New York Eateries Fire Back at Texas' Push to Rename New York Strip, Legal Battle Brews

The steak naming spat between Texas and New York has taken a litigious turn following statements from Dan Patrick, the Texas Lieutenant Governor, who advocated for renaming the New York Strip to the "Texas strip." Eater Austin reports that resistance is particularly strong from certain New York establishments, such as the War Room Tavern and Delmonico's, a historic steakhouse that claims to have originally coined the name "New York Strip."

Todd Shapiro of the War Room Tavern is reportedly planning a $1 million lawsuit against the state of Texas, Shapiro points to the potential economic damage and cultural infringement the name change could cause for New York businesses that rely on the storied name origin, according to Eater Austin, while Patrick insists the rebranding could be economically beneficial to Texas, particularly underscoring Texas' stature as the leader in cattle numbers, though the proposed legislation would initially only affect the state of Texas, he harbors hopes it could gain national traction.

The resistance is most vocal from Delmonico's, a New York City landmark with a storied past that predates Texas statehood, and Dennis Turcinovic, the managing partner of Delmonico's, has been quoted as dismissing Patrick's plan as "ridiculous," stating "It's the New York strip. It will always be the New York strip. And good luck trying to change that," Turcinovic told Chron.com.

New York's rebuttal emphasizes the cultural significance and historical precedence of the New York Strip, businesses such as Delmonico's underscore that their steaks are sourced from a variety of regions, not confined to Texan pastures; the same article on Chron.com notes Delmonico's significance as the first fine dining establishment in America to offer innovations such as printed menus, and Texas' current beef with New York over the name seems to disregard the diversification of modern meat sourcing practices and the longstanding culinary heritage that accompanies the New York Strip designation, the dispute remains heated as both states defend their steaks in this cross-country culinary clash.