We have a passion for beef steak, so much so our sister event company even hosts an annual festival honoring the meat, RARE Steak Championship. While we wait for the feast to come again next year (2024 was amazing by the way), we are looking toward other places to get a steak fix.
Luckily Buckhead Pride, the sponsor of the festival and the magazine, has plenty of juicy options. The team educated us on what to look for, different cuts, and the best places to try them. Buckhead Pride has a rigorous selection process to ensure only the best, most flavorful steaks make it to the table. This dedication to quality is why many of the city’s top steakhouses, including some of those featured in this article, choose Buckhead Pride to supply the meat for everyday dinner service.
A Quick Bite Of Steak Information
Traditionally a cow gets broken down into eight different primal cuts: Rib, flank, loin, round, chuck, brisket, shank, and short plate. From these cuts the steaks are sliced, giving even more variations including Denver, bavette, short rib, rib-eye, sirloin, and more.
While the cut of meat proves important, we also want to consider other elements influencing the quality of a steak. One factor is the grade, with prime standing at the top of the eight-tiered scale. Prime steaks, characterized by rich marbling of fat and muscle, come from young cattle and include cuts like rib-eye, tenderloin, strip steak, T-bones, and porterhouse.
Another crucial element is the aging process. Extended dry aging enhances both flavor and tenderness by allowing natural enzymes to break down the meat, creating a more succulent texture. The lack of moisture concentration brings out a robust flavor, and exposes the meat to yeast and any other nuances picked up from the aging room.
With so many ways to enjoy a steak, there are plenty of opportunities to dig in. Here are five places doing it well, each offering a different cut to try.
Water Grill’s Excellent Beef
Water Grill made its debut in Denver in 2022, joining the six other U.S. locations serving an elevated menu of seafood and steak. Located on the corner of 17th and Market Streets in Downtown Denver, the 9,400-square-foot restaurant offers diners plenty of seating to choose from including front and back bars, numerous sections, and private dining options. Each spot proves perfect for enjoying the executive chef Jessica Biederman’s seasonal surf and turf menu.
While we already know the seafood sings, right now we’re focused on the beefy side of things. For example, the New York strip steak ($94), which in this case is cut from American wagyu. This item, also known as strip loin steak, forms one half of the T-bone, prized for flavorful marbling and a tender, yet firm texture.
Sourced from Snake River Farms in Idaho, the steak ranges from 1- to 1.5-inches thick, weighing in at a generous 12-ounces. Raised in the lush fields along the Snake River, the cattle get a taste of the heartland with every bite, and in turn we can taste it in the meat. 1691 Market St., Denver, watergrill.com
Bastien’s Restaurant
A true Colorado institution, the family-owned Bastien’s has been delighting patrons with its iconic sugar steak since 1958. The family’s roots on Colfax Avenue go back even further to 1937, when they purchased the property operating as the Moon Drive Inn. Eventually sisters Colette Bowdish, Mary Bastien, and Jeannine Bastien built the space into the beloved restaurant it is today, serving not just the sugar steak, but other meaty masterpieces.
Try the bone-in ribeye ($54), a 20-ounce cut made special with the restaurant’s famous sugar rub. The pairing of juicy, tender beef pairs perfectly, enhancing the natural buttery richness of the meat, which comes from the prime rib section between the shoulder and loin. Bastian’s offers other steak accoutrements too, from drunken mushrooms to jalapeño three ways to a smoky coffee rub. Here, there is no wrong way to go. 3503 E. Colfax Ave., Denver, bastiensrestaurant.com
Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse
Among the office buildings of Greenwood Village, Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse resides an oasis elegance and refinement. Every aspect of the restaurant, from its polished interior finishes to the “proper attire” dress code, reflects a commitment to luxury. This upscale atmosphere makes it a great choice for business meetings and occasions that call for a sophisticated setting and a great steak. We love the 16-ounce, 45-day dry-aged prime strip ($105), a cut that consistently earns its place on the top steak lists in Denver. 8100 E. Orchard Rd., Denver, delfriscos.com
Hideaway Steakhouse
True to its name, Hideaway Steakhouse is tucked away on 112th Avenue in Westminster, a delightful discovery for the unsuspecting. The restaurant is locally owned and operated by Steve and Terrie Woodward, and offers a welcoming, intimate atmosphere with a thoughtful menu.
In keeping with the commitment to quality, Hideaway offers a 12-ounce Denver steak ($69.95). The Denver steak is also known as boneless short rib, the chuck under blade steak, and in current steak speak, zabuton, though this is a more modern name for the cut. The beef is sliced from the shoulder of the animal, and in this case comes from cattle at Snake River Farms, which raises American Wagyu Black™.
Hideaway seasons each steak with a special in-house rub, and then cooks it to perfection over a 1500-Fahrenheit mesquite, lump-wood, charcoal grill. But wait, once the meat has rested the chef finishes it off with European butter. This unique preparation results in a steak both succulent and flavorful, showcasing Hideaway’s dedication to excellence. 2345 W. 112th Ave., Westminster, hideawaysteakhouse.com
Beef at Black + Haus Tavern
No list of steak cuts would be complete without mentioning beef ribs. We recommend heading to one of the two Black + Haus Taverns for the Boneless Braised Short Rib ($32). It’s a flavorful combination of rib meat and fat, sourced from one of four sections of the cow, including chuck, plate, rib, or brisket. After a slow braise, the meat becomes incredibly tender, practically melting into a buttery consistency and falling apart with each bite. Served atop a bed of wild mushroom risotto and finished with a rich mushroom demi-glace, this dish is a true comfort food delight.
Bonus, pair the short rib with a glass or bottle of wine from the restaurant’s extensive wine list, or one of the 150 varieties of whiskey the bar sports. 19501 Mainstreet, Parker; 2439 Main St., Littleton, blackhaustavern.com
Sponsored by Buckhead Pride
