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Peter Luger Steak House

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Peter Luger Steak House
The interior bar section of the Brooklyn establishment
Map
Restaurant information
Established1887
Food typeSteakhouse
CityUnited States Brooklyn, New York
United States Great Neck, New York
Other informationCash, Gift Certfificate, Peter Luger Credit Card only
Websitewww.peterluger.com

Peter Luger Steak House is a steakhouse located in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, New York City, with a second location in Great Neck, New York, on Long Island.

Peter Luger has been named the best steakhouse in New York City by Zagat Survey for 24 years in a row.[1] The Brooklyn location is known for its long wooden bar, and the "dining rooms have a teutonic air, with exposed wooden beams, burnished oak wainscoting, brass chandeliers and weathered beer-hall tables." [2] The Brooklyn location now boasts a coveted Michelin star rating. In 2002, it was named to the James Beard Foundation's list of "America's Classics".

The only payment options at the restaurant are cash, a Peter Luger gift certificate or the Peter Luger credit card. They have recently added payment by debit as well (Nov 2009). [1]

History

The Brooklyn location was established in 1887 as "Carl Luger's Café, Billiards and Bowling Alley" in the then predominantly German neighborhood which would shortly thereafter be in the shadow of the Williamsburg Bridge. [3][4]

In 1950, the descendants of the original owners put the restaurant up for auction and Sol Forman bought it for "a whimsically low bid." His granddaughter, Jody Storch, now has the job of buying the meat for the restaurant.

In 1984, the Great Neck location was closed after a fire severely damaged the restaurant. It was reopened a year and a half later in 1986.[5]

Among the current owners of the restaurant is Amy Rubenstein, wife of Howard Rubenstein, the legendary PR man whose clients have included George Steinbrenner, Rupert Murdoch, and Donald Trump.[6] Famous guests have included James Cagney, Alfred Hitchcock, Robert De Niro, Henry Kissinger, and Johnny Carson.[7]

In July 2009, while having dinner at Peter Luger, New York Governor, David Paterson secretly swore in Richard Ravitch as Lieutenant Governor to oversee the stalemate-stricken State Senate. [8]

Steak for 4, served medium rare in Brooklyn

The menu at Peter Luger is sparse, with the focal point being a porterhouse steak sized for one to four.[9] Additionally, entrees include a rib steak, lamb, fresh seasonal fish and a rotating selection of daily lunch specials. The restaurant's supplementary dishes include a shrimp cocktail, beefsteak tomato and onion salad (served with steak sauce), German fries, french fries, creamed spinach, broccoli, onion rings, extra-thick bacon, and a variety of desserts.[10][11] [12]

Steaks are served pre-sliced on an inclined plate so that the juices run down. Further, the edges of the plates are heated to approximately 400 degrees Fahrenheit, allowing diners to cook their steak further if they so choose. Peter Luger also serves hamburgers, which are only available for lunch.[13]

The restaurant also features its own custom steak sauce which approximates the taste of cocktail sauce and traditional steak sauce.[14] Peter Luger also sells its steak sauce by mail order and through retailers around the country.

Spinoff Restaurants

Several waiters have since left Peter Luger's and have opened their own steakhouses with menus modeled after Peter Luger fare:

  • Wolfgang Zwiener founded Wolfgang's Steakhouse with two locations in Manhattan as well as locations in Beverly Hills and Waikiki[15]
  • Ben and Jack Sinanaj founded Ben & Jack's Steakhouse, with two locations in Manhattan [16]
  • Robert Dickert, great-grandson to Carl Luger, left New York City to establish Great Uncle Peter's steakhouse near Scranton, Pennsylvania[17]
  • MarkJoseph Steakhouse founded in 2000 and located in lower Manhattan
  • Charlie Blair and Joe Perrone founded the Blair Perrone Steakhouse in Manhattan which has since closed[18]
  • Joseph Kustra opened Joseph's Steakhouse in Bridgeport, Connecticut in the year 2000. Kustra had worked at Peter Luger's as executive chef for 15 years. [19]

References

  1. ^ a b Zagat, Peter Lugers
  2. ^ New York Times review
  3. ^ Our Story, Peter Lugers
  4. ^ Bernardo, Leonard and Jennifer Weiss. Brooklyn by Name:How the Neighborhoods, Streets, Parks, Bridges and More Got Their Names. New York. NYU Press:2006.
  5. ^ DINING OUT; WHERE THE STEAK REIGNS SUPREME. New York Times, May 11, 1986
  6. ^ Annals of Communications : The Fixer: Reporting & Essays: The New Yorker
  7. ^ TONY chews the fat with a 37-year Peter Luger institution: waiter Wolfgang Zwiener
  8. ^ Parker, Billy (July 9, 2009). "Ravitch Was Secretly Sworn In At Peter Luger's". Gothamist.
  9. ^ The Special Is Steak, and More Steak. New York Times, February 14, 1993
  10. ^ About.com review
  11. ^ Fodor's review
  12. ^ http://www.peterluger.com/menu-bklyn.cfm
  13. ^ Peter Luger's Burgers in The New York Times
  14. ^ Peter Luger Steak House Old Fashioned Sauce (company website)
  15. ^ Time Out New York review: Wolfgang's Steakhouse
  16. ^ Time Out New York review: Ben & Jack's Steakhouse
  17. ^ Great Uncle Peter's
  18. ^ Time Out New York review: Blair Perrone Steakhouse
  19. ^ http://www.josephssteakhouse.com/

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