The Best Butcher Shops in Toronto

toronto best butchersMmm. Mmmeat. While it's not for everyone (some might argue that it shouldn't be for anyone), it certainly is a staple in the diet of many Torontonians.

Luckily for those that do choose to dine on beef, chicken, pork, bison, ostrich, and other farmed animal meats, this city of ours has a number of excellent local butcher shops.

Butchers are a lot like barbershops/salons in that the "tried, tested, and true" philosophy is often very much at play. When you find a good one it's often easy to stick to that one. But a number of Toronto butchers have particular philosophies of their own to emphasize, and some have specialty products and services that they excel at providing.

With that in mind, we accepted nominations, polled the blogTO readership, and have compiled a list of the results for the best butchers, sausage makers, poultry experts, and rare meats purveyors that Toronto has to offer.

Healthy Butcher

Healthy Butcher

A Queen West staple, The Healthy Butcher features organic, locally raised and slaughtered meats. It's a one-stop shop where you can get great cuts and excellent prepared burgers and sausages. More...

Cumbrae's

Cumbrae's

Hand-selected meats come from small family farms that meet their exacting standards of breeding, feeding and care. Every animal is naturally raised on the best feeds, without hormones, drugs or chemical enhancements. More...

European Quality Meat and Sausages

European Quality Meat and Sausages

European Quality Meats & Sausages is a great source in Kensington Market for fresh pork, beef and other meat. It's also a popular lunch spot for freshly grilled sausages. More...

Whitehouse Meats

Whitehouse Meats

WhiteHouse Meats in St. Lawrence Market is a good place to pick up hard-to-find meats like fresh venison and ostrich. More...

St. Andrew Poultry

St. Andrew Poultry

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 and the prices are reasonable More...

Oliffe

Oliffe

Olliffe is Rosedale's favourite butcher. The meat selection here is probably without equal in Toronto and there's always new prepared creations ready to be picked up for a no-fuss dinner. More...

Bloor Meat Market

Bloor Meat Market

Bloor Meat Market in the Bloor West Village sells a range of quality meat including organic beef, chicken, roast beef and meat loaf. More...

Sausage King

Sausage King

Sausage King, in the bustling St.Lawrence Market, has a huge variety of great beef, pork and turkey sausages. More...

Meat on the Beach

Meat on the Beach

Meat on the Beach specializes in naturally raised meats and poultry including Black Angus beef, pork, veal, lamb, and air chilled chickens, turkey and geese. They also stock fresh pasta, farm fresh organic fruits and vegetables. More...

La Boucherie

La Boucherie

Another St. Lawrence Market butcher shop, the hanging carcases on full view at La Boucherie are a reminder that the meat is fresh. More...

Reader Reviews and Comments

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I love fish...any chance we can get a list out for it, or too much of a niche market? I heard of a Greek who sells good fish for great prices in Kensington, some buzz about one in St. Lawrence, in addition to the best fish for Japanese food found in 'Little Tokyo'. I would love a fish list!

Posted by: Misha at March 4, 2008 11:00 AM

There are few things finer in this world than meat.

Posted by: Sean Galbraith at March 4, 2008 11:05 AM

For those north of the city, try Totera Fine Foods on 2414 Major Mac (Ph: (905) 879-8325) and talk to Mike. He has amazing lamb chops and he can even age steaks for you... I've ordered some steaks last October and had them aged until December and they were like butter! As Sean said, there are few things finer in this world than good quality meat.

Posted by: Edward Kovarski at March 4, 2008 11:51 AM

@Misha: I like the fish at Snappers Fish Market at 263 Durie Street, jsut north of bloor in bloor west village.

Posted by: geg at March 4, 2008 12:07 PM

How times have changed, time was this list would have consisted of "Royal Beef" and the one at St. Lawrence that used to be owned by the current owner of Whitehouse. Now Royal doesn't even make the list?

Posted by: Chester Pape at March 4, 2008 12:29 PM

European Meats in Etobicoke is much better than the Kensington shop. Shame that Brandt's in Mississauga didn't make the cut. It's an awesome store for those who love meat.

Posted by: mikeb at March 4, 2008 1:05 PM

I'm a little saddened to see that Kensington Meats (63 Kensington Ave) didn't make this list! Granted, it's smaller than most of the shops listed here, but it has good prices and fabulous service. They have more than they show in the window, just ask inside or call (416-596-7911) and ask. If they don't have it, odds are they can order it.

They also don't markup their prices simply because something sounds gourmet. E.G., I wanted to make osso bucco a while back and needed veal shank. I called Healther Butcher and Cumbraes both and was told it would cost over $12/lb! I understand it's organic but really, that's a huge markup, especially when Cumbraes wasn't even fresh!

Kensingtons ordered it for me and I think I paid something like $3-4/lb, I forget exactly.

Posted by: Marcus at March 4, 2008 2:02 PM

i shop at vince gasparros (on bloor between shaw and ossington) and have never been disappointed. it's not organic, but they source all their meat from local farmers and i think there's like three generations of gasparros working there. highly recommended if you live in the area.

Posted by: bart at March 4, 2008 11:11 PM

I like Karl's Butcher in Roncesvalles.

Posted by: Dennis M at March 4, 2008 11:53 PM

The fact that you don't have Gasporo's on this list, pretty much invalidates it.

Posted by: A Costantini at March 5, 2008 9:06 AM

For those of you that feel that your favourites aren't on the list:

Be sure to nominate them next year! :)

Only those receiving nominations make it into our annual Best of Independent Toronto survey.

Posted by: Jerrold at March 5, 2008 9:27 AM

mmmmmmmm.... Karl's on Roncesvalles.

For westenders - Butcher by Nature - runnymede/annette. Organic, clean and friendly. Meat includes all sorts of beef, burgers + their branded flat chicken & selections of frozen sausages made on site. Also game meats and poultry. Lunch items - green apple chicken curry, israeli couscous and their wraps are amazing. Holiday meats and poultry a specialty.

Posted by: Dave Tabor at March 5, 2008 11:39 AM

For those who want to check it out!

A brand new Butcher shop at 1160 Queen St. East just opened called Meating on Queen, selling high quality naturally raised meat without the infalted prices! an assorted variety of fresh fish, homemade salads, desserts, lunch specials you name it they got it...and of course who can forget there famous Steak on a Bun! so go on and check them out you won't regret it. Open 7 days a week.

Posted by: Johanna at May 30, 2008 11:22 PM

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