Thuet
Never one to take half-measures, Mark Thuet recently instituted his own beef program, contracting farmers to raise cattle to his (very well-marbled) specifications, visiting in person to hand-pick the best of the lot, then butchering and dry-aging the animals himself. The 60-day rib-eye ($45), served with seasonal veggies and frites, is astounding.

Cowbell
Before opening his fresh-and-local-focused neighbourhood bistro this past summer, chef Mark Cutrara spent four months as an apprentice at The Healthy Butcher (page 116). He buys half a cow directly from the farmer every week, dry-aging it for about 30 days, butchering it himself, and serving the entire beast, from nose to tail, in various menu choices. All that work pays off, in some of the city’s best steak frites ($25–$32). 1564 Queen St. W. (at Jameson Ave.), 416-849-1095.

The Drake Hotel
Chef Anthony Rose wowed critics in New York with his inventive, ingredient-driven cooking, but he says he never saw truly top-quality beef until he got to Toronto. All his steaks come from Kerr Farms, an organic outfit. With beef this good, Rose says, a chef shouldn’t get in the way; he seasons it ever so lightly (if at all) and sears it to perfection in a cast iron pan or over the grill ($39). Wows all around.

The Fifth Grill and Terrace
From a steak menu that includes prime Kobe beef and chateaubriand for two, chef J. P. Challet’s dry-aged Canadian bison rib-eye ($42) is an inspired choice. It’s leaner than beef, but also sublimely flavourful, framed with a thick fringe of glorious fat. Challet sears it on a flat-top plancha, then rests the meat in a special oven, in a beurre monté that amps up the flavour.

Langdon Hall
The phrase “worth the drive” was created for places such as this country inn, where chef Jonathan Gushue consistently whips up some of the province’s most remarkable meals. Hand-selected from Canadian stock and dry-aged for a minimum of 40 days by Cheese Boutique’s Agim Pristine, Langdon Hall’s rib-eye steak ($45) is easily one of the tastiest pieces of meat money can buy. One recent recipe saw Gushue cook it briefly sous vide with Islay scotch whisky, Szechuan peppercorns, thyme and butter, finishing it in a searing-hot pan. And with meat as well flavoured as this, Gushue says, he always serves truffles or garden-fresh root vegetables. “You’ve got to pair it with something that came from the earth.”