The period spanning the early 2010s to the early 2020s saw a significant shift in the restaurant industry, driven by growing consumer interest in ethical and sustainable food, which in turn boosted demand for more plant-based menu options.
Dan Barber’s The Third Plate, published in 2014, envisioned a future in which vegetables moved to the center of the plate and meat was relegated to a supporting role. The reduction of red meat consumption was confirmed in a 2022 study by McKinsey & Co. This trend toward plant-based cuisine was adopted by some high-profile establishments, such as the acclaimed Michelin three-starred restaurant Eleven Madison Park in New York City, which transitioned to a fully vegan menu following the pandemic, and by online platforms such as Epicurious, which reduced its coverage of beef recipes. However, this trajectory has recently undergone a sharp, distinct reversal in the restaurant industry as illustrated by Eleven Madison Park’s decision to reintroduce meat and fish to its menu.
Last month, the media platform Eater included the “Steakhouse Revival” in its list of “The Best Food and Dining Trends of 2025.” Its deputy editor, Hilary Pollack, wrote: “I’m thrilled about the return of steakhouses – or at least the renewed cultural obsession with them. I love settling into a red leather booth with a martini and a blue-cheese-smothered wedge salad before sawing into a medium-rare ribeye. Give me pâté, scalloped potatoes, creamed spinach … this is what life is about. Steakhouses never truly went away, but the appreciation for them again brings a tear to my eye.”
Despite reaching record-high prices this year, beef has made an unapologetic return to the center of the plate. The steakhouse resurgence could be seen as “revenge eating” – a reaction to the self-deprivation some people experienced over the last five years, even as political campaigns, such as those of RFK Jr. and Trump, push to “Make America Healthy Again.”
High-quality steaks, considered a special-occasion indulgence, are appearing on restaurant menus at prices exceeding $100 – a figure once considered prohibitively expensive. At Caprae restaurant in Champaign, where I’m employed, we decided not to put a steak on our winter menu because we felt the price we’d have to charge put it out of reach for many of our guests.
This summer, Cincinnati’s Wildweed restaurant kept popping up on my Instagram feed, making it impossible to ignore. Wildweed had earned significant acclaim, making the New York Times’ 50 Best Restaurants, Esquire’s Best New Restaurants and Bon Appétit’s Best New Restaurants 2025 lists. Intrigued, I arranged a weeklong, unpaid internship (or stage) at Wildweed. I returned with a host of new recipes and concepts, many of which I plan to feature in future columns. However, Wildweed is relevant to today’s column on the paradoxical rise in the popularity of steakhouses because it was the first time I’ve encountered a $105 ribeye on a menu!
Despite widespread concerns about “affordability,” the classic American steakhouse is enjoying a notable comeback. This resurgence is paradoxical, as the surging cost of beef, which significantly outpaces other food prices, has elevated ultra-premium steak to a new symbol of luxury in high-end dining. Data from the Consumer Price Index shows beef prices jumped by 14.7% in 2025 over 2024 – a much higher increase than the 3.1% rise in overall food costs.
The “$100 steak” signals a revitalization of the classic steakhouse, reshaping the concept of high-end dining. This trend is fueled by a consumer base seeking aspirational and memorable experiences, for whom the expensive steak represents not just a meal, but a status symbol, a carefully orchestrated culinary event and a form of entertainment. Consequently, these diners are prepared to spend a premium for exceptional ingredients, masterful cooking and a sophisticated atmosphere. While the broader restaurant industry prepares for a challenging year marked by persistent inflation and cost-conscious diners, for a substantial segment of the market, the steakhouse’s promise of ultimate indulgence means the price is not a barrier. Far from deterring customers, reservation numbers have surged, with patrons seemingly viewing the high cost as a predictable luxury they are willing to prioritize.
Despite the sky-high cost of beef, luxury steakhouses are flourishing, with notable celebrity chefs opening new locations. For instance, humanitarian and chef José Andrés has established six branches of his steakhouse concept, Bazaar Meats. Signature offerings include a bone-in wagyu ribeye from Oregon at $98 per pound and Japanese wagyu for $65 per ounce.
Similarly, Michelin-starred chef Daniel Boulud, who holds four stars across three of his New York City restaurants, recently launched La Tête d’Or. This restaurant features a 16-ounce black angus ribeye, dry-aged for 28 days, priced at $120, and a lavish 16-ounce Snake River Farms Gold Label Chateaubriand for $180.
In Chicago, Jenner Tomaska, the Michelin-starred chef behind Esmé, introduced The Alston. This glamorous steakhouse features a sophisticated, on-site meat locker for dry-aging steaks, a process that maximizes tenderness and intensifies flavor by breaking down enzymes. A 16-ounce Vander Farms boneless full blood wagyu, dry-aged for 21 days, is available for $110.
Steakhouses can evoke a powerful sense of nostalgia, a retreat to an earlier time of economic prosperity and less environmental concern, making them a timeless hub for indulgence and high-powered dining. Sitting in a steakhouse with a stiff drink and a large knife before a rare piece of beef evokes a feeling of power. After all, the act of consuming meat is the ultimate demonstration of dominance.
After a 40-year career as a dentist, Peter Glatz has embarked on a fulfilling second career, exchanging his lab coat and scalpel for a chef’s coat and knife.
This article appears in January 08-14, 2026.
