The 20 best steak restaurants in Australia

Chef Nathaniel Embrey and his team fire up the asado grill at Landscape, with seasoned cask timber from the Tasmanian Cask Company. So, if you’re tasting notes of sherry, bourbon or port, then you have a very refined palette. This kind of attention to detail is what elevates Tasmania’s most famous beef to a memorable experience at Landscape. Cape Grim beef hails from the far North West of Tasmania, which boasts the cleanest air in the world. We opt for the grass-fed dry-aged sirloin on the bone. It’s juicy, tender and oh-so-flavoursome. Select from your choice of sauces (we had the harissa, but the pepperberry and cognac was a close second) and enjoy the side of grilled baby gem lettuce. Landscape’s 25-page drinks list feels luxurious, and a glass of the Deep Valley pinot from Tasmania’s Huon Valley really hits the spot. Housed in the historic IXL Jam Factory on Hobart’s waterfront, Landscape is firing on all cylinders. 

Gibney delivers a classic brasserie and grill experience from its incredible oceanside location in Cottesloe. There are the true brasserie hallmarks in the plush banquette seating and glam bar, all softened with a coastal colour palette. With a menu that reads as a who’s who of Australia’s most premium producers, you can’t go wrong. Highlights include an O’Connor sirloin paired with chimichurri sauce and a Black Onyx bavette served with black garlic barbecue sauce and pickled onions.  For the ultimate indulgence, opt for the generously portioned Stirling Ranges ribeye, accompanied by flamed oyster mushrooms and a classic Diane sauce.

Any list of good steaks would be incomplete without highlighting Japanese steaks. Our beloved, high marble cattle breed Wagyu originates from there after all. Japanese fine diner Raku lets Canberra experience just how well steak is complemented by Japanese flavours. Wafu sauce – traditionally a mix of soy sauce, rice vinegar, mirin and vegetable oil – brings out the best in their scotch fillet, also served with wasabi sour cream and rhubarb salt. Ultra-tender MB8 Tajima Wagyu striploin also hits the grill, next to rhubarb salt, ponzu (Japanese citrus sauce) and wasabi.

At The Little Hunter, you’ll find smoky steaks being served in a gorgeously historic brick building dating back to the 1800s. Alongside a big handful of steak options, you can order fine cuts of lamb and other grilled meats. The star of the show? A 750-gram rib eye on the bone. For the potato enthusiasts, all steaks come with some pretty bougie sides. Take your pick from steakhouse chips, truffle-infused mash or baked potato. You can also pair your steak with the best that South Australia has to offer – all the drops on the wine list are local. 

With sweeping views across Constitution Dock and kunanyi / Mount Wellington, The Black Footed Pig’s position at MACq 01 is hard to resist – and the whole vibe contributes to this standout fine dining experience. The Black Footed Pig takes steak to bold new heights with its Txuleton – a Tasmanian dry-aged T-Bone weighing in at a hefty 1kg. Their knowledgeable staff recommend the crispy pink eye potatoes and pepperberry mustard as accoutrements, and we don’t dare stray from these suggestions. This is a meal that demands to be savoured. Pair it with the Spanish Garnacha or a 2010 Moorilla Muse Cabernet Merlot Tasmanian Cabernet Merlot to maximise the moment.

There are many reasons why Moo Moo’s ranked #29 two years running on the Best 50 steaks in the world list and boasts so many awards. Diners can choose any of the 20 sumptuous steaks on the menu which details the breed, age and diet of the cut. Their top-selling steak is the Westholme Wagyu flat iron MB7-9, which is a cut designed to resemble an olden-day iron. Chefs season and chargrill the flat iron before it is rested, reflashed, basted and served with sauces like chimichurri, bearnaise, peppercorn and forest mushroom. You'll feel like the star of your own movie as you cut into the steak, seated on one of Moo Moo's six heritage balconies in the historic Port Office Building.

Down at the picturesque waterfront where even born-and-bred locals feel like they’re on holiday, the Beef and Bar restaurant is Darwin’s newest steakhouse. The menu almost reads like a romance novel: tender, smooth, firm and juicy. Options include a richly marbled rib-eye, a flavourful rump and a succulent scotch fillet. Each cut has been carefully sourced and selected by the team, led by NT hospitality stalwart Jaswinder ‘Jazz’ Walia. Come for the beef, stay for the bar. 

It’s all in the name at this meat-focused venue in Canberra, which is the brainchild of co-owners Anthony Iannelli and Sungyeol Son (a Hartsyard alum). Their in-house smoker and custom rotisserie do the heavy lifting here, including on their steak options. Try Terra’s hefty woodfired MB5 tomahawk steak, fed on a blend of grass and barley to create extra depth of flavour. For a smaller affair, go for their velvety MB9 chargrilled Wagyu scotch fillet, served with red wine jus and café de Paris butter. This 300g cut is going for $99, but their current ‘The People’s Steak’ special sees the price slashed down to $35 for those who book after 8pm. We can’t think of a better steak deal in the country. 

Leaning towards a more unconventional name, ‘hoosegow’ means ‘prison’ in Latin. ‘Prisoner of food’ that is, according to the grilling experts over on Magill Road in St Morris. Hoosegow’s steaks are roasted over mallee root charcoal and there’s everything from market-price rib eyes to Wagyu scotch fillets on offer. Hoosegow fuses a few cuisines on its menu, but a Latin American influence is most prominent and can be found in dishes like the Mojito salsa and the fillet de costilla de cerdo (chargrilled pork rib eye).

It’s funny how sometimes the simplest of concepts have the greatest impact. Like Entrecôte, which was hailed in its Domain Road heyday for the audacious vision of serving steak frites and little else. While there's plenty more on the menu to celebrate these days, the steak frites still reign supreme. It's grain-fed black market Angus beef from Rangers Valley, served with some of the best French fries in the city and Entrecote's secret herb butter sauce. So simple, yet so satisfying.

​​Set in a classic 1920s Art Deco building, The Astor Grill spans two intimate dining rooms and has been a Hobart favourite for decades. True to its name, the grill here is the centrepiece, with a range of cuts – some with a marble rating – guaranteed to satisfy. Our go-to? The prime eye fillet, grass-fed and aged for 35 days. It’s melt-in-your-mouth perfection, served with steamed greens, mustards and horseradish. Our recommendation? Value add with café de Paris butter and well-seasoned duck fat roasted baby potatoes – they’re irresistible. 

Nextdoor is the culinary offshoot of its neighbour Olsen Butchers, allowing the team to deliver a unique butcher-to-plate experience. The menu spans half a dozen cuts, a mix of Tasmanian Cape Grim Angus beef, with a marbling score between 4 and 5, and Australian Stoneaxe Wagyu, boasting a 9+ marbling score, including a generous 750-gram Wagyu rib eye. All steaks are served with the kitchen’s signature fire-roasted chimichurri. The menu is fluid, reflecting the close collaboration between the kitchen and butchery to minimise waste and make the most of every cut.