Best Steak and Meat Restaurants in Melbourne 2023
Got those meat cravings? Here are some of our favourite steak and meat restaurants in Melbourne:
Botswana Butchery - Flinders Lane
Botswana Butchery has made a huge impact in the Melbourne CBD with its premium offering in opulent surroundings, featuring the best of Australian and NZ produce. The Lamb Shoulder became famous from day one, but also order up the best steak in town from the sublime grass-fed Cape Grim Select, to the opulent high marble scores of Blackmore’s wagyu all the way to the pure beefiness of the CopperTree Farms retired dairy Friesian and the coveted Ranger’s Valley 1.6kg Tomahawk.
Rockpool - Crown
Rockpool has a modern fit out with high ceilings, great use of timber panelling, subtle mood lighting, large artwork tributes to the humble cow, several attractive dining areas and luxurious tables and chairs. What struck me about Rockpool was the finery and great use of textures. The ambience here is refined yet relaxed. Waiters dressed impeccably attend to your dining needs and are engaging and knowledgeable.
The meat here is sourced from Australia's best producers and dry aged on the premises. Rockpool are strict about humane treatment of cattle and about no hormones or antibiotic feed supplements. Welcome to 9+ marble score steak! Rockpool features David Blackmore's Dry Aged Mishima, Cape Grim Dry Aged and Robbins Island Dry Aged Wagyu meat. It's the best of the best.
image: Rockpool Instagram.
Vue De Monde - CBD
OK you have you're cheaper steak options but there's also premium steak experiences in Melbourne. As one of Melbourne's finest restaurants we often think of Vue De Monde as a destination for the finest meat dishes. If you want the best of steak you may well come here; not cheap but well worth it for a premium dining experiences. While seafood and vegetable dishes here are amazing the David Blackmore wagyu is sensational, as is the Flinders Island lamb. The menu is changing but the meat dishes are stunning. And the views!
Pure South - Southbank
Some of the best meat in the world comes from Tasmania; and Pure south showcases the best of Tasmania in style including steak.
Pure South is not only a popular destination for steak but celebrates produce from farms and producers across Tasmania. Check out the view from our table upstairs!
Fine cuts of beef are a talking point; but for us the Wallaby dish is also a sensation. We also fell in love with the Robbins Island Wagyu pastrami, eggplant, pickle. Of sophistication is the King Island grass fed beef tartare, bois boudran, chive. What is bois boudran? It's a famous sauce from Michel Roux and is a perfect match for the beautiful grass fed King Island Beef.
Scottsdale pork belly, peaches, Heidi Farm tilsit, lobster bisque excites. This pork belly is from a farm that celebrates rare breeds of pork. And the glisten of lobster bisque on the plate is stunning. the peaches refresh and cut through the pork. Perfect crackling and tender pork, this is a highly rewarding dish. David Hall is a Michelin star chef hailing from Scotland; comparable to Tasmania with its wild country and premium produce. The location at Southbank is one of the best in Melbourne with stunning views of the river and eclectic Southbank.
MPD Steak Kitchen - Berwick & Caulfield
MPD Steak Kitchen in Berwick is a revelation. Chris Bonello takes a great piece of steak (or seafood or even vegetables) and brings loads of technique and imagination around quality produce with a plethora of elements. Dishes are full of flavour and well balanced. And Chris is not afraid of salt and butter, which is right up our alley.
Butcher & Vine - Hawthorn
Butcher & Vine is an impressive restaurant that specialises in premium grass-fed Galloway beef and King Valley wagyu. We highly recommend the steaks here, cooked to perfection and served with compelling sides, butters, and sauces. Not to mention an excellent wine list. Here it's all about the produce doing the talking. Located in the old Beehive Hotel, one of Hawthorn's iconic buildings. Steaks are cooked over Mallee root and redgum coal. They also have a deli and cheese section for you to purchase and take produce home.
Galloway Scotch Fillet melt in your mouth.
Recommend the sausage platter.
King Valley wagyu is a winner.
Omnia Bistro - South Yarra
Omnia Bistro and Bar is a revelation in South Yarra with its Euro dining including great steak and meat options. Executive Chef Stephen Nairn has been working wonders with the best of ingredients visiting producers throughout Victoria, and bringing fine technique to bistro dining from the new purpose-built kitchen. The introduction of a large smoker allows for dishes like brisket and smoked lamb ribs.
Aged sirloin, chips and sauce bordelaise is a top notch steak dish.
Stuffed quail, barley risotto and mushrooms as we've never seen it.
Roasted pork belly, boudin noir, peach and fennel was a triumph. Highly recommended.
A Hereford Beefstouw - CBD
A Hereford Beefstouw has been making waves in Adelaide for several years and has launched in Melbourne with its premium steak offerings with success. We've enjoyed several experiences at A Hereford Beefstouw including a 5 hour dinner that pushed past midnight. The Scadinavian influence is enjoyed; don't go straight to steak but also take in the Salmon gravad lax. If you're night goes well you may well end up on the bespoke cognac displayed on the wall. This restaurant has become a favourite with corporates.Nestled amidst cobblestones and street art, A Hereford Beefstouw offers a relaxed Nordic style menu that celebrates high quality steak in a Danish designed setting.
A Hereford Beefstouw is a steak specialist, but it does more than steak (amazing saltbush mutton, cured lamb shoulder, house Armagnac and more). Owner and Dry Ageing Specialist Tim Burvill said that while ‘in house’ Grass Fed Dry Aged Beef is central, seasonal cool climate produce and wholesome eating features throughout the menu, spearheaded by Head Chef Daniel Groom.
STEAK! We sampled high quality steak from the menu; wet aged eye fillet, 45 day dry aged rib eye and the 35 day dry aged mutton. I enjoyed them all for not only taste but texture. The saltbush mutton on the bone is something I wouldn't normally get to experience and it was delicious and distinctive.
Epocha - Carlton
Epocha is simply one of Melbourne's best dining experiences, featuring a formidable team, stellar European cuisine and a killer ambience at this terrace property. Nestled in Rathdowne Street close to the city and opposite Carlton Gardens, Epocha exudes charm and elegance, if not an air of sophistication. The World Loves Melbourne was invited with other media to sample some of the fine wines and cuisine offered by Epocha.
The fit out is a nod to the classic, and is understated rather than overstated. Large windows with chunky frames, elegant timber floor, and green wicker chairs and wooden tables embedded with tiles.
We dare to place Epocha in a meat and "dude food" line up, even though this is fine dining with finesse and known also for other things. The large share plates would make any dude estatic - Lamb Backstrap, Bird, Scotch Fillet, Rib Eye 550g, and Veal Rack 700g. Scotch fillet with a bone marrow sauce has been enjoyed by The World Loves Melbourne on several occasions; perfectly cooked and pleasant on the eye...
Steak Ministry Bar & Grill - Glen Waverley
Steak Ministry Bar & Grill are surely one of the top go-to places for a fantastic steak experience! They are the only Australian restaurant to serve the 1.2-2kg Sher Wagyu Tomahawks.
Steak Ministry are also a restaurant that pours award winning wine, spirits and beers from around the world. As well as stocking limited edition bottles such as: Penfold Grange Hermitage, Rockford Basket Press Shiraz and the Bogle Phantom Red.
Executive Chef Chris Wade has worked in famous kitchens around the world and in Melbourne and boasts associations with Marco Pierre-White and Gordon Ramsay, as well as Michael Lambie and Scott Pickett. We had a chat with Chris and got to hear his passion for fine dining in a relaxed atmosphere. The fact that Steak Ministry has been packed out since it opened a couple of years ago is a testament to Chris Wade and his team! The customers love it!
When we dine we don't just have ourselves in mind; we're looking for restaurants we can take friends, family and international guests. Australia boasts some of the best beef and meats in the world. We are looking to showcase such amazing produce to our overseas friends. Steak Ministry is the perfect place to take 'out of towners'.
San Telmo - CBD
The World Loves Melbourne loves the dark tones of San Telmo with its South American vibe echoing the neighbourhood of San Telmo in Buenos Aires (a place visited by The World Loves Melbourne). Yes we've eaten fine steak in Buenos Aires so we were keen to compare.
The Argentinian Parrilla Grill is also a standout attraction, particularly the theatre from sitting at the counter with the kitchen action unfolding in front of you.
A highlight was the Vacio steak featuring O'Connor's premium pasture fed flank steak. This was served with fresh and zesty Lechuga baby cos lettuce with shallots and horseradish dressing, and the Papas crushed potato, green olive, parsley and garlic aoli. The perfect combination. Of course O'Connor meats are some of Australia's finest, and are taken to next level from cooking on the parrilla.
Another highlight is the small dishes such as this Morcilla, spiced black sausage. this was so flavoursome melt in your mouth. One to file away for next time.
In the mood for steak we ordered the Ojo de Bife O'Connor's premium dry aged rib eye. This is the premium cut of steak at San Telmo and was again a melt in your mouth experience. Bring on the marbled fat we say!
Steer Dining Room - South Yarra
The World Loves Melbourne enjoyed one of our best steak nights ever at Steer Bar & Grill with several courses of steak that were spectacular; from a tartare to prime cuts. These guys know what to do with steak; it's not just plonked on a plate but served with flair. They market themselves as a specialty steak house, and we agree. Grain fed, pasture fed, ration fed; take your fancy. Some of Australia's finest beef is here such as David Blackmore (a favourite of ours), O'Connor Black Angas, Rangers Valley Export Quality Black Angas, John Dee Supergold Black Angas, and Sher Wagyu.
Image: Steer Bar & Grill Instagram.
One of the best things to do in Melbourne is to visit a top notch steak and meat specialist (most have vegetarian options also and cater for broad needs).