10 Canadian Steakhouses You Need to Try

At Sidecut, Whistler’s premiere steakhouse, intense salivation is triggered just by stepping through the front door. The meaty aromas wafting in the air are “intoxicating,” but the steaks are even more incredible; sourced from the top 2 percent of Alberta beef and aged for 40 days. Slabs are cooked using a 1,800 degree infrared grill that sears meat evenly while retaining its natural juices — a technique that some call “sorcery.”

For a delicious time, call Chopped Canada champ, Jessica Pelland, who’s opened charbar, an Argentinian-inspired steakhouse in Calgary that’s scoring rave reviews and award nominations. It’s no wonder; Chef Pelland studied in Argentina, cooking in kitchens and learning the art of Argentine grilling. Steak lovers recommend the succulent wood-grilled porterhouse, dry-aged for four months, paired with a generous glass of Argentine red, while others praise the gargantuan Gaucho burger.

The showstopper at Halifax’s CUT Steakhouse is the dry aged USDA prime beef, aged and butchered in-house. Each juicy slab has exquisite marbling, and is seasoned and seared until melt-in-your-mouth tender.Be sure to try the other East Coast-inspired dishes on the menu, like the lobster risotto or the lobster poutine, described by fans as “the best menu item in the city.”

Brace yourself for an “untamed” feast at Edmonton’s RGE RD, where the farm dictates the menu — including the meat courses. Chef Blair Lebsack prepares locally sourced, pasture-raised premium beef that’s seared in a wood-burning oven. The cuts of meat are ever-evolving, and paired with ingredients grown in Alberta’s bountiful backyard, such as Alberta field strawberries or market-fresh greens. It’s no wonder that diners call this place “a carnivore’s dream.”

There are plenty of fish in the sea, but you can’t go wrong with surf and turf at The Shore Club in Ottawa and Toronto. This stylish downtown restaurant offers craft cocktails and succulent seafood, paired with prime Alberta beef dishes like a New York striploin, filet mignon, or steak and lobster. Diners rave about the melt-in-your-mouth Beef Carpaccio starter, as well as the “buck-a-shuck” oysters on weeknights.

Raised in Argentina by Korean parents, Chopped Canada judge, Antonio Park brings Argentine asado (barbecue) to Montreal with his steakhouse, Lavanderia. And the menu is creating quite a stir: Park is the first chef in Canada licensed to import and serve real-deal Japanese Kobe beef. Order the house specialty, the “parrillada completa” — a mixed grill of meats — or if it’s on the specials menu, a Kobe beef burger.

With an acclaimed “steak program,” you’ll want to sign up for this course at Sims Corner Steakhouse and Oyster Bar, Charlottetown’s premier steakhouse. The grain-fed beef is raised on the island and aged in-house for 45 days, described by diners as “phenomenal.” Go for the ribeye — the “most distinctive and succulent steak” on the menu — with a platter of “to die for” oysters, harvested daily by local fishers.

Craving an oldie but goodie? Gotham has been the go-to steakhouse in Vancouver for over 20 years, serving Prime Grade Alberta beef, aged 28 days, as well as fresh seafood. Sink your teeth into a tender Porterhouse steak, or combine the best of both worlds with a plate of New York striploin paired with a juicy lobster tail.

There’s been a lot of buzz about STK in Toronto, a classic American steakhouse with a modern twist. This isn’t your father’s steakhouse — the seasonal menu appeals to diverse palates, from bite-sized Wagyu sliders to the ginormous dry-aged porterhouse steak. Expect USDA Prime and Black Angus Beef, along with haute cuisine like king crab, oysters and lobster. Here’s a secret: you can add lobster to the Mac and Cheese. Shhh!

For three decades, this little steakhouse on the prairie has attracted ordinary folks and celebrities alike, lured by a swanky space and first-rate steak. Diplomat Steakhouse serves some of the finest cuts of meat in Saskatchewan, from AAA Angus to bison and rack of lamb. But the other big draw is the award-winning booze program that features stellar wines and a collection of rare cognacs and ports.

Lisa Jackson is a food and travel writer based in Toronto who loves sinking her teeth into new flavours across Canada and abroad.