Dallas is full of steakhouses, but there always seems to be room for more. Major Food Group is betting on the city’s red meat affinity with its new concept, No. 1 Steak, which just launched inside its existing Sadelle’s location.
Major Food Group went all-in on Dallas in 2022, opening Carbone, Carbone Vino, and Sadelle’s within a one-month period. At the time, the team suggested there might be more to come. A little more than three years later, they’ve landed on their next project.
“Our love for this city runs very, very deep,” said Major Food Group cofounder Mario Carbone. “And for a concept that celebrates steak, there’s simply no better place to start the journey than the Lone Star State.”
No. 1 Steak is, for now, exclusive to Dallas. It opened August 14 and serves dinner on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.
The concept operates Thursdays through Saturdays inside Sadelle’s, another Major Food Group concept.
Sadelle’s is famous for its bagel boards, salads, and sandwiches, so No. 1 Steak gives the neighborhood a more dinner-friendly concept.
The tight, prix-fixe menu includes a green salad, a prime strip steak, onion rings, and housemade soft serve ice cream, all for $59 per guest.
Diners can add a few à la carte items, like caviar service, shrimp cocktail, and oysters, or upgrade their steak to a porterhouse or a bone-in cowboy rib eye. There’s also a nicely curated wine list that goes beyond the usual suspects, and a Martini menu featuring several versions of the drink, including a savory option made with vodka, dry vermouth, and pickled tomato.
Carbone noted that admiration for ranchers and growers is built into Texan culture, which results in a sense of community and tradition around the table. The restaurant pays homage to Texas purveyors by featuring beef from Rosewood Ranches, vegetables from Young’s Greenhouse and the Onion House, and dairy from Volleman’s Family Farm.
Mario Carbone slices meat at the August 14 opening in Dallas.
When asked if No. 1 Steak will get a standalone location in Dallas one day, Carbone said, “Anything is possible, especially when you consider how much we love serving the people of this city.” But for the foreseeable future, it will operate at Sadelle’s. “The response so far has been wonderful to witness, and we’re having a really good time.”
The pop-up steakhouse is less of an experimental test and more of a fit tailored to Dallas, but it may expand into additional markets.
“Dallas is very much our focus at the moment, but the greater vision is to kick off similar No.1 residencies in some of our favorite cities,” Carbone said. “Each one would be true to the menu template we’ve debuted here, but with local flavor and character, given the use of quintessential regional ingredients.”
