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When we say “Power Meal,” what comes to mind? A corporate dinner? Metal credit cards? Over-cologned men in ill-fitting suits comparing golf scores? Butcher & Singer is Power Meal incarnate, and while you will find all of the above there, it’s also one of the best steakhouses in the city.
photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo
photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo
photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo
Butcher & Singer is one of many steakhouses near Rittenhouse Square, but unlike the others, this one feels like a majestic art deco clubhouse. It looks like the private club where fat cats compared gold bars before the crash of ‘29. Before the bone-in filets and seafood platters, this building was a bank, and it still feels like you could walk in and ask for $100 in pennies without anyone batting an eye. The booths are tufted leather, the lounge seats pink velvet, and the servers wear tuxedos and use phrases like “excite your palate” to describe the escargot. It’s all a bit over-the-top, but it’s what makes Butcher & Singer so special.
photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo
The menu is about as classic as a steakhouse can get. There are raw-bar cocktails, wedge salads and crab cakes, and enough steak and side options to get you through a nuclear apocalypse. The steaks are served simply with a salty dry rub at the perfect temperature. Although they’re all delicious, the Delmonico should be your top priority. The marbled marvel is rich and juicy on its own, but we’d suggest getting it Oscar-style—served with asparagus, lump crab, and béarnaise sauce. The rack of lamb is also a standout, and the crispy, creamy stuffed hash brown is potato royalty.
photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo
photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo
photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo
As grandiose as the atmosphere is, some of the food is a letdown—especially for the prices you’ll pay. The tuna tartare is fresh but flavorless, and accompanied, for some reason, by white bread. The mac and cheese is just pasta tossed in a cheese sauce, and the vermouth in the oysters Rockefeller drowns out any sign of spinach or butter.
photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo
Whether the meal is going on your metal card or someone else’s, you want to save Butcher & Singer for that fresh haircut or new outfit. Yes, it’s a “Power Meal,” but it’s not pretentious, so it’s fun for a date night, or a celebration with friends or colleagues. Just take it easy on the cologne.
Food Rundown
photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo
Escargot
You can smell these bad boys coming from a few tables away, and when you do, you’ll regret not ordering them. A half dozen come slathered in garlicky, buttery, white wine goodness.
photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo
The Delmonico
You can’t go wrong with any of the steaks, but this is their specialty (and for good reason). It’s bone-in, thick cut, and thoroughly marbled, so every bite is buttery and flavorful. Servers may recommend you get this covered in peppercorn, but we strongly recommend skipping the au poivre.
photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo
Porterhouse
This is the perfect steak for sharing with one or more. It's part New York strip and part filet mignon, making it a great choice for the indecisive.
photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo
Rack of Lamb
If you’ve had your fill of steak but still crave red meat (take it easy, Gordon Gekko), the rack of lamb is a fantastic choice. It’s lamb-y and gamey, in the best way. Order it medium for a ruby red center.
photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo
Stuffed Hash Browns
Crispy shredded potato on the outside, and a creamy blend of caramelized onions, sour cream, and herbs on the inside. If there was an Olympics of steakhouse sides, this would win gold.
photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo
Baked Alaska
If you are a fan of pound cake covered in ice cream and meringue, this is the best place in the city to get it.
photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo
Lemon Ice Box Pie
We know—it’s not cheesecake. But it’s exactly what you want after a decadent steak dinner. It’s essentially a lemon version of a great Key lime pie (buttery graham cracker crust, and creamy, citrusy filling).