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

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

The Hussar Grill entrance today. Not much has changed since 1972. (Photo: Tony Jackman)

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.

Also read: Table for one at the grillhouse in the shadow of greatness

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 corner of the original Hussar Grill in Rondebossch. (Photo: Tony Jackman)

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. (Photo: Tony Jackman)

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.

Chateaubriand, aflame. (Photo: Tony Jackman)

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.

Vodka martini. (Photo: Tony Jackman)

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