Vlado’s

Fifty years with no updates is rare in the hospitality industry. But Vlado’s, an iconic family-run steakhouse, is so well-regarded that it hasn’t needed a makeover since opening in 1964.

The table clothes are crisp white. Miscellaneous copper bowls hang from the ceiling. There are no windows – just walls of archaic photos of cows, juxtaposed against images of the international presidents, sportspeople and movie stars who have visited the joint over the past half-century. All of them had the privilege of meeting the late Vlado Gregurek, original founder and steak perfectionist.

His son Michael has taken the reins and ensures each patron has a welcoming, seamless experience. Longstanding waiters trained by the legend himself stand night after night behind a glass cabinet filled with the highest quality Australian meat. Wearing white gloves, they handle each piece with care and grace.

After a pork-and-beef sausage, a plate of liver, pork neck and burgers, your only selection in the four-course carnivorous affair is your preferred cut of steak. A black tray is brought to each table with a raw chunk of rump, fillet and porterhouse. You specify which hunk takes your fancy and how you’d like it cooked. From blue to well-done, it will undoubtedly be perfect. You’ll get a light salad, but that’s the only deviation from the theme.

As for drinks, there's a tight wine list of ferocious reds from Penfolds, Wynns, Leeuwin Estate and other benchmark producers.