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

When renowned chef and long-time Food Network star Bobby Flay craves a delicious steak in New York City (unless he opts to cook a perfectly tender steak himself), he heads to Wolfgang’s Steakhouse on Park Avenue, Manhattan.

Flay and his daughter, Sophie, featured Wolfgang’s on an episode of their Food Network show “The Flay List.” During the episode, Flay mentions that he skips the menu because he knows exactly what to get: 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 yet flawlessly executed,” Flay shares in the episode (via Amazon Prime). He elaborates that the salads and shrimp cocktail serve as the “warmup” for the main attraction: the sizzling cuts of dry-aged Prime beef that arrive at your table, still cooking hot.

“You can hear the juices of the steak bubbling along the edge of the plate, combined with some creamed spinach and the potatoes — it all complements each other perfectly,” Flay expresses. “It’s a serious meal — definitely one of my all-time favorite meals.”

You might think that the Wolfgang in question refers to the famous chef Wolfgang Puck, who owns several restaurants, including the popular Cut in New York. However, that’s not the case.

Wolfgang’s Steakhouse was actually founded by Wolfgang Zwiener, a former head waiter at Brooklyn’s iconic Peter Luger’s, arguably New York City’s most renowned steakhouse. Zwiener spent decades at Luger’s before launching his own establishment in 2004.

The two Wolfgangs encountered legal issues over trademark disputes after Zwiener’s success on Park Avenue prompted him to open a location in Beverly Hills, mere blocks away from one of Puck’s eateries. Although Zwiener won in court and has since expanded with more locations in NYC, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Hawaii, and several Asian countries, the Beverly Hills site ultimately closed down.

Wolfgang’s is celebrated among national chains for offering some of the finest high-quality beef in just four cuts — ribeye, porterhouse, New York sirloin, and filet mignon — all graded USDA prime, dry-aged on-site, and expertly carved by the restaurant’s in-house butcher. The original location at 4 Park Avenue bounced back following the COVID-19 pandemic and continues to be the flagship restaurant. Additionally, it’s noted for its vaulted tiled ceiling designed by Spanish architect Rafael Guastavino, one of the rarities still present in New York.

The porterhouse is commonly found on steakhouse menus as it combines two cuts of beef in a single thick steak, separated by a T-bone. The tenderloin is on one side, and the strip loin is on the other, making it ideal for sharing among diners with varying preferences. The tenderloin, also known as filet mignon, is softer and leaner, while the strip loin (sometimes called New York strip) has more marbling, offering a richer flavor.

This premium porterhouse is renowned as one of the finest steak cuts, and mastering its preparation is essential as no chef wants to waste ingredients — or money. A porterhouse can be grilled or pan-seared, but since a porterhouse should be at least 1.25 inches thick, cooking it partially or entirely under the intense heat of a broiler, as Wolfgang’s does, is another technique to attain the perfect doneness and crusty exterior.

Flay ordered his porterhouse medium-rare — although he has mentioned a preference for steaks (and burgers) cooked medium, as the additional cooking allows more fat to render, enhancing the meat’s flavor and texture. However, it’s important to note: A steak will continue to cook even after being removed from heat, which underscores the necessity of letting meat rest after grilling or broiling. Given that Wolfgang’s steaks are served sliced and still sizzling on a hot plate, a medium-rare steak might transition to medium by the time you dig in. Just be careful not to wait too long!