We LOVE a good steak here at Hot Dinners. And steak restaurants in London have come a long way indeed. From steak powerhouses like Hawksmoor and Goodman to "steak for a tenner" spots like Flat Iron, there's a huge choice available. So we've picked some of the London steakhouses that we think are serving up some of the best steak in town. Even better, for National Steak Day this Thursday, many are offering discounted or extra value menus - see which ones are taking part here.
Where: 323 Kentish Town Rd, London NW5 2TJ and 33 Downham Road, London, N1 5AA
What: Starting with the premise that "steak shouldn't cost the earth" this budget steakhouse instead focuses on lesser-used cuts such as hanger. They make a point of buying from artisan breeders, brewers and growers and the steaks are both easy on the purse and delicious.
Preferred steak side: The poutine, of course. How can you go wrong with chips, gravy & beer cheese?
If you're not having steak: They do a mean salt beef sandwich, and you'll want their brisket jam nuggets
Our Kentish Town Beef & Brew Test Drive and Haggerston Test Drive
Where: Soho, Shoreditch and The City
What: Essentially this is a chops restaurant and a damned affordable one at that. The skinny chops piled on bread is the order of the day here, but you can also have some bigger bone-in cuts. They include prime rib, sirloin and porterhouse - and the rump cap is worth a look too. Wash it down with all the cocktails for a fiver.
Preferred steak side: The 10-hour ash-roasted sweet potato, without a doubt.
If you're not having steak: Pretty much any of their pork chops.
Our Blacklock Shoreditch Test Drive
Where: Redchurch Street, Shoreditch, E1 6JJ
What: At Kitty Fisher's Tomos Parry helped popularise the use of Galician steak in London. While his restaurant Brat is as much about fish as meat, the beef chop there is a showstopper too. Perfectly cooked, it's one of the best pieces of beef we've encountered.
Preferred steak side: The smoked potatoes are divine.
If you're not having steak: The beef chop is just one (amazing) item on the menu, with the turbot being the main event (with the restaurant's name a nickname for the fish)
Where: One Tower Bridge, London SE1 2RZ
What: The Coal Shed made a name for themselves in Brighton and have managed to transfer that success to their London outpost. There are plenty of steak cuts on the menu (and the specials board) but also a pretty good fish selection.
Preferred steak side: If the mash with burnt ends is on the menu, no question - have that.
If you're not having steak: We think the Moroccan spiced goat to share is pretty fantastic. And leave room for the excellent desserts.
Where: Soho, Notting Hill, Shoreditch, Covent Garden
What: Flat Iron have broadly been responsible for making the steak dinner available to all with their steak for a tenner - still at that price many years after opening the first branch. The titular flat iron steak is the main event here, but there are always special cuts to look out for on the menu (just a little more than a tenner).
Preferred steak side: The dripping cooked chips and the roasted aubergine
If you're not having steak: It really is ALL about the steak here - but they do have a burger special from time to time.
Our Flat Iron Shoreditch Test Drive
Where: Mayfair, City, Canary Wharf
What: Goodman are also behind Burger and Lobster and Zelman meats, but this is really their flagship brand. A serious steakhouse with well-sourced meat aged in-house (if you're really into it, ask to see inside their meat fridge) and a huge variety of cuts.
Preferred steak side: The grilled lobster tail, surely?
If you're not having steak: Try the fish of the day or the chicken dish and the Goodman burger also comes highly recommended.
Where: 30 Bruton Pl, Mayfair, London W1J 6NL
What: One of the oldest restaurants on the list, there's actually been an inn on the site of The Guinea Grill since 1423, while the Guinea Grill itself has been here since 1952. You'll find the main restaurant at the back of the pub where you can expect to be cosseted. This place found a new lease of life when Oisin Rogers took over. He's the man who made The Ship in Wandsworth such a hit. Expect the usual cuts, from Aberdeenshire, via top Highbury Butcher Frank Godfrey who has a dry ageing room dedicated to The Guinea.
Preferred steak side: The chips fried in beef dripping.
If you're not having steak: Then it's time for a pie. Their steak and kidney pie is an award winner. That or the guinea grill, which is essentially an amped-up mixed grill.
Where: Spitalfields, Seven Dials, Guildhall, Borough, Knightsbridge, Air Street
What: One of the big steak success stories in London, and probably the one that most people have heard of - certainly when we've ever talked about steak restaurants in London with friends, Hawksmoor always comes up. They've managed to make the steakhouse considerably less fussy than it was before, a template that's been taken up far and wide. And there's a lot more to Hawksmoor - the bars are worth a visit on their own with a great cocktail list, and you will want to leave room for their sticky toffee pudding.
Preferred steak side: So, so many to choose from. Although the mash and Tunworth (with a slab of melted Tunworth cheese at the centre) takes some beating.
If you're not having steak: A few of their restaurants have a strong seafood section (thanks to a partnership with Mitch Tonks) so that's a good bet.
Our Hawksmoor Borough Test Drive
Where: 9 Seymour Pl, Marylebone, London W1H 5BA
What: Lurra is a Basque restaurant from the same people as Donostia and, being Basque, Galician beef is a big draw here. You'll see these enormous cuts on display, and they're pretty damned big - served at 800g to share. Before that, you'll want to roam through the tapas plates - and the sourdough with bone marrow can't be missed.
Preferred steak side: The fries with smoked paprika and alioli are outstanding.
If you're not having steak: Try the whole grilled turbot (and make sure to have the "Solomillo Ibérico with pobre potatoes and egg yolk" small plate too).
Where: Soho, Knightsbridge, St Paul's
What: From the same people as Goodman, this is placed somewhere between Flat Iron and Goodman on the price scale - great value steak cuts and with a more varied menu. The sliced picanha comes highly recommended here - but be on the look out for some rare cuts on the specials menu.
Preferred steak side: The black truffle & parmesan chips. Of course.
If you're not having steak: It's not strictly steak, but the smoked short rib is excellent. And if the red prawns are on the specials menu, they're a must-have.
Also try
Foxlow: Essentially Hawksmoor's little cousin, it has a slightly broader menu but still has select cuts of steak.
MASH: This is a Danish import - their take on a Modern American Steak House, so a little diffferent from your standard steakhouse.
STK: The party version of a steakhouse.
Pitt Cue: Not traditionally a steakhouse - they're best known for their pork - but you can find some great cuts on their specials board.
Kitty Fisher's: Still a top place for Galician steak in London.
Quality Chop House: As the name would suggest, there's always a few steaks on the menu - right now choose from a Highland sirloin or Dexter rump.
The English Grill: this hotel grill room takes steak seriously. If you think you're up for it, go for the Himalayan Salt Aged British T-Bone 20oz.
Sagardi Basque Country Chefs - if you're looking for a top Spanish steak, then you can't go wrong here.
Buen Ayre - grass-fed Argentine steaks are a speciality at this Broadway Market spot.
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