St. Andrew Poultry
17 St. Andrew St.
Phone: 416-596-7305
 Profile |
 Map |
I used to go to St. Andrew Poultry all the time. That was back in the day (really, just a year ago) where I actually ate animals and they'd let customers go behind the counter and scoop out their own chunks of freshly killed fowl. I suppose that practice was discontinued due to sanitary concerns.
But being in Kensington Market earlier today, I couldn't resist paying a visit. It's even more fun during times like Christmas and Thanksgiving where demand for food with beaks skyrockets.
The back of the store is the most entertaining. It's there where probably at least a half dozen workers continuously slice and dice chicken, in part because of the popular retail business but probably more so because of their thriving wholesale trade.
Today I happened to catch someone ordering some freshly killed duck. I'm not sure what the proper code words are, but basically if you say the right thing, they'll stick a flamethrower on it and chop it up before you can say Juice for Life.
For fresh chicken and perhaps the most fun fowl buying experience in the city, it's tough to beat St. Andrew Poulty. The place is just oozing character (if you can mind the smell), the prices are reasonable (if not cheap) and it's hard to find anywhere else where the product is more fresh.
And better yet, the side of the building sports the Cirque du Poulet, perhaps the most memorable graffiti in the city.
St. Andrew Poultry, 17 St. Andrew St. (in Kensington Market), 416-596-7305.
Comments (4)
What a shame that you can't go behind the counter and serve yourself anymore (I am out of the country so no longer a regular visitor)!
When going around food shopping in Kensington for the first time with friends , I would often perform an little assessment of whether they had been to St. Andrews before. Then without saying anything, I would bolt behind the counter, fit myself some gloves, and start bagging my poultry. It worked best when other customers were there but placing orders with counter staff. My friends would just stand there shocked at my apparent audacity.
i love this place, my moms been shopping here since i was born. a while ago when me and my mom went and found out u couldnt pick ur own meat anymore, we were disappointed lol but we still love buying chicken from there :)
The service in this place is tragic. Perhaps it used to be good but I have found over the last few months that no one acknowledges you as you enter the shop - and yesterday I left without purchasing anything at all as the one person packing the meat for customers served people who came in after me and when I asked the rather rotund lady at the till if I could please be served next as I had been waiting for over 5 minutes, I was ignored.
I won't be going back - from now on I'll be heading to St Lawrence Markets to buy in bulk from people who actually want your business.
So sad St Andrews - lift up your game!!!
RSS