Don Wagyu, the first restaurant in New York devoted solely to Wagyu beef sandwiches, is located on South William Street in Manhattan’s Financial District, a five-minute walk from the New York Stock Exchange. When it opens on June 27, there will be three sandwiches (or sandos) on offer in the 1,000-square-foot space. Each is made from a different prized wagyu beef. The cheapest, made from a hybrid of Japanese and American cows, Washugyu, will cost about $25. On the other end of the spectrum is the A5 Ozaki, all sourced from a single farm in Japan. That sandwich will cost around $185.
It’s a place that screams for placement in the Showtime hit, Billions.
Chef Samuel Clonts has been serving the sando—in which the beef is breaded and flash-fried to create a crunchy exterior and creamy, soft heart—as part of the 10-course $200 tasting menu at the elite izakaya Uchu. He and owner Derek Feldman wanted to find a bigger platform to spotlight it.
“I wanted to do wagyu katsu sandos instead of a steak house, because I see this industry moving towards a type of high-end, fine-casual dining where quality comes first,” says Feldman. “I love sitting for a long omakase experience, but that can’t be an everyday experience. I wanted to make that experience more accessible. Luxury doesn’t necessarily have to mean a three-hour meal. Sometimes it can mean just having some of the best, rarest beef in the world.”