steaks
Before trying to open the UK’s best steak restaurant we travelled the world in search of the perfect steak, from Kobe in Japan to Argentina’s Pampas by way of Italy, Australia and Texas. And our verdict? That the best steaks come from carefully reared cattle right here in Britain.
The reputation of British beef is returning to where it deserves to be after a couple of decades in the wilderness. It used to be the envy of the beef-producing world: the animals that produce the best beef in America and Argentina originate from British cattle and even the Japanese crossed their famed Wagyu with British breeds in the nineteenth century to improve flavour.
It’s a crying shame, but most international beef now comes from cattle rapidly fattened on grain instead of grass. They’re often kept in close confinement and fed additives and growth-promoters so they can be slaughtered at a young age. All to make the process as quick and cheap as possible.
When we first opened our doors at Spitalfields in 2006, we made a commitment to serve only the very best beef that this country has to offer. Animal welfare and quality have been our focus and are things that we won’t compromise on.
We support traditional British farming methods and work with small farms around the country who raise cattle to our specific set of guidelines around the quality of the animal’s life, which is as high a standard as you’ll find anywhere in the world.
All our beef comes from cattle who have led a stress-free life and are fed on a natural diet of grass and hay. They are grown slowly in order to reach maturity and the best meat is selected, butchered by hand and dry-aged for 35 days, losing on weight but improving in flavour and tenderness
What makes our food so good?
Our food’s good because the ingredients are good. Expect beef from grass-fed, traditionally reared cattle; sustainable British seafood; local cheeses; seasonal fruits and vegetables — the sort of stuff that’s phenomenal as it is, before it even makes it to our kitchens.
