Steak Your Claim: The Best Steak in Melbourne

Time for a steak out, Melbourne

With autumn already here and winter fast approaching, the idea of sitting in a dimly lit, cosy restaurant with a glass of red wine and a succulent steak is about as good as it gets. We all know Melbourne is awash with unique, creative and innovative food trends, but sometimes there’s nothing better than something simple. So we let our inner carnivores out and hunted down the best steaks in Melbourne.

With the steaks high (sorry!) – due to the sheer competition among Melbourne’s restaurants –  we had a lot on our plate. Literally and figuratively. But we narrowed it down to the top 10 places with the best steak in Melbourne. So sharpen those knives Melb – and arrive hungry, always.

The top 10 steaks in Melbourne

1. Rockpool Bar & Grill

Starting with Rockpool Bar & Grill Melbourne was the natural choice when compiling this list. Every meat lover in Melbourne knows about this culinary gem, and the steaks here are out-of-this-world tasty. Helmed by national treasure, Neil Perry AM, the steak is dry-aged on site and sourced from premium local Australian producers. It’s inspired by North American steakhouses, is home to a stellar wine list and goes above and beyond to ensure all meat is ethically treated.Cut of choice: David Blackmore dry-aged full blood Wagyu topside.

Crown Entertainment Complex, 8 Whiteman Street, Southbank, Melbourne 3006Lunch: Sun – Fri: 12 – 3pmDinner: Mon – Sun: 6 – 11pm

2. Macelleria

The butcher that cooks for you. How fitting for this highly revered restaurant. Transparency is at the heart of Macelleria – which translates to butcher shop, by the way. Meaning you know exactly what you’re eating, and where it came from. This space is the third branch for the group and we’d describe them as passionate purveyors of fine steaks and meat, rather than a normal restaurant. A must? You’d best believe.Cut of choice: Tasmanian Cape Grim Angus eye fillet.

87-89 Swan Street, Richmond, Melbourne 3121__Mon – Sun: Midday – 10:30pm

3. Neighbourhood Wine

While Neighbood Wine isn’t necessarily a steakhouse – it’s not at all, in fact – it does serves a bang on Cape Grim bavette steak that we are all about. Most known for its ultimate wine selection, this Fitzroy North gem does this dish, oh so right. While the rest of the menu changes regularly, this dish is a firm fixture and we’re thrilled about it. Served with horseradish cream and rocket at the time of writing, it’s not to be missed. Pair it alongside the Gustavo Martinez ‘Rawüll’ from Itata Valley in Chile for the ultimate Neighbood experience.Cut of choice: Tasmanian 250g Cape Grim bavette.

1 Reid Street, Fitzroy North, Melbourne 3068Mon: ClosedTues – Sun: Midday – Midnight

4. Steer Dining Room

The crew behind Steer aim to showcase the very best of Australian beef. Needless to say, they’ve succeeded. Offering both a la carte and degustation menus, the choice here is extensive, and everything is of supremely high quality. Serving predominantly Angus and Wagyu in a variety of cuts, sampling the steak here was a true pleasure. It’s essential dining for steak lovers.Cut of choice: Sher F1 Wagyu tenderloin from Ballan, Vic.

15 Claremont Street, South Yarra, Melbourne 3141Mon: ClosedLunch: Wed – Fri: 12 – 3pm__Dinner: Tues – Thurs: 6pm til late, Fri – Sat: 5:30pm til late, Sun: 6pm til late

5. The Meat and Wine Co – South Yarra

Ageing is the name of the game at The Meat and Wine Co in South Yarra, for good reason. Perched right on the corner of Toorak Road and Chapel Street, the signature here is the Monte beef steak that’s sourced exclusively for this much-loved group. It’s all farm-to-table, packed with flavour and cooked just the way you like it. A favourite among steak enthusiastics in Melbourne, dining here is never a missed steak (sorry).Cut of choice: Grass-fed Monte rump eye.

Cnr Toorak Road & Chapel Street, South Yarra, Melbourne 3141__Sun – Thurs: Midday til 10pm, Fri – Sat: Midday til 10:30pm

6. San Telmo

No list about the best steak in Melbourne, or any city to be honest, would be complete without mentioning Argentiniean steaks. San Telmo is inspired by all-things Buenos Aires. Everything is rustic, bohemian and the entire space is filled with antiques the owners collected on their travels in the vibrant city. The menu is designed around the parrilla grill, which gives the meat a distinctive flavour. The heart of it all is of course, the chargrilled beef, which literally melts in your mouth. Pair it with a glass of Malbec and you’ve got yourself a night to remember.Cut of choice: Solomillo, O’Connor’s premium dry-aged pasture fed bone in sirloin.

14 Meyers Place, Melbourne 3000__Mon – Sun: Midday til late

7. Butcher’s Diner

One of the most interesting restaurants on this list, Butcher’s Diner is a 24-hour sanctuary for meat lovers. Beginning a deboning room for an in-house butcher, the concept of this Bourke Street spot evolved rapidly. There is a daily butcher’s cut which is always premium quality. The space is a fusion of Italian and American retro decor and it feels like a 50’s diner and Italian trattoria. A unique haunt in the heart of CBD that you’ll definitely want to try!Cut of choice: Go for the butcher’s cut daily special.

10 Bourke St, Melbourne 3000__Mon – Sun: 24 hours

8. Mediterraneo Charcoal Restaurant

As the name suggests, Mediterraneo Charcoal Restaurant is all about the charcoal grill. Meaning, the steaks here come out with a distinctive flavour that just melts in your mouth. The recipient of several awards for best steak in Melbourne over the years, the crew here really know what they’re doing. The attention to detail regarding sourcing each cut is second-to-none and you can select from King Island scotch, grass-fed porterhouse and Tey’s Golden Eye fillet, to name a few. A favourite for good reason, we highly recommend sampling this spot. Oh, and it’s certified by Coeliac Australia!Cut of choice: King Island scotch fillet.

116 Bridport Street, Albert Park, Melbourne 3206Lunch: Thurs, Fri & Sun: Midday – 2:30pmDinner: Tues – Sun: 6 – 10pm

9. Garçon Paris Steakhouse

Unsurprisingly, the signature dish at Garçon Paris Steakhouse is steak frites. And boy, it’s done well. The steak is grass-fed Angus porterhouse from Cape Grim in Tasmania. It’s with Cafe de Paris butter, salad leaves, radish, onion and a bottomless supply of frites. So, you get the idea. There’s more on the menu of course, and the 80s art deco decor fits it all down to a tee. Our favourite part though is that the wine list is longer than the food menu. Perfect, no?Cut of choice: The signature steak frites: Cape Grim (TAS) Angus porterhouse.

6 Alfred Place, Melbourne 3000Sun: ClosedLunch: Mon – Fri: 12 – 2:30pm__Dinner: Mon – Sat: 4 – 10pm

10. Dinner by Heston

Last, but certainly not least, we have Dinner by Heston. Known around the world as being creative beyond measure, dining here is a mind-blowing experience. It doesn’t only serve steaks but the cut it does serve is dry-aged for at least 28 days, then cooked over wood and charcoal embers. This exceptional David Blackmore Wagyu sirloin is served with mushroom ketchup and triple-cooked chips. Don’t expect the stock-standard here – expect brilliance and probably the best flavours you’ll ever try.Cut of choice: David Blackmore Wagyu sirloin.

Crown Towers, Level 3, 8 Whiteman Street, Southbank, Melbourne 3006Lunch: Sat – Sun: Midday til 2pmDinner: Mon – Thurs: 6 – 10pm; Fri – Sun: 5:30 – 10:30pm