Where to eat steak

Steakhouses are so in vogue. Houston – and the rest of the country – has seen an  emergence of high-dollar beef emporiums in recent years, despite a soft economy. The buzz right now is centered around Steak 48 in the mixed-use River Oaks District at the corner of Westheimer Road and Westcreek Lane. Soon enough, the Phoenix import will be joined by the first Mastro’s in Texas at the 35-story tower The Post Oak.

Ironically, the Mastro’s brand was founded by Steak 48 owners and brothers Jeffrey and Michael Mastro. Houston-based Landry’s Inc. CEO Tilman J. Fertitta purchased Mastro’s Steakhouse in 2013. The Landry’s steak roster is growing longer. It boasts 11 beefy concepts, including Morton’s and McCormick & Schmick’s. But the grand-dame is Houston’s own Brenner’s Steakhouse, which is celebrating 80 years of grilling.

The oldest steakhouse in Houston was originally Brenner’s Cafe in 1936, serving fried chicken, sandwiches and steaks. Today, a 10-ounce center cut filet beef sells for $42. But back in 1950, a prime beef filet sold for $3.50. Steak is a timeless tradition in this town, and while our city is brimming with top-notch chains, from Sullivan’s and Del Frisco’s Double Eagle to Fleming’s and Smith & Wollensky, Houston also boasts its own homegrown brands, like Brenner’s. Here are other meat lover’s emporiums with roots that started in the Bayou City.

Brenner’s Steakhouse (1 Birdsall Street and 10911 Katy Freeway): With two locations, storied Brenner’s has built its reputation on juicy, prime steaks that are frequently paired with such sides as Lorene Brenner’s famous German-fried potatoes and homemade apple strudel.

Churrascos (five locations, including 947 Gessner Road,  B290): Nicaraguan-born Michael Cordúa is credited with introducing Latin American cuisine to Houstonians and the rest of the country in the late ’80s. Churrascos is a Spanish term that means grilled meats, and his juicy, chargrilled, center-cut beef and fried plantains continue to captivate.

Lynn’s Steakhouse & Seafood (955½ N. Dairy Ashford Road) Reminiscent of a French country inn, Lynn’s is a throwback to old Houston. Since 1985, this family-owned steakhouse has been serving aged prime steaks, veal, cold-water lobster and fine wines. Owner Loic Carbonnier’s cellar boasts about 900 labels, including treasured Burgundies.

Pappas Bros. Steakhouse (5839 Westheimer and 1200 McKinney Street): Gleaming with brass and always bustling, Pappas Bros. is the go-to place for award-winning wines from around the world and dry-aged prime steaks for many well-heeled oil and medical executives.

Vallone’s (947 Gessner): The brainchild of Tony Vallone and general manager/partner Scott Sulma, this Memorial Gateway Mall location features prime steaks aged on premise. Signature dishes include made-from-scratch pastas and 55-day, dry-aged bone-in ribeye.

Vic & Anthony’s (1510 Texas): Landry’s CEO Fertitta and father Vic traveled across the country, forking into the finest steaks before launching this downtown destination. Borrowing the best attributes from each place, they carefully crafted the decor and menu, so it’s no wonder the butter-laced steaks at Vic & Anthony’s were immediate hits.