Acclaimed Melbourne steakhouse San Telmo has officially opened in Brisbane City
Fire, ritual and red wine sit at the heart of San Telmo Brisbane, the first interstate outpost of Melbourne’s acclaimed Argentinian steakhouse. Inspired by Buenos Aires and built for Brisbane, the restaurant pairs charcoal-grilled fare with a warm, lived-in atmosphere and a drinks list loaded with imported Argentinian drops. Here’s a look inside the Edward Street newcomer.
At San Telmo Brisbane, rituals are commonplace.
“The magic all starts with the fire in the morning – the magic of the parrilla, the charcoal grill,” says restaurant director and opening manager Ben Robinson. “Getting the fire started in the morning is almost a ceremony.”
While rites and routines are typically uncommon at venues as new as San Telmo, the inner-city steakhouse isn’t new. Well, not technically.
San Telmo is an established name in the Melbourne dining scene, a steak institution famed for its unabashed celebration of Argentinian asado culture. In that sense, San Telmo Group’s Brisbane outpost, while new, is building upon an established legacy that hinges on sacred, time-tested social rituals.
It’s this DNA that has helped San Telmo feel fully formed since it officially opened to the public on Monday June 29. The processes feel smooth, the service style is polished and the fare, according to early reports, is on par with its Melbourne counterpart.
Much of that tone-setting can be attributed to Ben and head chef Mikey Dalton – two San Telmo Group veterans who have spent the past three years in Brisbane laying the groundwork for the restaurant’s arrival. According to Ben, Brisbane has always been on the cards as a potential expansion site, whether for an established concept or a new one.
“Brisbane was on the boom, especially coming out of COVID,” says Ben. “All of that transition and growth – combined with where we were at – certainly made the move pretty easy to decide.
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“We were originally thinking of some different names, but we kept coming back to San Telmo. I think it’s important that we carry on that legacy and try to represent it as best we can.”
San Telmo Brisbane’s location at 60 Edward Street – nestled in close proximity to Anyday’s culinary citadel (The French Exit, Golden Avenue and Le Royale), DAP & Co.’s Naldham House precinct, Walter’s Steakhouse and Nick Pinn’s Osso Bar Italia – places the restaurant in the middle of one of The City’s most exciting pockets.
Working with interior architect Kate Archibald, Ben and Mikey have sought to make San Telmo stand out with an aesthetic that blends the old-world patina of Buenos Aires with a sense of colourful vivacity and textured opulence.
From the outside, San Telmo beckons with its cream render facade, burgundy awnings and vivid red neon signage. Once across the threshold, guests are greeted by American walnut furnishings, blackened steel accents, custom siphon pendant lights (crafted from vintage Argentinian soda bottles), black-and-white checkerboard floor tiles and upholstery in various hues, from cinnamon and nutmeg to deep burgundy.
Though a new build, San Telmo feels worn-in, like it’s been operating for years. Ben says this was an intentional decision made with the goal of framing San Telmo as approachable while still being polished.
“We wanted to keep it rustic and warm,” says Ben. “It’s all about having a variation of materials – marble tables, dark oak woods, leather, reclaimed timber and brass details. All those things just add up and hopefully help the space feel nice and inviting.”
The centrepiece of the venue is, undoubtedly, the open kitchen. Anchored by a custom charcoal parrilla grill, which can be seen from every seat in the house, this nexus is abuzz with Mikey and his team lending flame and smoke to San Telmo’s menu, which Ben says shares similarities with Melbourne, but is given nuance courtesy of locality.
“For the most part the menus are very similar, but that’s because they’re tried and tested and we know what people want,” says Ben. “In Brisbane we’ve looked to feature a lot of the East Coast, with a focus on Stockyard and other Queensland suppliers. We’ll probably look at a few more seafood options and lighter options as well.”
Those dining at San Telmo for the first time are encouraged to embrace a quintessential Argentinian experience, beginning with traditional empanadas (filled with a beef, olive and egg mix), matrimonio (white and dark anchovies with whipped ricotta and semi-dried cherry tomatoes), followed by a serve of provoleta – pan-fried provolone cheese served with red chimichurri.
Next, Ben suggests the parrilla-grilled beef short ribs, flashed on the grill to bring out their indulgent fatty characteristics. And then, it’s onto the steaks. San Telmo serves a range of cuts, from 500-g pasture-fed rib-eyes to secondary cuts like flank and hanger steak (a dry-aged selection will debut soon).
Beef isn’t the only thing to enjoy some parrilla contact – marinated free-range chicken and pork tomahawks also feature, with an expanded range of seafood to be introduced in the coming months.
“Pretty much all of the dishes that feature on the menu have kissed that Argentinian grill in some way,” says Ben.
On the drinks front, San Telmo’s wine list, as you would expect, favours Argentinian varieties. The 150-strong list features malbec and Patagonian pinots, plus a few Australian heavyweights for good measure.
The San Telmo Group also imports Quilmes, Argentina’s lager of choice, as well as plenty of Fernet-Branca, mate and a selection of bespoke imported vermouths.
While Brisbane isn’t short on steak restaurants, Ben believes there’s ample appetite for what San Telmo is bringing to the table – an evocation of Argentina’s culinary culture and social rituals.
“We’re certainly not the first steak restaurant to plonk ourselves in this area,” says Ben “But I think we have a good individualised offering that just provides a different version of a good steak, done with that South American influence.
“We’re trying to replicate that feeling of Argentina: late nights, way too much food on the table, lots of different mates around you, red wine and indulgence.”
San Telmo is now open to the public – head to The Directory for operating hours, booking info and contact details.
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