Sarah Meyer Simon’s Family Affair
For Sarah Meyer Simon, Lucky’s Steakhouse has always felt like home. Simon’s father, Herb, opened the original Montecito location with friends and business partners Jimmy Argyropoulos and Gene Montesano in 2000.
A Legacy of Hospitality
"My dad got into restaurants when we all moved to Montecito. It was mainly born out of a personal love for creating community…He sees these restaurants as an extension of his living room and an extension of his daily routine—where he can be comfortable and enjoy meals with family and friends," Simon told Observer. "That philosophy has helped shape my attitude toward restaurants to this day."
Growing Up in a Restaurant Family
Simon, still a self-proclaimed Indiana girl despite her footing in Los Angeles and New York, was raised in Indianapolis, where her parents met in the ’70s. They became infatuated with Montecito in 1988 and, two days into their first visit, purchased the home Mr. Simon still owns today. Growing up, Simon traveled between Indianapolis and Montecito and then later, into her adulthood, between Los Angeles and New York.
Lucky’s Steakhouse Comes to SoHo
So, when the idea arose to open New York’s first Lucky’s, Simon, who also co-owns the vegetarian hotspot Butcher’s Daughter with longtime friend Heather Tierney, was elated to step in. Bringing the Manhattan steakhouse to fruition by July of this year was a multi-generational project with Simon, Argyropoulos’ son, Nico, and their fathers.
A Manhattan Steakhouse
As Simon’s adult life took form on the corner of Lafayette and Spring, she more deeply cultivated her feeling that the best restaurants exist to connect people—to food, to new experiences, to strangers who become friends, and that walls and tables evolve into a sense of place. Countless New Yorkers expand the square footage of their cramped city apartment to the local cafe or bistro where convivial owners and regulars make it feel like that particular street is the smallest town in one of the densest metropolises.
Menu Favorites
Simon’s favorite dishes at the steakhouse included the grilled artichoke, petit filet with mushroom sauce, skinny onion rings, and any of the sides. The Manhattan menu still boasts named-for-family favorites like Gene’s Filet, a 10-ounce filet with red wine and fresh horseradish sauce, Herbie’s Potato Skins, and Jimmy the Greek Salad.
A Plant-Forward Approach
While Simon enjoys a great cut of meat—as any daughter of a steakhouse owner would—she tends to lean into plant-forward dishes, a dietary lifestyle she attributes to Tierney. She chooses plenty of dishes that are abundant in nutrients from vegetables and grains, but maintains balance with eggs and the occasional filet, remaining in tune with the best purveyors for both restaurant categories.
Conclusion
Simon has carved out her place as an investor on both coasts running restaurants with reputations that precede them. But at the heart of it, she’s just a neighbor looking to make the person next door feel a little more at home.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What inspired you to open Lucky’s Steakhouse in SoHo?
A: The idea was to bring the neighborhood feel I took solace in, first with my dad’s restaurant, and then later with the inspiring path of Jack’s Wife Freda owners Maya and Dean Jankelowitz.
Q: What’s your favorite dish at Lucky’s Steakhouse?
A: The grilled artichoke, petit filet with mushroom sauce, skinny onion rings, and any of the sides.
Q: How do you balance plant-forward and meat-based options in your restaurants?
A: I tend to lean into plant-forward dishes, a dietary lifestyle I attribute to Tierney. I choose plenty of dishes that are abundant in nutrients from vegetables and grains, but maintain balance with eggs and the occasional filet, remaining in tune with the best purveyors for both restaurant categories.
Q: What’s the most important thing to you when it comes to running a restaurant?
A: Making a friend and leaving things better than you found them. We want to be a part of memories and community connection in all of our spaces.
