Steakhouses are expensive to run and expensive to visit, but for a special occasion, they’re the gold standard. They’re consistent, opulent; you know you’ll be treated to theatrical service and a substantial, indulgent meal.
Lately, this city has been doubling down on steakhouses with a number of exciting new openings that both respect and redefine what makes a good one. But ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ has had a love affair with them since the mid-20th century — the steakhouse was the standard in the not yet diversified culinary scene of this financial capital and new city. Many favourites have since closed, like the Tulip on Queen East in 2020, or Tom Jones of Leader Lane in 2021, but while many institutions of the past have been priced out and bulldozed in this still-young city with evolving tastes, a want remains for straightforward dining and timeless comforts.
Today’s diners are hungrier for knowledge about their food than ever, and so today’s chefs are incredibly conscious of where their steaks come from, their butchery process and the sustainability of their practices. What’s on offer has to be substantial, the quality has to be there and guests have to see value for money.
Dry aging, for varying lengths of time, is a defining feature of a good meat program; in a controlled environment, enzymes break down the tissue structures, making the steak more tender and flavourful. And while a steakhouse may be no place for a vegetarian, a good one calibrates its meatless sides — Monte Carlo potatoes, table-side caesar salad, seafood towers and pickle plates — with equal consideration. Excellent wines should be available in abundance, from rare Hermitage bottles to esteemed old Napa varieties to newer options from Niagara.
Of course, the room and service are paramount. It’s the first impression and an intimate reflection of the restaurateur’s sense of hospitality. Ideas of comfort differ from old school to new, but no one wants to eat a steak in a stark white box. Steakhouse decor is recognizably fancy, dark, warm and most importantly welcoming.
Here are five great ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ steakhouses, new and old.
Arron Barberian, the second-generation owner of Barberians Restaurant.
Giovanni Capriotti/ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ StarThe classic steakhouse
Barberians
Some things are already perfect, and Barberians’ longevity is proof of that. By far the oldest white tablecloth restaurant in ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½, this quintessential steakhouse was opened by Harry Barberian in 1959, and has been run for decades by his son, Arron Barberian. “Multi-generation memories are made here, and traditions are captured and carried on,†said Barberian.
The building on Elm Street at Yonge stands as a monument to a vital downtown core of a different century, defying the rapid construction that surrounds it now. The Canadiana that adorns the walls, from Lawren Harris paintings to busts and portraits of Joseph Brant and John A. MacDonald, makes the dining room feel like a living piece of history.
A wine table at Barberians.
Giovanni Capriotti/ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ StarBarberian really knows which elements make this kind of dining experience great. “The greatest trick of a good steakhouse is the quality of the steak knife you give them,†he said, picking one up from a table setting. “We use a non-serrated, not-oversized steak knife sharpened at least once a week. Do you see surgeons using serrated knives?â€
When it comes to the beef, it’s not just about sourcing good meat. “Steak is not cattle; steak is a man-made product,†Barberian said. “It’s how it’s fed in the last couple months of its life, which contributes to the kernel fat, the marbling. Then where it’s butchered, how it’s aged, how it’s dried and broken down to the primal cuts. How it’s grilled and seasoned, how it rests.†Each step counts.
Staff turnover is presumed to be a reality of the hospitality industry, but the familiar faces at Barberians say otherwise. Scotty the in-house butcher is only the third in the restaurant’s 65-year history. “We suffer badly from a desire to be a part of what’s new, what’s hot, what’s hip. I want to see people who have stood the test of time, who have improved their product, refined their level of service, and stay dedicated to their ideals,†said Barbarian. That might just be why sitting down to dine at this renowned institution feels like eating at a small family restaurant.
At Italian steakhouse Sammarco, the beef comes from esteemed butcher Cumbrae’s.
Graydon HerriottThe Italian steakhouse
Sammarco
An Italian steakhouse was the obvious next step for chef Rob Rossi and restaurateur David Minicucci, the pair behind Osteria Giulia and Giulietta. Any day now, Bisteccheria Sammarco’s doors will open on centre ice, right in the financial district on Front Street at Yonge. “You can walk into any steakhouse in North America and rhyme off 70 per cent of the menu without even looking at it. You won’t be able to do that here,†said Minicucci. Describing the concept as a high-end Italian grill meets traditional steakhouse, he added, “it will sing as Italian as it can.â€
With 90 seats in the dining room and a 24-seat private room, this is the pair’s most ambitious project yet. Designed by II by IV, it’s intended to feel European with touches of Canadiana, including more than 250 Canadian artworks. Nothing is coming off a shelf: all tableware, glassware and linens are custom.
At time of writing, Rossi’s menu is still a closely guarded secret, but “everything will be Italianified,†said Minicucci. It will be relatively fish and vegetable forward. “No steakhouse tropes. Feature pasta, done tableside. A lot of fish, chilled seafood; Canadian seafood.†Rossi added a hint: “The pasta will be a historical take on something that everyone knows.â€
Of course, there will be steak, and Sammarco has secured one of the most exclusive beef programs in the city: it will be one of only two local restaurants serving beef from Steven Alexander’s Cumbrae’s, among ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½â€™s most favoured butchers. Rossi has equipped his kitchen with a band saw, giving his chefs complete control over the butchery and in-house dry aging. “When you start to exploit a product, it loses its shine. We’re taking a step back and focusing more on the actual meat,†he said, “being proud of the fact that it’s from Ontario, and knowing exactly who is butchering it.â€
Chefs at work at Linny’s on Ossington.
Daniel NeuhausThe modern steakhouse
Linny’s
“I’ve always been drawn to the steakhouse style of room, the style of service, the theatre, the old-school hospitality that you get,†said David Schwartz, the restaurateur behind Mimi Chinese and Sunnys Chinese. Outside of Chinese restaurants, Schwartz most enjoys eating steakhouses and delis, and he’s combined these two cultures with his newest spot, Linny’s on Ossington.
A table laden with steak and sides at Linny’s.
Daniel NeuhausDrawing on classic American steak houses like Keens and Gage & Tollner in New York City and Gibsons in Chicago, as well as ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½â€™s The Tulip, Linny’s channels old-school energy without completely bending to it. The room, designed by Jack Lipson of Ipso Studios, feels like it could have been built yesterday or 70 years ago.
The traceability of Linny’s meat program stands out. Schwartz and his team are partnering with Ontario farmers from Penokean Hills to Manitoulin Island, who are committed to quality and sustainable farming practices. “They all do things a little bit differently, but they are run by people with hands that we can shake,†said Schwartz. The menu notes the farm every steak came from, and whether they’re free-roam NY strips, pasture-raised porterhouses or 100-per-cent grass-fed tenderloins, the promise is they were all happy Ontario cows.
Rounding out the menu is house pastrami, karnatzel sausage from scratch and smoked whitefish, but Schwartz saves his enthusiasm for the triple-cooked fries. “Nothing fancy: we rinse all the starch off, we steam and agitate them so they get all these nice crevices, then we fry them twice,†he said. “Just the way I like it.â€
Despite the challenges of keeping a restaurant open long-term in ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½, Schwartz hopes this one will become an institution. “It’s so expensive and rent is so insane but, you know, we open these places in the hopes that Linny’s will be open in 20, 30, 100 years. Why not?â€
Animl steakhouse features a lavish design, including a steer-shaped disco ball.
Britney TownsendThe slick steakhouse
Animl
“When I came up with the name, the office hated me,†said restaurateur and nightclub owner Charles Khabouth. “I hate to say it but it’s animal that we’re serving, and I wanted something that grabs you. How could you forget the name Animl? You’re never going to forget it.â€
The newest addition to Khabouth’s Ink Entertainment portfolio at Wellington and Spadina is his first steakhouse and perhaps his most intimate project yet. The dining room, designed by ÎÚÑ»´«Ã½ firm Nivek Remas, is lavishly decorated, with plush orange seating marked with sparkly animal print and a steer-shaped disco ball hanging upside down from the ceiling. “I wanted to take the edge off that steakhouse feel,†Khabouth said. “The interior is an homage to the seventies. You see very high-end, glossy millwork. When you walk in, it looks rich, it feels rich, and it’s warm.â€
Thoroughly modern meat at Charles Khabouth’s Animl.
Betty BinonKhabouth recognizes that steakhouses have traditionally been a male-dominated scene. He proudly points out that on any given night, there are more women than men dining at Animl. “We built it to be very female-friendly, by way of design, comfort, lighting — light is everything for me — and, of course, the menu.â€
That translates to lighter food, in various ways. Dry aging here maxes out at 28 days, with most steaks aged two weeks, to maximize flavour but minimize funkiness. There’s a plethora of options besides steak, including raw items like sashimi and tartar, a seafood tower, lobster and tuna. Vegetarian sides have been highly considered; Khabouth himself prefers to order from that side of the menu. He raves about the root vegetable terrine. “It’s the most beautiful thing, because it’s pink and purple and green and yellow and white. It’s spectacular and it tastes amazing.â€
Above all, he wants to make this an experience worth returning for. “It’s nice to see the same faces come back,†he said. “It’s a compliment.â€
The pleasantly bustling scene at Côte de Boeuf, a butcher meets neighbourhood steakhouse.
Daniel NeuhausThe boutique steakhouse
Côte de Boeuf
Butchery is at the heart of an experience at Côte de Boeuf. “If you ask for a steak, there’s a grab and go section, and if you want a larger cut or bone-in rib-eye or roast, it’s just taken to the back to Damien and he’ll slice it up there and then.†That’s general manager Eamon O’Dea speaking about head chef Damien Cochez, both of whom have deep ties to Paris and a strong focus on French cuisine, French wines and a French attitude to dining. They encourage the candid meal; the serendipitous drop-in for a proper lunch.
Côte de Boeuf has evolved since it opened in 2014 as a butcher shop at Ossington and Argyle, becoming a wine bar and now a neighbourhood steak house. Open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., it still offers retail, creating a pleasant, controlled chaos in the small space. The butcher’s table becomes a six-person private dining table every night, featuring a family-style dinner.
Côte de Boeuf chef Damien Cochez is always experimenting and pushing the limits of dry aging.
Daniel NeuhausThe core menu doesn’t change — there’s New York strip, steak frites, rib-eye and, of course, côte de boeuf — but Cochez is always experimenting and works closely with small-scale farmers to support rotating seasonal vegetable sides.
If you want something really funky, look to the chalkboard for specials, where Cochez pushes the boundaries of dry aging with pork, mutton and beef options going on six or seven weeks — even four months for a certain Wagyu-Angus crossbreed project. “A side of beef comes through the door, it goes through a process, well before it gets to your plate,†said Cochez.
And whole animal butchery supports every aspect of the restaurant, from the beef tallow candles to the bespoke charcuterie. “Nothing is wasted.â€
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