Fancy a Steak?However you like it, here's our guide to the best steak in Swindon
Sometimes there's nothing better than a perfectly cooked steak.
Lucky for us, then, that there's a few places in Swindon that specialise in cooking just that. The real experts who source only the very best cuts, then flash it over the heat so it's done just as you like it.
And we've been out to meet a few of them to ask what goes into preparing, cooking and serving a real top-class steak.
Inglesham Forge
Highworth, North Swindon
Manuel Gomez, the owner and head chef at The Inglesham Forge, has been winning awards for his food for over 30 years.
But it's his steaks that he's best know for.
"It's the care you put into the preparation that make the difference," he told us, "the cooking is the easy bit."
"The way you trim the fat and make the steak lean and tender without losing the flavour is all-important.
"Fillet is the very best cut in my opinion. Some say it doen't have the flavour but I disagree.
"Our house seasoning is an Inglesham Forge secret, so I won't tell you that but, above all, you have to love what you're doing. It shows in the cooking.
Favourite cut: Fillet - English, locally sourced from Lechlade
Cooked: Medium-rare
El Toro
Old Town
This is a specialist steak restaurant in Old Town, with owner and highly experienced chef Ed Dabbs in the kitchen.
"Cooking, especially a properly cooked steak, is a passion of mine," Ed says.
"The beef we use is authentic Argentinian and prepared with our own homemade seasoning using, amongst other ingredients, fresh garlic, limes, herbs and olive oil.
"The heat is the key, so I use a Parilla to grill the steaks with an even distribution so the heat's not too intense.
"The biggest misconception is also that a well-done steak will have the blood cooked out of it. It's not true, it seals it in but with the flavour lost. Medium-rare is best."
Favourite cut: Rib-Eye - from Patagonia, Argentina
Cooked: Medium-rare
Swindon pubs and restaurants well-known for their steaks
Restaurant 20 at
The Kings, Old Town
New Chef Darren Turner buys in a locally-sourced hind-quarter and cuts his own sirloins and fillets. "We roll and cut our fillet to order," he told us. "And marinade our steaks for a minimum of 4-days in a unique recipe of pepper corns, rosemary, thyme, bay leaf and garlic."
Wood St, Old Town, Swindon
Tel: 01793 784584
Weighbridge Brewhouse, Swindon
After 25 years at the award-winning Three Crowns at Brinkworth, steak lovers will be please to know owner Anthony Windle is continuing the traditional here in Swindon at this new restaurant.
All cuts are personally selected by the man himself, with preparation and cooking as you would expect from one of the top chefs in the area.
Fillet, sirloin & rib-eye are of course on the menu, plus you can choose from the likes of House Aged West Country Beef, Entrecote Steak on the bone & Cote de Boeuf for two people - all available with an incredible selection of sauces.
Chiseldon House, Chiseldon
AA-rated with 2 rosettes. Choose between the rib-eye served at lunch or the pan-fried fillet on the a la carte dinner menu. Both pretty special.
The Plough at Badbury
The Plough at Badbury serves some of the best, freshly prepared home cooked food in Wiltshire, including some top-notch steak & grill dishes.
Fratello's
Not the first place that comes to mind when you think of steak, but their Italian style grills will have you coming back for more!
The Rat Trap, Stratton
A popular pub in Stratton who serve a 16oz T-bone house-speciality, if your appetite is big enough!
The Tawny Owl, north Swindon
This pubs serves upwards of 500 steaks a month, so they must be doing something right. All the favourites are on offer: fillet, sirloin, rib-eye with a selection of sauces.
Saracen's Head, Highworth
Steak on a budget here but exceptional value at just £6 for a very nice piece of 8oz rump with peas and chips. Available every lunchtime except Sunday & evenings, Monday-Thursday.
Steak Nights
The Glasshouse restaurant at Marsh Farm hotel have a steak night every Saturday evening.
Two sirloin steak + a bottle of house wine for £27.
The Highworth, Highworth
Another good deal that includes drinks, this time on a Wednesday night. Two steaks and a bottle of good quality white or red for £25.
Bakers Arms, Badbury
As far as we know, the only actual steak CLUB in Swindon. Steaks, large & small, plus some unusual cuts are available.
The Bakers Arms also offer something they call the Badbury Beast! So for those who really fancy a culinary challenge, it's well worth checking out.
Veal
Not your usual thick piece of sirloin, but properly sourced and prepared, veal is a steak dish uniquely full of flavour - either grilled or fried.
The Italians do this the best and there's plenty of choice in Swindon.
And... something more extreme?
The Crown at Broad Hinton
The Crown at Broad Hinton regularly hold what they call 'Extreme Steak Nights' with a prime choice of fillet, rump and sirloin on offer, all cut to the size and weight you decide.
Please contact the pub for details of their next event.
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