The annual World’s Best Steak Restaurants list is always a fun read, to see how many you know of or have been to, and if any in your town made the cut. This year hits a bit different for us, as Sydney claims 11 out of the 101, including 5 of the top 20 spots, and earned the designation World’s Best Steak City. It says a lot about the quality of Aussie meats, from grassfed to grainfed and Wagyu! Taking a closer look, you start to see some common factors at play in the best steak restaurants – not just in Australia, but everywhere. Here are three that stood out to us:
First off, a stunning number – 47 – of these hot spots (globally) serve Australian Wagyu, and proudly call it out on the menu. Many of the Sydney winners name specific producers like David Blackmore, who’s been raising 100% fullblood Wagyu in Australia for decades.
Second, live fire. All five of the Sydney restaurants in the top 20 cook over live fire, using charcoal, ironbark (a native Australian eucalyptus variety) or – in the case of Firedoor, grape vines and wine barrels. High heat, char, and a bit of smoke are all essential elements of a great steak.
Third – dry aging programs. Nearly all of Sydney’s top steak restaurants are buying full primals or full bodies and butchering and aging in house. Some are even cutting steaks on the bandsaw to order, or rotating the menu to feature the cuts that are coming of age in the moment.
You can get a closer look at the top Sydney steak restaurants in this video:
In the coming months, we’ll share BTS details from each of the five top Sydney venues to show more of what it takes to be ranked in the best 20 steak restaurants in the world. Stay tuned!