CarneAtlas
Topside

Topside substitutes

What to use when you can't find Topside at your butcher

Topside is the traditional name in United Kingdom. Outside that tradition, butchers carry comparable beef cuts under different names — sometimes the same anatomical piece, sometimes a close cousin. The alternatives below are grouped by country so you can match what your local butcher actually carries.

France

Merlanapproximate

Both inside-thigh round cuts; merlan is a small specific muscle within the broader top-round group.

Italy

Bresaolaapproximate

Adjacent muscle group; some bresaola variants use punta d'anca (the top of the round).

United States

Bottom roundapproximate

Sister cut on the round — top round (topside) is the inner thigh, bottom round (silverside) is the outer thigh. Topside is more tender and finer-grained; bottom round is harder and leaner with longer fibres, better for slow roasting and curing.

Eye of roundapproximate

Both are lean cuts from the round suited to slow roasting and thin slicing, but eye of round is more cylindrical, even leaner, and slightly tougher than top round.

Sirloin tipapproximate

Sister cut on the round — sirloin tip is the front knuckle (quadriceps), topside is the inner thigh (adductor). Both lean roasting cuts, sirloin tip is the slightly tenderer of the two.

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