Food

Sophie’s Steakhouse & Bar

Photo: Paul Winch-Furness

I hadn’t been to this Fulham Road stalwart for a couple of years, but I was reassured, on walking into the bustling bar, that nothing appeared to have changed: this was and still is a buzzy, unpretentious hang-out on “the beach”.

 

Eleven years on from its opening in 2002, Sophie’s is a West London establishment, albeit one with a North American bent. Sitting by the bare brick walls of the bar, sipping a 10oz chili passion fruit martini, brought back vivid memories of drinking and dining in New York, and, I discover, this should be no surprise: Sophie gained inspiration for her venture from visits to traditional steakhouses during a road trip to New York & Chicago with friends in early 2000.

 

Although it isn’t possible to book, I didn’t sit long enough at the bar to finish my martini (a blessing as this may have finished me off before I’d even begun eating) as the wait for the table was not long.

 

I mentioned our Argentinean honeymoon in my last review but it would be remiss not to mention it again when writing about a steakhouse. As the name suggests, the steak is the restaurant’s raison d’être. Again the steak served here is as tasty and tender as anything I consumed in Argentina, and it didn’t break the bank. The great taste and relatively affordable price tag is thanks to the fact that Sophie’s buys whole beef carcasses directly from her Oxfordshire family farm and the pure-bred Aberdeen Angus is hung for a minimum of 28 days and butchered in-house. 

Sophie’s isn’t only about the steak; we got to the beef via a starter of calamari to share: this was crisp with a deliciously garlicky mayonnaise (£8.95).

 

Whilst my companion had the 8oz fillet (£27.95), for which see above, I opted for an interesting take on a hamburger, the Black Angus Burger (£15.95). This was mince, “carpaccio style”, essentially steak tartar lightly grilled and served in a bun. The result was one of the most succulent hamburgers I have tried. We washed this down with Sophie’s reserve claret (£29.95), on the reliable recommendation of our waiter.

 

For those who have neither the time nor the inclination to trek to South Kensington to sample the delicious steak Sophie’s has to offer, the good news is that there is a Covent Garden sister restaurant, so no one need miss out on some of the best steak in London.

Photo: Paul Winch-Furness

 

29-31 Wellington St

Covent Garden, London
020 7836 8836

 

311-313 Fulham Road, London SW10 9QH 0207 352 0088 (no reservations)

 

www.sophiessteakhouse.co.uk

 

Camilla Norton