It’s hard to beat a juicy cut of steak, tender and perfectly seasoned, oozing juices into a pile of crispy chips. At the latest Eat Out DStv Food Network Restaurant Awards, it was the Local Grill in Parktown, Sandton and Boksburg which took home the honours for best steakhouse in the country. To help you find top quality beef wherever you are in the country, here are the best of the rest:

Johannesburg
Butcher Shop and Grill
Speciality: Rib eye steak (off the bone)
Price: R145

The Butcher’s Block
Speciality: wing rib 700g steak
Price: R165

Carnivore Restaurant
Speciality: the rump steak, on a skewer which you cook over an open fire in the middle of each table.
Price: R195 per person for the set menu

Gray Restaurant
Speciality: Liquorice root-smoked entrecôte, with beetroot puree, wild mushroom ravioli and a cognac raisin jus.
Price: R180 for two people

The Grillhouse
Speciality: fillet on the bone (a special cut of fillet which allows it to be matured for ten days making it more flavourful and juicy)
Price: R180 (300g without the bone)

HQ
Speciality: sirloin steak with Café de Paris herbed butter sauce
Price: R155

Karoo Cattle and Land
Speciality: grain fed beef served in all cuts
Price: R105 (300g rump); R85 (250g sirloin); R150 (750g T-bone)

The Local Grill (Parktown)
Speciality: fillet rubbed with a house mix ofspices
Price: R110 (200g)

The Local Grill (Boksburg)
Speciality: Greenfields free range wing rib
Price: R220 (500g); R293 (700g)
Or: Shalmar wing rib
Price: R150 (500g); R205 (700g)

The Local Grill (Sandton)
Speciality: Greenfields free range wing rib
Price: R220 (500g); R293 (700g)
Or: Shalmar wing rib
Price: R150 (500g); R205 (700g)

Smith and Wollensky Steakhouse
Speciality: Rump camembert (a juicy pepper steak topped with camembert cheese)
Price: R95

Thunder Gun Steakhouse
Speciality: the Boston fillet (which is a fillet steak with a bacon and mushroom roof)
Price: R118 (200g); R138 (300g)

Turn n Tender
Speciality: Caveman rib eye steak (a 800g rib eye steak on an extended bone)
Price: R180

Wombles Steakhouse Restaurant
Speciality: fillet on the bone (Not always available, so call ahead to check whether this special is in stock)
Price: R170

Pretoria

Karoo Cattle and Land
Speciality: massive fillet steak (550g), meant for sharing
Price: R190

Durban

The Grill Room
Speciality: Midlands grass fed beef, flame-grilled in a Josper Spanish Charcoal Grill, with bone marrow and herb crust, parmesan roasted tomato, Béarnaise sauce and OBH crispy potatoes
Price: R165

Harvey’s Restaurant
Speciality: Black peppered fillet steak
Price: R138
Or: Beef fillet with shiraz reduction and oyster tempura
Price: R182

Havana Grill
Speciality: Triple A beef T-bone (rubbed withMaldon salt, black pepper, thyme and mustard seeds and flame grilled)
Price: R115 (400g); R145 (600g)

Steak and Ale
Speciality: pepper fillet steak
Price: R120 (300g)
Or: the jalapeño, avocado and cream cheese fillet
Price: R135 (300g)

Cape Town

Barristers Grill Café
Speciality: the Barristers fillet steak (300g), topped with mushroom, garlic and pepper sauce.
Price: R155

Belthazar Restaurant & Wine Bar
Speciality: the Chicago cut (a rib eye steak with a bit of fat on the side to seal in the flavour)
Price: on request (subject to availability)

Carne SA
Speciality: 1.2kg T-bone steak cut off the bone, rolled and marinated in olive oil and rosemary. Serves two people.
Price: R320

Dale’s Black Angus
Speciality: Rib seared cut fillet (250g), matured for 21 days, roll-grilled and topped with an in-house herb butter.
Price: R130

HQ
Speciality: HQ only serve sirloin steaks. They’re organic, free range and matured for a number of days.
Price: R155

Hussar Grill (Rondebosch)
Speciality: the Prime Rib; a 500g rib-eye steak on the bone.
Price: R135

Jakes on Summerley
Speciality: the black mushroom, garlic and cheddar sirloin
Price: R105
Or: the port and wild mushroom fillet
Price: R128

Theo’s Grill
Speciality: fillet on the bone
Price: R140

Winelands

Bens on the Beach
Speciality: beef wing rib chop which is cut daily in limited quantities and served with the backbone removed
Price: 128
Or: fillet au Poivre which is a rolled fillet with pepper and brandy cream
Price: R124
Or: Kentucky rib eye steak
Price: R118

The Grillroom
Speciality: fillet (which is the most popular steak on their menu and also the most tender with the least amount of fat)
Price: R115 (200g)
Or: the rib eye
Price: R105

By Katharine Jacobs and Kelly Pluke