America’s Best Restaurants / Peter Luger Steak House

America’s Best Restaurants – Peter Luger Steak HouseThursday 30 July, 2009 8:15 am | Boutique Hotels, New York Hotels, Restaurants | Steven

Went out for steak last night to celebrate my dad’s birthday, and I guess I’ve still got beef on the brain. If only today’s feature would come to Texas (don’t really care where. I’d drive it.)

If you take your steaks seriously at all, you’ve probably heard of Peter Luger Steak House, a Brooklyn landmark voted by the Zagat Survey as the #1 steakhouse in New York City for an incredible 24 years running. Opened in 1887, the place is almost whimsically old-fashioned, boasting a Zen-simple menu, bizarre payment options, uber-manly décor and, oh yeah, some righteous steaks.


Before we get to some of the more unusual features of Peter Luger, let’s start with what everyone can agree they get just right: the steaks. Most high-end steakhouses tout USDA Prime beef, but according to Peter Luger’s buyer, Jody Storch, that’s really just the beginning. Meat is purchased daily after Jody’s discerning examination. Not even most Prime beef meets her exacting standards. You could say she only buys the prime of the Prime. (See her in action)

The highest quality beef on-hand, Peter Luger dry ages every steak in-house. Dry aging allows moisture to evaporate from the meat cuts slowly, intensifying the rich beef flavor without over-dehydrating the steaks. After several days (I’ve seen places take it to 48, though I’m not sure about Peter Luger), the meat is finally ready and sent upstairs to the restaurant.

Don’t expect a full page of different cuts to choose from. Peter Luger specializes in the Porterhouse steak, offered by number of diners rather than weight. You can order a single for yourself, or make it monster serving up to four people, served to the table on a 400-degree plate and already cut up for your convenience.


Appetizer offerings are just as straight-forward: a plate of sliced tomatoes with sauce, tomatoes and onion with sauce, a nice Caesar salad, or the heart-threateningly delicious extra thick bacon by the slice. There’s nothing fancy about any of it, but when you use top-quality ingredients and prepare them just right, there’s really no need to be.

Oh, for dessert, it’s got to be the pecan pie. They have other options, but this is the one you want.

Another standout feature of Peter Luger Steak House is that they do not accept credit cards. Either you pay cash or you order a Peter Luger Card, essentially an in-house dining card. They also have a store, selling everything from memorabilia to their signature Peter Luger Sauce to the steaks themselves, butcher shop-style. You can even have uncooked steaks mailed to you.

Though it seems old-fashioned at times (and hey, maybe that’s part of the charm), what really counts is the meat, and these steaks just can’t be beat. Beef-lovers the world over owe themselves a visit to Peter Luger Steak House in Brooklyn. Learn more about this restaurant here.

I’ve got a couple options I want to mention in New York City today, both of them in Manhattan but still pretty close to the steakhouse:

•Hotel Reserve - an awesome boutique Manhattan hotel located right across from the Federal Reserve Bank near Wall Street. It’s an awesome location for corporate travelers and really anyone who wants to experience the Big Apple.

•Hilton Garden Inn New York / Tribeca - Thanks to the Tribeca film festival, this area of south Manhattan is getting a lot more attention of late, and this fresh, welcoming Hilton offers a nice stay at a good price.