San Telmo – Restaurant Melbourne CBD, Australia

San Telmo in a word?  Perfection. With its flawless food, commendable staff and alluring atmosphere – the Argentinian inspired steakhouse is without a doubt one of my new favourites. From the minute you walk through San Telmo’s doors the aromas of polished wood, charcoal-grilled meat and exotic spices tease the senses- whisking you away to a place a million miles from the Melbourne CBD.  Inside you have the epitome of a large bar and restaurant that has managed to maintain intimacy. Not the usual rectangular room, the L shape with a variety of seating arrangements including luxurious booths, lead to a focus on the fire of the grill and the chefs literally at the coalface. You are salivating the moment you walk past the grill into the restaurant.

The star of the San Telmo show is their meats; lovingly touched with the grill after being beautifully seasoned. One of their signature dishes is the O’Connor flank and hanger steaks, and even more luscious is the rib eye. They are generally cooked on the rare side of medium rare, depending on their fat content, sliced generously by the chefs, and served up alongside chimichurri, as well as some hotter sauces. Also, alongside the meats they serve some beautifully roasted champiñones with smoked kale, crumbed proscuitto, parsnip puree and Jerusalem artichoke chips.

With a way better than standard list of cocktails, reasonably priced and diverse beer and wine options (including many from Argentina/South America), and even a great semi-private room for groups, it seems all the boxes are ticked. Service is not a case of just box ticking though, it is genuine and knowledgeable; the nature of the dining room makes it seemingly easy to get attention, but it is also obvious that the waitstaff are eager to engage with their tables. Don’t miss to read the highlights of one of the Best Steakhouse Restaurants Melbourne, San Telmo below: