The Best Butcher Shops in Toronto
Mmm. 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
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
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 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 in St. Lawrence Market is a good place to pick up hard-to-find meats like fresh venison and ostrich. More...
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
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 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, 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 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
Another St. Lawrence Market butcher shop, the hanging carcases on full view at La Boucherie are a reminder that the meat is fresh. More...
Comments (20)
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!
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.
@Misha: I like the fish at Snappers Fish Market at 263 Durie Street, jsut north of bloor in bloor west village.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
I am in need of organic bovine glandulars, especially thyroid and pineal. Has anyone purchased organic organ meats?
To follow up on Edward Kovarski's post about Totera Fine Foods, you don't have to be north of the city! I live in Markham and I make the drive. They are relatively new, but I would expect to see them rise in the ranks and become one of the better known choices in the GTA.
They have already been voted the Top Italian Butcher Shop in the Greater Toronto Area on entervote.com / topchoiceawards.com. I recommend you check them out!
One of the best bucher shops in toronto is Di Liso's Fine Meats in the St. Lawrence Market, Nominated 3 years in a row by city bites magazine as the top 5. Some of the best prices around, for the quality of locally farm raised meats (norwich farmed beef) (menonite chicken)( hand made sausage no fillers all natural caseings). lots of naturally raised products, super friendly service. The owner works directly with the farmers, he really knowlegable on his products.
But I have to admit overall I am seeing many Meat shops in the city begining to carry local products and I think thats a goood thing. What do you think?
Totera in Maple is amazing, I will not buy meat anywhere else. The quality is outstanding, the service is top notch and they will do anything you ask...if you ask nicely! Thank God these guys are in vaughan I dont have to buy gorcery store meat anymore!
The best butcher shop in TO is Gasparro's ( Bloor St and Roxton Rd) family owned, been at the same location for over 40 years, I have memories of going there when a was a little kid with my grandmother, she used to harass the owner for the best piece of meat and he would play along with her, sausages and hamburgers all family recipes, meat is from local Ontario farmers that they have cultivated relationships with these many decades that allow them to have faith in their products, I eat a lot on College and they supply half the restaurants and the serve is great, the 2 sons are always on hand with helpful suggestions and some chitchat and the store hours are amazing. I can't believe that it''s not at the top of your list, sign!
I completely agree, it doesn't get better and well priced compared to its higher end impersonators.
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