It's time to kick off — let's take on the world with our prime steakhouses

Daily Maverick

16-05-2025

It's time to have a bit of a barney with Australia and the world. The current score: Aussie 17, SA 2. It's great to have something on the board, but nowhere near good enough. Let's scorch our way through their tally next year with a searing victory over their steakhouse successes in the global rankings.
Beef & Glory. Firedoor. Fireside. Char. Beefbar. Burnt Ends. Woodfire. VUUR. Knife. The names of steakhouses all over the world tell stories of fire and char, sear and sizzle. And all of the aforenamed are in a newly published list of those purported to be the best in the world.
Did you spot that? VUUR. In Proud Afrikaans Capitals. Our own Boland steakhouse worshipping at the altar of flame. And VUUR is their Best Steakhouse in Africa too.
Steakhouses are valid restaurants, and many of them were there long before most of the now famous and laurelled eateries attained their gilt-edged status as palaces of something that is somehow strangely more than just food. It's the idea of food.
But to hold their own in the world of awards bestowed on their adored peers, steakhouses have to have their very own awards systems. One such is the World's 101 Best Steak Restaurants list for 2025 announced this week.
VUUR is at number 87. And this Stellenbosch venture is not alone. Creeping in at number 97 is The Blockman in Johannesburg. Two out of 100 in the entire world is a number not to be sniffed at.
That's two of our – who knows how many? – steakhouses recognised as the best on the planet. But if you looked down the list and tallied up how the competition is doing, we'd all be crying into our Klippies and Coke.
Look at Australia. They have 17 steak restaurants in the top 101, of which 11 are in Sydney, six in Melbourne. The US has 19, of which nine are in New York, three in Chicago and others spread further afield. The UK has nine (England 7, Scotland 1, Wales 1 — so we've beaten the last two but not London where all of England's seven are). Japan has eight, Spain seven, Argentina and Singapore four each, and Belgium and Italy three each.
Now glance our way again: Johannesburg one, Stellenbosch one, Cape Town nil.
So are we going to do something about this? If you're a steakhouse owner, get on their website now and get involved. Draw attention to yourself.
Who are 'they'? The annual awards are organised by London's Upper Cut Media House whose CEO and publisher, Ekkehard Knobelspies, helms the assessment of 900 restaurants on the planet. They pledge that restaurants are evaluated independently and incognito, by 21 'steak ambassadors' who judge establishments according to 28 criteria such as the quality, sourcing and ageing of meat, cooking precision service, wine and extraneous aspects such as service and ambiance.
Own a great steak restaurant? Make yourself known to them: find their contact details here.
They're not going to let you know when their 'ambassador' might visit, or their identity, and they may never assess your steakhouse at all. But if your establishment is on their radar, you might get lucky.
There are nine criteria, verbatim as per their website:
Quality of the meat offered, considering taste, terroir, character, marbling, cut and preparation;
Selection and variety of meat cuts (ageing process, origin, breeds), including both primary and secondary cuts;
Service quality and expertise in meat. In-depth product knowledge is essential;
Detailed description of the meat cuts on the menu (including breed, origin, gender, ageing process, feeding methods, slaughter age and preparation);
A curated wine list featuring selections from top winemakers, enhancing the overall dining experience;
Ease of use and efficiency of the reservation system, including the handling of reservations;
Your own online presence that caters to the needs of an international clientele, including your own Instagram account and website available in English;
Interior design, ambiance and overall look and feel of the restaurant; and
Above all, no 'pay-for-play' practices for the listed restaurants.
Their anonymous 'steak ambassadors' visit restaurants incognito. The website explains that '2-4 experienced Steak Ambassadors with a broad industry background over decades (awarded chefs, certified meat- & Wagyu masters, food journalists, etc.) are evaluating for us on every continent'.
Among the 101 on the list, South Africa is in the company of Canada, France and Hong Kong, which have two steakhouses featured.
And we are one restaurant ahead of the following countries, all of which have just one eatery on the list: Austria, Canary Islands, Cayman Islands, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, Germany, Greece, Indonesia, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand (hah!), Portugal, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates and Vietnam.
Yes, war-ravaged Ukraine has an entry at number 79. The entry elaborates: 'In the heart of Kyiv, BEEF meat & wine continues to assert itself in 2025 as one of the world's premier destinations for serious steak lovers and wine connoisseurs alike. With its sleek ambiance, expertly sourced meats and impeccable service, BEEF is more than a restaurant – it's a benchmark of contemporary dining in Ukraine.
'The moment guests step inside, they're welcomed into an environment that balances urban sophistication with inviting warmth. The interiors blend dark wood, modern lighting and elegant design touches, creating a space equally suited to intimate dinners, business gatherings, or celebratory evenings. The open kitchen remains a focal point, offering diners a window into the fire-driven artistry at the heart of the BEEF experience.
'The menu is a confident celebration of premium beef, grilled over charcoal with precision and restraint. The steak programme spans an impressive range – from A5 Japanese and Australian Wagyu to USDA Prime ribeye and local dry-aged selections. Each cut is treated with reverence, expertly seasoned and grilled to accentuate the richness, texture and origin of the meat.'
Here's a case in point: the original Hussar Grill
I happened to dine at one of South Africa's longest-serving steakhouses recently: Hussar Grill in Rondebosch, Cape Town. And while I was there, I was thinking about how ignored steakhouses are in our restaurant awards systems. Not surprisingly, because this was late March and I was there for the annual Eat Out awards, which were happening the following evening at the Baxter Theatre a short walk away.
Never mind the many Hussars there are all over the place now. Maybe even at your local mall. When I was a naughty truant in the early 1970s, my mom (then a newly 'single mom' after my dad had scarpered back to the ships to drink himself out of a job two weeks later) and I lived in a little flat across the road from this original Hussar Grill, for a few short months until she could no longer afford the rent. It had opened in 1964.
The steakhouse was a mystery to us, but I could smell the aromas when I walked past its doors on Main Road. The Baxter hadn't been built yet, and I couldn't have imagined that only 15 years later I would be in the Baxter bar after shows with Baxter artistic director John Slemon and the late film director Manie van Rensburg (Manie and I would talk into our whisky cups; I could never keep pace with John though), and interview the likes of Sandra Prinsloo, Jana Cilliers, David Kramer and Jeremy Taylor. Not to forget the great Sean Taylor, who was the best company once he hit the bar post-performance.
But when you're a stupid kid, you know nothing. You can only dream. Which I did.
Wonderful, then, to go back to that little corner as a very much grown man, approaching his 70th birthday (now passed), and for all of the people mentioned above also to have grown old. Or gone, like the wonderful Irishman John Slemon.
Stepping up to the front door, strangely, my mind flits to old Hillbrow. Maybe it's how busy, how vital, everything is, nothing like sleepy 1971.
Looking around the walls, I realise that there are posters and photographs on them that would have been there even then, when that kid walked past with his hands in his jeans pockets.
Step inside, kid. Have a table. Let's see what's on the menu.
Hits of early decades caress the corners of the ceiling. Billy Joel's Uptown Girl. The astonishingly powerful falsetto of Morten Harket on A-ha's Take On Me. Out the window, it's not dark yet. Students everywhere.
A barman who suddenly transforms into a waiter says he's been here 21 years. It's a start. I order a glass of the HER sauvignon blanc, in honour of my proud, brave waitron, who tells me her pronouns and that she is transitioning. I observe that people don't dress up here, they come right off the street in what they're wearing. Except for one party of selfie-snappers in black and shiny white and too much faux fur.
Feeling a sort of a rush in my head, something to do with that kid now being here as a man more than 5o years later, I spot the name of a red wine and I have to have it. Taste of the Hussar Grill 60th anniversary premium blend. Sniff, sip. Almonds. The taste of time, love and patience. The reward of labour and consistency. (This after only one sip, promise.)
Hollandse bitterballen. Retro delight. They're perfect: 'Double cream béchamel studded with beef jus and beef bits.' How steakhouse-y is that? And Dijon. Of course.
My steak is a 300g chateaubriand served medium rare, with baby potatoes swimming in garlicky butter, and a Béarnaise sauce. I see, on other tables, that standard side-vegetables are pumpkin and creamed spinach, very old-school. The meat is slide-through tender and incapable of improvement.
One dessert is almost requisite: the sort of dish that if removed from a menu would inspire a lynching party. The chocolate vodka martini. It's warm! (I write in my notes). It's also delicious and terribly moreish but I pull myself together and call for the bill.
Meanwhile, when next you visit your local grill house, if you think they truly cut it, tell them about these awards and persuade them to do something about being noticed by the organisers.
Does the original Hussar Grill deserve to be a contender for a top award for steak restaurants? Or which ones do, in your experience? Write to me at this address and let me know your thoughts. Please name the city or town where your recommendation is. Let's get something going here. Find the full list below. DM
The Whole 1o1
Here is the full list of the 101 restaurants, listed in alphabetical order of the countries in which they operate. Their rankings are alongside. All restaurants link to their entry on the list's website.
Argentina
Don Julio Parrilla, Buenos Aires 1
Fogón, Buenos Aires 35
Elena, Buenos Aires 56
Hermanos, Buenos Aires 95
Australia
Margaret, Sydney 2
Rockpool Bar & Grill, Sydney 12
The International, Sydney 14
Firedoor, Sydney 16
Victor Churchill, Melbourne 18
Porteño, Sydney 20
The Gidley, Sydney 32
Aalia, Sydney 36
Steer Dining Room, Melbourne 37
Gimlet, Melbourne 45
Shell House, Sydney 51
Matilda 159 Domain, Melbourne 57
The Cut Bar & Grill, Sydney 62
Meatmaiden, Melbourne 91
Grill Americano, Melbourne 92
20 Chapel, Sydney 93
Bistecca, Sydney 99
Austria
Beef & Glory, Vienna 65
Belgium
Carcasse, Koksijde 19
Gillis, Ghent 22
Maven, Antwerp 74
Canada
Elisa, Vancouver 26
Jacobs & Co, Toronto 76
Canary Islands
Char Fuego y Brasas, Tenerife 61
Cayman Islands
Firewood, George Town 68
Denmark
Capa, Copenhagen 21
Ecuador
Tributo, Quito 30
Finland
The Grand Bar & Grill, Helsinki 72
France
Anahi, Paris 34
Clover Grill, Paris 42
Germany
Grill Royal, Berlin 64
Greece
Brutus Tavern, Athens 101
Hong Kong
Fireside 50
The Steak House 80
Indonesia
Meatguy Steakhouse, Jakarta 90
Italy
I Due Cippi, Saturnia 4
La Braseria, Osio Sotto 25
Regina Bistecca, Florence 29
Japan
Nikuya Tanaka, Tokyo 27
Miyoshi, Kyoto 40
Kitan-In, Osaka 46
Niku Kappō Jō, Tokyo 83
Okadamae, Tokyo 86
Fukutatei The Okai, Osaka 96
Sugita, Tokyo 98
Wagyumafia, Tokyo 100
Mexico
Holsteins, Monterrey 67
Monaco
Beefbar 33
New Zealand
Fife Lane, Mount Maunganui 94
Portugal
Sala de Corte, Lisbon 81
Singapore
Burnt Ends 5
Bistecca 53
Cut by Wolfgang Puck 59
Shatōburian 66
South Africa
Vuur, Stellenbosch 87
The Blockman, Johannesburg 97
South Korea
Born & Bred, Seoul 15
Spain
Laia Erretegia, Hondarribia 3
Bodega el Capricho, Jiménez de Jamuz 6
Casa Julian de Tolosa, Tolosa 7
Lana, Madrid 8
Los 33, Madrid 28
Amaren, Bilbao 31
Asador Nicolás, Tolosa 48
Sweden
Ag, Stockholm 9
Switzerland
William's Butchers Table, Zurich 82
Ukraine
Beef, Kyiv 79
United Arab Emirates
11 Woodfire, Dubai 38
United Kingdom
Ibai, London 11
Hawksmoor, London 23
Brat, London 24
Lutyens Grill, London 39
Aragawa, London 41
Blok, South Wales 55
The Devonshire, London 70
Porter & Rye, Glasgow 85
Guinea Grill, London 89
USA
Cote, New York 10
Asador Bastian, Chicago 13
La Tête d'Or, New York 17
Gwen, Los Angeles 43
4 Charles Prime Rib, New York 44
Knife, Dallas 47
Niku Steakhouse, San Francisco 49
Jeffrey's, Austin 52
Keens, New York 58
The Bazaar, New York 60
Minetta Tavern, New York 63
Prime + Proper, Detroit 69
Swift & Sons, Chicago 71
Gallaghers, New York 73
American Cut, New York 75
Bavette's Steakhouse, Chicago 77
Izzy's Steaks & Chops, San Francisco 78
Nuri Steakhouse, Dallas 84
Gage & Tollner, New York 88
Vietnam
Koki, Hanoi 54