Japan’s Legendary Wagyu Katsu Sandwich: The Meat Trend You Need to Discover

At meat maestro Kentaro Nakahara’s Sumibiyakiniku Nakahara — a renowned, three-year-old grill restaurant on the ninth floor of a nondescript office building in Tokyo’s Aoyama district — the dessert isn’t your usual green tea mochi or melon slice. Instead, it’s a hefty portion of panko-crusted A5 wagyu tenderloin, deep-fried and nestled between two slices of soft, crustless white bread, lavishly buttered and topped with a rich tomato jam.

The origins of transforming wagyu beef, renowned for its luxurious marbling and hefty price tag, into a lunch sensation remain murky. However, the wagyu katsu sando — as it's known in Japan — has become a social media sensation over the past four years, ever since Nakahara, celebrated for his top-tier wagyu beef, began serving it as a secret special at Sumibiyaki Shichirin, his former venue where he delighted patrons for nearly 13 years before moving to his current spot.

Recently, many acclaimed Japanese chefs have put their own spin on this dish, making it a regular feature or a secret menu item. Now, the wagyu katsu sando is crossing the Pacific to America.

In the past three months, at least seven chefs nationwide have embraced this premium sandwich. Daniel Son from LA’s Kura launched a Katsu Sando pop-up in his West Hollywood restaurant in October, offering a $70 A5 wagyu katsu sando among other options. Similarly, in New York, Sam Clonts of Uchu incorporated the sandwich into his $200 tasting menu, praising its “brilliant simplicity.”

Wagyumafia, the exclusive two-year-old club in Tokyo’s Akasaka district, had been gearing up to launch a wagyu butcher shop in San Francisco, which would feature a $180 wagyu cutlet sandwich. However, co-owner Hisato Hamada has now decided to forgo the Bay Area in favor of opening their first location in New York City, expected to debut later this year or in 2019.

Thanks to the power of social media and America’s growing fascination with Japanese cuisine, the wagyu katsu sandwich is set to become the next big thing in upscale lunches — and on Instagram. Here’s everything you need to know about this emerging trend.

What is it?

Wagyu refers to a highly sought-after and expensive Japanese beef known for its exceptionally marbled, tender, and buttery flavor. To be classified as wagyu, the beef must come from one of four breeds: Japanese Brown, Japanese Polled, Japanese Shorthorn, or Japanese Black. Wagyu is rated on quality, with A5 being the top grade. Katsu means cutlet in Japanese, describing meat that is breaded (often with airy panko) and fried. Sando is the Japanese term for sandwich: the cutlet is typically placed between slices of crustless white bread, sometimes made with Hokkaido milk, and often accompanied by a special sauce. Some chefs even present their sandwiches in a box.

Nakahara crafts a tomato puree with a hint of sugar and spreads it on both sides of toasted Maison Kayser white bread, adding a touch of butter. He then coats A5 wagyu tenderloin in freshly made panko breadcrumbs (ensuring no brown bits) and quickly fries the cutlet in rice oil.

Chef Yasuhiro Inoue at Wagyumafia’s new Nakameguro location serves up cutlet sandwiches featuring various wagyu cuts, with prices ranging from around $9 for ground beef to $180 for chateaubriand. The white bread used is exceptionally soft and fluffy, while the house sauce blends Kamebishi soy sauce from Kagawa and Fuji vinegar from Kyoto, along with a secret mix of ten spices. An off-menu soy-wasabi sauce and a fermented red-pepper sauce are also available.

In the U.S., chefs put their own spin on the wagyu katsu sandwich. For instance, Clonts prepares Hokkaido-style milk bread, toasting it over binchotan (a high-quality Japanese charcoal) before assembling the sandwich, while Son opts for honey milk bread that he doesn’t toast. Son prefers a texture that’s fluffy, crispy, and juicy in a single bite. Inspired by his time at Tokyo’s Michelin-starred RyuGin, Son recalls his enjoyment of FamilyMart’s cold katsu sandwiches and vowed to create a fresh version.

In New York, SakaMai serves its wagyu katsu with an “umami butter” made from chicken fat and koji (a sake-making mold), while the Grass Skirt in San Diego offers a curry aioli flavored with orange and mustard.

The wagyu sando is a close relative of the wagyu katsu sando. It features similar ingredients: wagyu, white bread, and a special sauce. The key distinction is that the beef in a wagyu sando is not breaded or fried.

Why is it so pricey?

Wagyu farmers believe that ensuring their cattle’s happiness is key to producing top-notch beef. They attend to the animals around the clock, providing them with special diets, massages, and sometimes even music. The substantial investment in raising each animal, typically slaughtered before 30 months, is reflected in the final price, which is passed on to the consumer.

Japanese chefs often have specific relationships with farmers across the country, selecting wagyu based on the quality of that farmer’s past cattle, rather than simply purchasing from well-known regions like Kobe or Miyazaki.

I'm heading to Japan. Where should I try it?

In Japan, you can indulge in wagyu katsu sandos and wagyu sandos at notable spots like Sumibiyakiniku Nakahara, Wagyumafia, Kawamura, Yoroniku, Jambo, Cossott’e SP, Ushigoro, and Takazawabar. Some of these dishes are listed on the menu, while others are available only through word-of-mouth off-menu requests.

Sander Siswojo, the graphic designer behind the popular food Instagram @Palatism, has sampled more than a dozen wagyu sandos in Tokyo. He notes that each place has its own flair. For instance, he finds Shima’s wagyu sando, with its multi-layered steak, to be highly satisfying. However, he praises Nakahara for using the finest wagyu. Kawamura is recognized for its luxurious shimofuri (highly marbled) wagyu steak, with its sandwich priced between $70 to $90, though it still comes in below Wagyumafia’s top-tier cut.

Siswojo regards the exclusive Wagyumafia as the top spot for a range of sandwich options at different price points. He also highlights Yoroniku for offering the lightest, fluffiest wagyu katsu sando—a characteristic not typically associated with beef.

I'm not heading to Japan. Where else can I experience this?

In New York, you can savor wagyu sandos at places like Uchu and SakaMai. Uchu features an A5 Miyazaki ribeye katsu sandwich as part of its $200 tasting menu, while SakaMai offers a 6-ounce A5 Miyazaki filet katsu sandwich for $85, with only five available each day. Additionally, from February 5 to February 28, Hi-Collar will introduce a wagyu katsu sandwich as part of their Kyushu-themed month. This offering will include five sandwiches per day, made with under 2 ounces of Kagoshima wagyu, lightly seared, and priced at $28.

In Boston, chefs Ken Oringer and Tony Messina at Uni serve a unique open-faced toast featuring shaved A5 wagyu from Miyazaki and Chiba. Guests can customize their order with the amount of wagyu they desire, priced at $30 per ounce. Meanwhile, Kobo, the Japanese Mytoury inside Maryland’s Sushiko, offers an A5 Miyazaki strip loin wagyu katsu sando as part of its $160 kappo tasting menu.

On the West Coast, LA’s Kura offers a 5.5-ounce A5 Miyazaki chateaubriand wagyu katsu sando for $70. In San Diego, chef Brian Redzikowski’s version at Kettner Exchange is made from either Kobe or Ohio-raised wagyu-inspired beef, available in a 5-ounce portion for $24.

For more insights on enjoying wagyu in Japan, check out this episode of The Meat Show:

Kat Odell is a food and travel writer and the author of Day Drinking.Editor: Hillary Dixler Canavan