Big Apple flavour, British hospitality
The pastrami on rye has become Britain's most expensive sandwich, and nobody seems to be asking why. We weighed, measured and priced our way from Spitalfields to Leeds to find out which delis deserve the New York name — and which are just charging for the accent.
From watercress-stuffed Cobbs to baked bean-topped Caesars, Britain's take on the classic New York deli salad is a minefield of well-meaning additions. We taste-tested five UK versions against the originals to settle the question: adaptation or betrayal?
The chopped cheese was never meant to leave the Bronx. Yet somehow it's ended up on chalkboards in Peckham, Northern Quarter windows and even a motorway services. We travelled the country to find out which British versions actually earn the name.
The Buffalo wing crossed the Atlantic decades ago, but somewhere over the ocean it lost its crackle. We trace the sauce's origins from upstate New York to Brooklyn bar menus, taste our way across Britain's sports bars, and rank the spots getting it right — plus a home-oven method that finally delivers.
Nobody hands you a rulebook when you book your first proper American chophouse — you just have to feel your way through the bread basket and hope for the best. Here's our cheeky decoder for the unspoken laws of the NY grill, from the sacred early seating to the fine art of ordering a steak rarer than you dared at your local.
Côte de boeuf for two pushing past £120, wagyu flights that outprice a weekend in the Cotswolds — Britain's top-end steakhouses have entered genuinely silly territory. We asked the maître d's, the suppliers and the punters whether the pleasure matches the price tag.
We rang, booked and ate our way across Britain to find out what a midweek New York strip supper really costs. From £68-a-head chophouses to a £14 DIY triumph, here's where your money actually goes.
Something odd has happened on the UK's drinks menus over the past couple of years: the fluorescent orange spritz has started giving way to a sturdier, older, more American order. We ask British bartenders why steakhouse diners are reaching for rye, and share a foolproof Manhattan recipe you can pour at home.
Two puddings, one blindfolded tasting panel and a fridge full of Philadelphia. We pitted a proper baked New York cheesecake against the biscuit-based British classic to find out which one earns its place after the ribeye.
The smash burger never made it onto the sit-down menus of Manhattan, and that's precisely the point. We test British beef blends, presses and baps — from brioche to a proper barm — to build the definitive NYC-style burger for UK gardens and kitchens.
We bought porterhouse and T-bone steaks blind from butchers in London, Manchester and Glasgow, then handed them to an independent expert for grading. The results reveal a surprising amount of mislabelling — and where the genuinely great cuts are hiding.
A proper New York chophouse dinner — strip steak, a martini, creamed spinach, cheesecake — will set you back the best part of £100 in London. We challenged three budget cooks to recreate the whole thing for £15 a head, and the results surprised us.
Pastrami is brisket's loudest, briniest, most swaggering cousin — and you can make it in a British kitchen with nothing more exotic than a fridge, some spices and two days of patience. Here's how to build a proper deli night at home, pickleback included.
American-style table service has crossed the Atlantic, but not every transplant survives the journey. We look at which US steakhouse habits belong in British restaurants — and which should be sent straight back.
Bristol's doing brunch, the City's doing power steaks — but which New York borough is your dinner party actually channelling? Take our cheeky quiz, then steal our menu and wine pairings for a themed night in.
We booked in under fake names, ordered the ribeye, and took notes on the napkins. Our anonymous critic ranks the UK's most hyped New York-style grills on atmosphere, portions, price and whether the Big Apple is really on the plate.
The New York strip is the steak that named a thousand restaurants — yet nobody can agree what to call it. We untangle the sirloin confusion, compare UK supermarket and butcher offerings, and crown the best-value cut on the high street.
Every proper New York chophouse begins the evening the same way: with a cold Martini, a stiff Manhattan and a bit of theatre. Here's how to bring that pre-dinner ritual home, without needing a Manhattan budget or a Brooklyn flat.
Forget the London steakhouse monopoly — from Glasgow's wood-fired chophouses to Bristol's basement grills, regional chefs are redefining what a New York-style steakhouse means on British soil. We speak to the cooks betting on local beef and big flavour.
The steak gets the glory, but the sides make the meal. We rank the classic steakhouse accompaniments from forgettable to essential — with honest notes on which ones you can nail at home and which you should leave to the pros.