Peter Luger to open steakhouse in Tokyo, its first outside New York

Peter Luger, the landmark restaurant synonymous with prime porterhouse steaks, has contracted to open its first branch outside New York. The location is center city Tokyo, land of prized and pricey Wagyu beef.

The Japan expansion of Peter Luger, which has restaurants in Brooklyn and Great Neck, will be with Wondertable, Ltd., a restaurant developer and operator with 120 dining destinations worldwide, including branches of Lawry's Prime Rib and Union Square Cafe.

"Tokyo is an amazing culinary city. ... We'll be shipping the same USDA Prime beef that we use in our New York restaurants," said Peter Luger chief executive Amy Rubenstein in a statement. The restaurant is to open by 2020.

The original Peter Luger in Williamsburg started in 1887 as Carl Luger's Cafe, Billiards and Bowling Alley. Peter owned it, Carl ran the kitchen. 

 After Luger died, the restaurant was sold at auction to Sol Forman, a regular customer who owned a company across the street that made items such as silverware trays and stamped-metal giftware. He is said to have eaten two steaks a day at the restaurant, where he brought clients.  Forman was alone at the auction and acquired the place for the cost of the real estate. The Forman family still manages Peter Luger.

The Great Neck restaurant opened in 1960. It's a mainstay on Newsday's list of Long Island's top 10 steakhouses.

In addition to its dry-aged beef and classic longtime waiters, the two Peter Luger restaurants are known for not accepting credit cards. Diners may pay with a Peter Luger card, by check with ID, debit cards or cash.

Peter Luger in Brooklyn is at 178 Broadway, 718-387-7400; in Great Neck at 255 Northern Blvd., 516-487-8800, peterluger.com