Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group Expands International Presence with a Location in Taipei
The group has partnered with Asia Pacific investors and operators S&W Restaurants (Taiwan) Ltd.
for first licensed location
Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group (SWRG), a collection of iconic American steakhouses headquartered in Boston, MA, is expanding its global presence with their first licensed restaurant outside of the U.S. in collaboration with S&W Restaurants (Taiwan) Ltd., located at Breeze Nanshan Plaza in Taipei. Following the restaurant group’s first successful international launch in London in 2015, there has been a strong global demand for the classic “America’s Steakhouse” experience defined by Smith & Wollensky for over 40 years. Taipei has long been on the brand’s top list of international gateway cities, due to its regional importance, dynamic economy and sophisticated dining scene.
“Smith & Wollensky is America’s most iconic steakhouse brand delivering the ultimate American steakhouse experience,” said Michael Feighery, CEO & President of Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group. “We have enjoyed tremendous success creating deep relationships with loyal customers in both the U.S. and our first international location in London. Our decision to venture into Asia was inspired not only by the strong demand for a fine dining experience in Taiwan, but also by the love for high quality beef by consumers of Taiwan, especially USDA Prime dry-aged steaks, for which Smith & Wollensky is known. We are thrilled to make Taipei our first stop in Asia and look forward to becoming an important part of the dining scene, contributing to the hospitality culture that makes this city unique in the Asia Pacific .”
Celebrating over 40 years as America’s classic steakhouse, the original Smith & Wollensky location opened in 1977 in New York City, and has since become an institution known for its American hospitality and New-York style swagger. Famously described by the New York Times as “a steakhouse to end all arguments,” the time-honored steakhouse brand is proud to be the only U.S. national steakhouse brand devoted to dry-aging and hand-carving USDA Prime steaks in-house, a tried and true tradition that traces back to their first restaurant opening. The team will bring this unwavering commitment to quality, integrity and genuine hospitality abroad to the Taipei location and will incorporate a proprietary dry-aging butcher room on site to deliver USDA Prime beef imported from trusted family farms in the Pacific Northwest.
“We are looking forward to working with our esteemed investors in Taiwan and operators on additional expansions in the Asia Pacific ,” added Feighery. “They are a strong and experienced group with a commitment and understanding of our brand’s heritage and can deliver our unique experience in major capital cities.”
Set to open in December 2018, the Taipei restaurant will occupy the 47th floor of Breeze Nanshan Plaza, facing Taipei 101 for a captivating view of the city. It is expected to become one the top scenic restaurants in the city, and will arrive just in time to bring customers up close to the Taipei 101 firework show at the turn of the year. To accommodate the upmarket shops, office towers, foreign companies and banks nearby, the restaurant will not only serve classic steakhouse dishes and distinctive cuisines of Taiwan in a welcoming setting, it will also feature a live music bar, exclusive to this location.
In preparation for the restaurant’s opening, Feighery and Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group’s Vice President of Culinary Operations, Matthew King, paid a special visit to Taiwan to develop a more in-depth understanding of the local market and introduce Taiwanese consumers to Smith & Wollensky’s authenticity and charm. Photos of that visit are available HERE.
To learn more about the Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group visit www.smithandwollensky.com.
