other steak restaurants, however, Maxelâ has a unique specialty with its Fassone beef, which is renowned for its lean and delicious flavor, as well as being extremely healthy, with 30 percent fewer calories than regular beef.
Dons de la Nature, Tokyo, Japan
Restaurant critic Andy Hayler described the Matsusaka beef he ate at Dons de la Nature as the best beef he had ever eaten, so it’s perhaps unsurprising that this specialist steakhouse is recognized as one of the most reputable in Tokyo.
Rather than exclusively using Kobe beef, Dons de la Nature, which opened in 2005, uses the best beef available, cooked using a bespoke charcoal kiln furnace, resulting in tender perfection.
Cut by Wolfgang Puck, Singapore
After Cut made a name for itself as one of the finest steakhouses in the US, Wolfgang Puck – the celebrated chef behind the fine-dining restaurant – opened his first venue in Asia, at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, in 2010.
A contemporary twist on the classic steakhouse, the Michelin-starred restaurant offers the finest cuts of beef, exclusively featuring Kobe beef, USDA prime Illinois corn-fed and 300-day grain-fed Australian Angus, catering for true steak connoisseurs.
Add to this the choice of Cut’s house-made sauces, including its signature steak sauce, and a selection of more than 700 wines, and you’ll find yourself in steak heaven.
[Read more: the 8 best steakhouse in NYC]
Peter Luger Steakhouse, New York, USA
With history dating back to the late 1880s and one of the few restaurants on this list with a Michelin star, it’s no surprise that Peter Luger Steakhouse has gained a reputation as one of the best steakhouses in New York City and the US.
A family-run business, the steakhouse prepares short loin meat that hails from the Midwest, using only USDA prime beef, which is dry-aged on the premises before being grilled to perfection.
Arguably the best steak you’ll get this side of Brooklyn, diners are served in an unfussy dining room that’s always full to the brim.
[See also: When is the best time to visit New York?]
La Cabaña, Buenos Aires, Argentina
With a history dating back to 1935, La Cabaña continues to hold a stellar reputation for traditional steak in Argentina.
The country’s beef has long been considered to be among the best in the world, with its cattle grass-fed and rarely a hormone in sight.
Serving up giant-sized steaks with 13 ramekins of sides, La Cabaña in Buenos Aires is the place to go if you are hungry (the portions are huge), and more importantly, for tender, juicy meat that is the stuff of dreams.
Aragawa, Kobe, Japan
As well as being one of the most expensive restaurants in the world, Aragawa is arguably the most famous Kobe beef restaurant in Japan.
Founded in 1967, the steakhouse is run by the sons of the founder Jiro Yamada, who died in 2011. It holds two Michelin stars.
Specializing in sirloin using Sanda beef, which is considered to be the most premium form of beef available in Japan, steaks at the restaurant are cooked in a brick oven using white charcoal. The result? Ultra-tender steaks, presented simply with pepper and mustard, that leave meat lovers in heaven.
See here for Elite Traveler’s comprehensive list of the world’s finest restaurants
