And now, the meat. Until Ruth’s Chris arrived in Walnut Creek last year, no one could challenge Vic Stewart’s for the title of best steak house in the city. Well, you know what? Nobody still can. A decade ago, owners John Harrington and Lois Haight spent a million dollars renovating Walnut Creek’s defunct train station, which included turning an early-1900s Pullman car into a cozy private dining room. Vic’s steaks — big, juicy cuts of Certified Angus wet-aged for a month or so — aren’t just slopped on the plate with a pat of butter. They come old-school style (crusted in cracked black peppercorns) and new (topped with barbecue sauce and caramelized onions), and you don’t have to pay extra for some watery potato gratin. Vic’s list of wines and microbrewery beers is longer than a New Yorker article.
Readers’ Pick:
Outback Steakhouse
Multiple locations
Outback.com
