The days of fancy steakhouses are over, well, at least the concept of them. Finding a good steak in Sydney is almost as easy as finding good fish and chips — they’re in abundance. From cocktail bars to Japanese Izakaya, Sydney’s best steaks are hiding in plain sight.
Luckily for you, we’re carnivores and spent the last year marking the best steaks we’ve had in Sydney.
So, the next time you’re hankering for a juicy, tender steak with sides to match, here’s where you can find Sydney’s best steaks.
Hubert, CBD
For the quintessential French steak and frites experience, venture into the iconic underground French bistro, Hubert. Famed for its authentic French cuisine and ambience, Hubert cooks up three different cuts of meat: sirloin, eye filet, and rib eye from renowned cattle stations in Australia, including Rangers Valley. They dress it in a creamy, tangy bearnaise sauce to cut through the fat. The sirloin comes with a round of bone marrow butter, that gently melts on the way to your table, infusing the steak with flavour. Don’t forget to add some pommes frites or the pommes anna as your side.
Alfie’s, CBD
Across the road from Hubert is newcomer Alfie’s, a restaurant and bar channelling the underbelly of East London. With a fistful of swagger, charm, and one of the coldest martinis we’ve ever had (served at -10 degrees), expect edgy tunes and bold art hung up on the walls. As for the food and booze, it’s fast-paced. There’s even a dessert called ‘F**K Off Gelato-on-a-Stick because they really want you to get out after eating.
The rest of the menu is dedicated to one steak: Sirloin (220g). It’s $38, and then you add on sides, which can be anything from Alfie’s bubble and squeak slaw and fire-roasted baby carrots to classic hot chips served with a curry sauce. The rule is, from the time of ordering, it should be sizzling in front of you within 15 minutes.
Firedoor, Surry Hills
If anyone can cook a steak, it’s Lennox Hastie. He’s mastered the art of cooking with fire and applies it to everything from beef to cabbage in his pocket-sized street-level restaurant, Firedoor. With that said, reservations are released on a monthly basis, and they usually fill up within minutes. We had three people on computers at the drop time to get a reservation. However, once you’ve secured your reservation, get ready for a five-course chef’s menu, which you won’t see until the moment you sit at the table. There’s usually a cut of beef on the menu, but considering the menu changes daily, if there’s no steak, you can always add on the famed dry-aged steak. It’s well worth it.
6Head, Circular Quay
Want steak and a view? Venture to 6Head burrowed within the historic sandstone confines of Campbell’s Stores, overlooking both the Harbour Bridge and Opera House. They do one thing, and they master it. Cuts are handpicked from well-respected meat programs in Australia, and diners can choose from T-Bone, rib eye, and more, including a 1.5kg Tomahawk, which will set you back $240. They also have a range of premium Wagyu steaks and an in-house dry-ageing programme, where meats are infused with different flavours, from coffee to chocolate. The only thing to consider is your cut, the sauce, and, of course, the sides. Pair your steak with a good bottle of red from the extensive global wine list.
Itō, Surry Hills
Every now and then, you come across a steak in the place you’d least expect. For us, that was Itō, Surry Hill’s new Japanese Izakaya restaurant. The menu is dedicated to Japanese cuisine with an Italian twist, but the wagyu deserves to be on this list. Cooked to pinky perfection on a hibachi, this steak comes with two swirls of shoyu jus and black garlic. There’s a hit of sweetness, a brothy, meaty taste from the black garlic and shoyu jus. It’s the moreish delight you want after grazing on a selection of Japanese snacks.
Bouillon l’Entrecote, Quay Quarter Lanes
Slink upstairs to be transported to Paris for a few hours. Bouillon l’Entrecote is an elegant Parisian restaurant with white tablecloths, curtain-draped windows, and surrealist art on the walls. The menu spans classic French fare, including buttery escargot, but if steak is on your mind, then cast your attention to the special steak menu. They butcher cuts in-house daily to serve charcoal-grilled T-bone, flank steaks, grilled sirloin, and a special 60+ day dry-aged striploin. The best part is every steak comes with its famous secret sauce, french fries, and walnut green salad. You can also get a two-course lunch menu on Saturdays for $59, which includes the option of flank steak and pomme frites for the main.
Meat and Wine Co, Multiple Locations
You can never go wrong with a steak at Meat and Wine Co. It’s literally in the name. With an Afro-centric twist to its meats and overall dishes, expect juicy, melt-in-your-mouth steaks from multi-generational Australian farmers. You can choose your cut and where your steak comes from, be it from the O’Connor farm in the Gippsland or Monte, which holds the oldest breed registry in the world. Either choice, they’re all premium cuts. To elevate your steak experience, the AGED programme, similar to the one at 6Head, is a great place to start. Each piece has a marble score of 4+. Just ask your waiter for the AGED programme and pick your steak off the month’s menu, which could include a butter-aged rib-eye infused with black truffles. You can also add your own sauces, from hot African chilli to blue cheese and veal jus.
Related: 6 Private Dining Rooms at Sydney Restaurants to Celebrate Any Occasion
Related: 8 of Sydney’s Best Outdoor Dining Spots, Now That the Sun Decided to Show Up
Read more stories from The Latch and subscribe to our email newsletter.