Bobby Flay’s top NYC steakhouse is a timeless favorite.

When celebrity chef and grilling maestro Bobby Flay feels like indulging in a good steak in New York City (unless he opts to prepare a delicious steak himself), he heads to Wolfgang’s Steakhouse located on Park Avenue in Manhattan.

Flay and his daughter, Sophie, featured Wolfgang’s on an episode of their Food Network program “The Flay List.” During the segment, Flay tells Sophie that he skips the menu because he has his go-to orders: chopped salad, onions and tomatoes, shrimp cocktail, creamed spinach, German-style hash-brown potatoes, and of course, the porterhouse steak.

“That’s the beauty of a classic steakhouse meal — it’s straightforward and expertly executed,” Flay remarks in the episode (via Amazon Prime). He describes the salads and shrimp cocktail as the “warmup” for the highlight: the sizzling cuts of dry-aged Prime beef that arrive at your table so hot they continue cooking.

“You can hear the juices of the steak sizzling on the edges of the plate, and then you’re served some creamed spinach and potatoes — they all pair wonderfully,” Flay adds. “It’s a substantial meal — truly one of my all-time perfect dishes.”

If you thought the Wolfgang in question refers to celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck, who is known for his numerous restaurants, including some steakhouses like the renowned Cut in New York, you’d be mistaken.

Wolfgang’s Steakhouse is actually founded by Wolfgang Zwiener, a former head waiter at Brooklyn’s Peter Luger’s, which is arguably New York City’s most iconic steakhouse. Zwiener spent many years at Luger’s before starting his own establishment in 2004.

The two Wolfgangs had a legal dispute over trademark rights after Zwiener’s burgeoning success on Park Avenue led him to open a location in Beverly Hills, close to one of Puck’s establishments. Although Zwiener won the court case and has expanded with locations in NYC, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Hawaii, and multiple locations in Asia, the Beverly Hills restaurant ultimately closed.

Wolfgang’s is well-regarded among national chains for offering some of the highest quality beef in just four cuts — ribeye, porterhouse, New York sirloin, and filet mignon — all graded USDA prime, dry-aged on-site, and carved by a dedicated in-house butcher. The flagship location at 4 Park Avenue has survived the COVID-19 pandemic and continues to operate. The restaurant is noted not only for its high-quality beef but also for its stunning vaulted tiled ceiling designed by Spanish architect Rafael Guastavino, a rare architectural feature in New York.

The porterhouse is a staple item in steakhouses because it consists of two different cuts of beef in one hearty steak, divided by a T-bone. One side features the tenderloin, while the other side contains the strip loin, making it an ideal option for diners with varied tastes. The tenderloin, also known as filet mignon, is soft and lean, while the strip loin (often referred to as New York strip) is more marbled for a richer flavor.

This expensive cut is perceived as one of the finest available, and mastering the cooking technique is essential as no chef wishes to ruin a valuable dish. You can grill or pan-sear a porterhouse, but because it should be a minimum of 1.25 inches thick, the best practice involves cooking it partially or entirely under the intense heat of a broiler, which is how Wolfgang’s prepares it, ensuring perfect doneness and a charred exterior.

Flay prefers his porterhouse medium-rare — although he has previously mentioned a penchant for cooking steaks (and burgers) medium to fully render the fat, enhancing the dish’s flavor and texture. It’s important to remember that a steak continues to cook after being removed from heat, which is a key reason why allowing meat to rest after grilling or broiling is vital. Since Wolfgang’s serves their steaks sliced and still sizzling on a steaming-hot plate, a medium-rare steak might reach medium doneness by the moment you start enjoying it. Just be sure not to delay too much!