What to serve with your steak
Sides, sauces and wine for every cut — chosen on flavor logic and tradition, not sponsorship. Fat wants acid, lean wants richness, char wants tannin.
How these are picked: Classic A long-standing steakhouse or regional pairing served this way for generations. Sommelier consensus What wine professionals broadly agree on for this level of fat and char. Crowd favorite What diners order with this cut most often. Nothing here is paid for, and there are no affiliate links.
Choose a cut
Filet Mignon pairings
Very tender, very lean, very mild. Add the richness and aroma the cut does not bring itself, and keep tannin gentle.
Sides
Potato gratinClassic
Cream and butter fill in the fat the filet does not have.
Sautéed wild mushroomsClassic
Earthy umami gives a mild cut the savory depth it lacks.
Buttered green beans with shallotsCrowd favorite
Light enough not to overwhelm the delicate beef flavor.
Sauces
BéarnaiseClassic
The traditional partner: egg yolk richness plus tarragon and vinegar lift.
Peppercorn cream (au poivre)Classic
Pepper supplies bite, cream supplies body — the two things filet is missing.
Red wine and bone marrow butterCrowd favorite
Marrow adds beefiness back into the leanest cut on the animal.
Wine
Pinot NoirSommelier consensus
Soft tannin matches a delicate cut; heavy tannin would bully it.
Merlot or right-bank BordeauxSommelier consensus
Plush and low in grip — the standard recommendation for lean, tender beef.
Not drinking wine? Beer: a Belgian dubbel. Non-alcoholic: pomegranate juice with soda.