A Taste of STK Across the Country
Aside from a few old-school steakhouses like Morton’s, few modern places have been able to successfully branch out across the country quite like STK. The primary restaurant of The ONE Group, it set itself apart with its focus on the social aspect of steakhouse dining, playing up its contemporary aesthetic and highlighting unique aspects like DJ booths, sexy decor and chic cocktails. It’s a formula that’s worked well for the brand, and seen it expand across the U.S. Another pivotal component is STK’s attention to local culture. By featuring unique flavors, dishes and drinks exclusive to each location, the restaurant is able to ingratiate itself into communities. From Miami to Chicago, here’s a taste of local flavor at each STK location.
Atlanta: Sourcing products from nearby farms in the Southeast, STK features entrees like roasted chicken from North Carolina’s Joyce’s Farms, served with braised baby artichokes, crushed fingerling potatoes and preserved Meyer lemon. The king salmon entree adopts a Southern accent with its ancient grain succotash and corn milk, while jalapeño-cheddar grits round out the sides.
Chicago: People in Chicago love Brussels sprouts almost as much as they like steak. Hence, the shaved Brussels sprouts salad is a local menu mainstay, outfitted with apple, cranberry, aged goat cheese and Marcona almonds. The chicken entree here is fried and served with peas, onions and green garlic, while lobster comes grilled Rockefeller-style, alongside leeks, spinach and king crab. To drink, sip the Summertime Fling, a rum and rosé medley with St-Germain, cranberry and sparkling wine.
Denver: When in Rome, do as the Romans do and order the Colorado rack of lamb. It doesn’t get any fresher or more local than this, served with romesco, fregola, bell peppers and mint oil. This is also the rare STK location to serve a STK sandwich, here layered with chili-rubbed strip steak, caramelized onions, arugula and blue cheese on a ciabatta roll.
Las Vegas: Tuna, scallops and crab tortellini are a few novelties in Las Vegas, where the starter selection is loaded with local originals. The tuna comes from Hawaii, served as tartare with avocado, soy-honey emulsion and taro chips; the scallops arrive with pancetta-braised kale, potato cream and Osetra caviar; and the crab tortellini gets enriched with pecorino crema.
Los Angeles: Market salads play a big role at the Los Angeles outpost, including one particularly lush version with jumbo lump crab, grapefruit, melon and hearts of palm. Vegetables really shine on entree plates too, like a free-range chicken with quinoa and pea shoots, and grilled lamb chops with smoked carrot puree and spring onions. For dessert, try the strawberry financier with pistachio, rhubarb compote, balsamic and pistachio ice cream.
Miami: On South Beach, STK pays homage to a fellow Florida city with the Orlando Pride cocktail, a blend of gin, lemon, raspberries and egg whites. On the food side, there’s a quinoa and crispy kale salad with feta, Hawaiian hearts of palm, English peas and a bracing yuzu ginger vinaigrette. This being Florida, seafood reigns supreme. With dishes like scallops with spring onion puree and short rib marmalade, or octopus with chorizo stew, lime crema and confit fingerling potatoes. For something heftier, big-eye tuna arrives in lemongrass-foie gras broth with scallions, glass noodles and lotus root.
New York City: Start with the grilled watermelon salad with goat feta, pickled red onions and watermelon gazpacho, along with Tuscan kale salad with truffle pecorino and spiced yogurt, then amp things up with roasted Maine lobster with herb butter, lobster bisque and baked lemon.
Orlando: What really sets the Orlando steakhouse apart is its kids’ menu and brunch, both of which are unique to this Disney Springs outpost. For the kids’ menu, there’s STK little cheese burgers, crispy mahi fingers, housemade chicken fingers, grilled chicken breast and mac & cheese. For brunch, there are sweets like cinnamon monkey bread and stuffed donuts, along with savories with “hangover” ceviche (shrimp, mussels, crab, octopus and jalapeño clamato), bacon “steaks,” avocado toast, short rib and egg sandwiches, fried chicken and funnel cakes, and shrimp and grits.