How Did The Wedge Salad Become A Steakhouse Staple?

The classic wedge salad made with iceberg lettuce, blue cheese dressing, ripe tomatoes, and chunks of bacon, has been a steakhouse staple for perhaps as long as a century. But how and why it came to share space with sizzling steaks and baked potatoes at these restaurants has a bit of a convoluted history. Delmonico's, the storied Manhattan steakhouse that shaped American fine dining, lays claim to the salad's invention (along with several other famous dishes like lobster Newburg and baked Alaska) and dates its birth to the 1930s.

While its wedge salad is the prototypical version, there is a recipe that predates it by more than 15 years. In 1916, Marion Harris Neil introduced the world (at least in print) to the first wedge salad with blue cheese dressing in her cookbook "Salads, Sandwiches, and Chafing Dish Recipes," although hers didn't include bacon or tomatoes. Oscar Tucci, the man who took over Delmonico's in 1926, is the likeliest candidate for coming up with the version of the wedge salad that graces steakhouses near and far, like Ruth's Chris, the chain born in New Orleans that famously broils its steaks at super high temperatures.

Delmonico's began serving its wedge salad in the 1930s, originally calling it the hearts of lettuce salad, and later changing the name to Oscar's wedge. And where Delmonico's went, other steakhouses were sure to follow. By the 1950s, Tucci's version was the standard wedge salad served at steakhouses. That explains a little of the "how" when it comes to the wedge salad becoming a steakhouse staple, but we still need to get to the "why."

The U.K.-based steakhouse chain Miller & Carter, which serves a wedge salad to customers before bringing out its steaks, summed it up nicely in a Facebook post. "It's a refreshing accompaniment that is meant to compliment the rich flavors of our steak with its cold, crisp texture and fresh taste," the company wrote. Miller & Carter also believe iceberg lettuce aids in digestion. Likewise, celebrity chef and Food Network star Robert Irvine told Chowhound that while his favorite steakhouse side is poached mushrooms, a wedge salad is a close second, since the texture of the lettuce contrasts nicely with the richness of steak. That's the main reason why the wedge salad will likely continue to have a place on steakhouse menus for a long time to come.