Top Butchers In London

[Miss J]

Rolling on from the Roast Beef thread (from which I have gleaned invaluable knowledge), I'm now looking a little closer to home for a preferred butcher. I've got some time, so I can either order in advance and pick up my roast closer to the day, or I can mail order.

Are there any specific suppliers you recommend? I've had not one, but two reccs for the supermarkets, which surprised me a little. I'm perfectly willing to go that route if ye olde butcher can't do better at a comparable price, but I thought I'd explore the options first.

As ever, your collective thoughts are appreciated.

[Vanessa]

Ginger Pig. Heal Farm good for mail order but costly for a big hunk of beef.

v

[SamanthaF]

As mentioned on the Roast Beef thread, Waitrose is a good bet, as they own the farms themselves.

Their butcher service is good too, allowing you to order specific cuts in advance, and they will also prepare it as requested.

[AdamLawrence]

I've had excellent results mail ordering from Graig Farm Organics (www.graigfarm.co.uk), though I haven't had beef from them. Lamb and mutton particularly good, and I had a fabulous goose from them a couple of crimbles ago.

My local butcher is Fellers in the Oxford covered market - organic specialists, absolutely first-rate. Not much use to you, Miss J, but I thought I'd put it on the record in case anyone needed meat in Oxford.

Adam

[Winot]

I recall you're in north London, Ms J., so this is probably out of your way, but for those south of the river Moen's on Clapham Pavement is very good. Hesters near Vauxhall is meant to be OK too, though I haven't been yet. And an overpriced but decent City outlet is Porterfords in Bow Lane.

[Jon Tseng]

Moens good - though tear-achingly expensive (lamb shoulder three times the price of Sainsburys across the road last w/e). One nice thing is they have a stack of old cookbooks so you can look up recipe ideas while you browse

Theres a good one near Steve Hatt, right?

There's a decent place at the West end of the Smithfield market which does nice game. Have to be an early bird, though

J

[Kikujiro]

I tend to use Borough now but ... Doves on Northcote Road, and (to state the obvious) Lidgate in Holland Park.

[rjs1]

Agree about Ginger Pig at Borough. However, Wild Beef at Borough is also quite excellent, as is Portwine in Earlham Street, Covent Garden.

[Loula]

There's Frank Godfrey in Highbury - is that the one near-ish to Steve Hatt that you mean Jon? We wanted to order beef from FG for Christmas but he wasn't taking orders and instead opening very early on Christmas Eve to all comers - I presume he take orders at any other time of the year. I didn't want to risk everything on that so went to Canary Wharf Waitrose instead and bought a fantastic 3 rib of aberdeen angus that was spot-on. So I would recommend either of those two.

I've bought chicken, turkey and sausages from Hesters near Vauxhall when living in Kennington a couple of years ago and that was all fine, good service there too - haven't bought beef there though. And I've only bought sausages in Moen's probably because it is so expensive!

[Miss J]

Has anyone ever ordered in advance from the Ginger Pig? I usually just walk up and buy stuff from them, but I suspect I'll have to give my supplier some warning that I'm looking for a large and well-aged rib roast.

[Charlene Leonard]

you can definitely order in advance. Tim gave me his mobile number but I don't have it on me at the mo. I don't know if you would have to order in advance though because he always seem to have half a cow in the chiller!

[Matthew Grant]

I tend to use Borough now but ... Doves on Northcote Road, and (to state the obvious) Lidgate in Holland Park.

In total agrement here, although Doves is nice not fantastic. I had a rib joint at Christmas for the Ginger Pig, hung for 8 weeks, nicely gamey but not too overpowering - outstanding. All the butchers at Borough are very good, look out for Dexter Steer hung for around 6 weks, fantastic. Lidgates is a beautiful place to go, very traditional, all meat properly hung but a lot more expensive.

[jackal10]

Naturally yours: Naturally yours website]

Good organic and rare bread meat and other foods. Based near Ely, but deliver over a wide area. including north London.

That said Tesco's butchery counter is surprisingly good, and the meat RSPCA approved. The butcher, at least at my local on will do things like bone-out a shoulder of lamb ready for stuffing, and their rib beef is so well trimmed there is very little waste.

Edited February 13, 2003 by jackal10 (log)

[Simon Majumdar]

James Elliot ( next to Steve Hatt )

Ages his own beef

Smokes his own bacon

makes his ouwn sausages

By far the best butcher I have encountered in the UK

S

[cappers]

Newitts in Thame. hes amazing. supplied fat duck, waterside, manoir etc. . . .

[MobyP]

This comes up fairly regularly, so let's make a list. Feel free to add or comment.

Best butchers in London.

The Ginger Pig

8-10 Moxon Street, Marylebone.

- Rare breed pork (among the best in the UK)

- High quality French and UK fowl

- Aged beef (not to my taste - I think they over age it, sometimes 6 -8 weeks)

H G Walter

Barons Court

- Buccleugh beef

- v. good organic and free range chicken.

Kingsland Butcher

140 PORTOBELLO ROAD

- Excellent rare breed lamb (salt marsh) from Kent and Wales

- Good beef.

Randalls Butchers

113 Wandsworth Bridge Road, Fulham

Dove Butcher

Northcote Road, Clapham

- Buccleugh beef

- Good lamb,

- Game

Harvey Nichols

- V. good foie gras

- Good beef

- French and UK poultry

[jayrayner]

Moen's

The Pavement, Clapham

Has to be on there. Serious quality gear, plus some interesting pre-prepped stuff, great charcuterie, and many high-quality add-ons you wouldn't expect to find (wild mushrooms, bunches of fresh herbs, ratte potatoes, a shelf of cook books to browse if yr looking for inspiration.) of course, it costs a whore's ransome. And so it should.

[origamicrane]

Macken Brothers Turnham green

[Matthew Grant]

Northfield Farm - Borough Market - fantastic rare breed beef and lamb.

Lidgates - Holland Park. Old school Butchers, great Lamb, beef, pies and sausages, in fact this is a real feel good shop, everything looks fantastic and everything i have tried is very good.

Portwines in Covent Garden for decent game.

Moby, I beleive that the Ginger Pig has stopped doing the French Fowl

[alexhills]

Godfrey's in Highbury

Organic/Free range meat, I especially like their beef. Unbelivable sausages (especially the Tolouse). Not cheap but not outrageous either.

The one next to Steve Hatt in Islington is good too, although I can't remember its name.... I've found their beef a little over-aged once or twice but it is a proper old school butcher with high quality stuff.

[origamicrane]

should we set up a list for good fishmongers, grocers, etc?

[MobyP]

Jay - Moens - definitely one of the greats. Top 3. Stunning place.

Matt - I would say Lidgates has gone the way of display food at ferociously high prices, with a certain loss of old school butchery. It's them Nottinghill Ladies wot done it.

[Winot]

Moen's

The Pavement, Clapham

Has to be on there. Serious quality gear, plus some interesting pre-prepped stuff, great charcuterie, and many high-quality add-ons you wouldn't expect to find (wild mushrooms, bunches of fresh herbs, ratte potatoes, a shelf of cook books to browse if yr looking for inspiration.) of course, it costs a whore's ransome. And so it should.

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The quality of produce at Moen's is very good. I have shopped there for the 10 years I have lived in Brixton.

However, IMHO the service has gone downhill in the last few years. It's simply too busy, and they seem to have taken the decision to process as many customers as possible to maximise profit. Can't blame them for that, but as a result they don't have time to discuss the produce in detail, and indeed some of the staff don't have the knowledge.

[As an example, when asked how old a hare was when it was killed -- pretty key to whether to roast or stew - my other half got the reply "Well I don't know when it's bloody birthday was, love". Funny, yes, but not the service you expect when you're shelling out the £££ that they charge.]

Luckily a good organic meat farmer's stall has started trading on Acre Lane between Brixton and Clapham (outside Opus cafe) and the people that ran Hester's in Vauxhall have moved to East Dulwich as William Rose opposite Franklin's on Lordship Lane.

[Mark Donnelly]

No mention of Allans in Mayfair - but then, only buttlers actually go there.

What is worrying is not how many names are on the list, but just how short it is. For a city of seven million, a handful of good butchers is a damning indictment of the convienient, ready-made, through-away culture that is the UK today.

How many good local delis are there, or bakers, or cheese shops?

All so depressing.

[MobyP]

No mention of Allans in Mayfair - but then, only buttlers actually go there.

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Agreed, although I think you'll find that's butlers and Jamie Oliver.