Where to buy grass-fed beef and more in Toronto
For the city’s discerning carnivores, the best butcher shops go that extra mile (but no more than 100) to bring organic, locally raised meats from farm to table. With a bounty of Toronto butchers stocking grass-fed beef, heritage pork and free-range chicken, the (pasture-raised) bacon is in your own backyard. [Featured Image: Cote de Boeuf]
Cumbraes Queen
714 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M6J 1E8With three generations behind this long-loved butcher, you know you’re in good hands for grass-fed, locally-farmed meats. Supplying some of Toronto’s best restaurants and using the best butchery techniques, Cumbrae’s transforms hand-selected meats from small family farms into savoury cuts, sausages and charcuterie that will have tongues wagging at your next backyard barbecue. Meat lovers will drool over the ham bar, which features cured pork from around the world, as well as their French rotisserie chickens, dry-aged meats, house-smoked Moulard duck and best all-beef ballpark hot dogs in the city.
Olliffe
1097A Yonge St, Toronto, ON M4W 2L7Want to impress your dinner party guests? The best-kept secret in the city, this upscale butcher stocks the biggest selection of high-quality meats, poultry, lamb and wild game in town. From Tamshire pork to Canadian prime beef to whey-fed Hampshire pork, many of the specialty meats on offer are exclusive to Olliffe, making this a must for your party plans. And while you’ll pay a premium for their mouth-watering meats, they’re well worth the splurge.
Sanagan's Meat Locker
176 Baldwin St, Toronto, ON M5T 1L8With exceptional, ethically raised meats and service beyond compare, this beloved Kensington Market butcher shop will take care of all your lunch box needs. The European-style deli counter serves up every type of cured meat imaginable to make your sandwiches sing (Grant van Gameren-cured meats, anyone?) – and a hot table serving rotisserie chickens, savoury soups and stacked sandwiches is available for the peckish shopper. A storefront butcher block lets you watch the skillful butchers fill special requests, but it’s likely staples like dry-aged Angus beef, heritage poultry and Berskhire pork that will win you over.
The Meat Department
207 Danforth Ave, Toronto, ON M4K 1N2Say goodbye to dubious pre-wrapped supermarket packs and hello to quality butchered meats and poultry at this Danforth institution. From delicious dry-aged steaks to gourmet pâtés, these sustainably-sourced meats will satisfy every palate. Oh, and The Meat Dept. has other tongues wagging, too, carrying its own line of all-natural and made-in-house raw dog food. You can make the most of your visit at this one-stop shop and stock up on locally sourced eggs, Quebec butters, cured meats, gourmet preserves and yummy prepared foods.
The Friendly Butcher
3269 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M4N 2L5This family-friendly butchery stocks affordable, locally-sourced pork, poultry and beef that’s always fresh, never frozen. The majority of the meats on offer are raised within 100 miles and are free of pesticides and antibiotics). Hot tip: The Friendly Butcher carries nitrate-free deli meats will ensure healthy kids’ lunches that make the cut for moms and dads, too.
Royal Beef
1968 Danforth Ave, Toronto, ON M4C 1J6An oldie but goodie, this old-school meat market has been wooing customers on the Danforth for more than 25 years. And trust us, it’s not hard to fall for customer favourites like Alberta-certified angus, Mennonite-raised chicken, Berkshire pork and grass-fed PEI beef, to name a few. The fresh and locally sourced lamb, beef, veal and pork are available in custom cuts, courtesy of Royal Beef’s skilful master butchers. And the love affair won’t stop there: a wide selection of gourmet grocery goods, fresh-baked breads, nitrate-free deli meats and local and imported cheeses keep hungry customers satisfied.
Bloor Meat Market
2283 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON M6S 1P1While this bustling Bloor West butchery still sells traditional meats, it carries a hefty selection of locally sourced and naturally raised meats. If you’re looking to entertain guests, this one-stop shop serves up ready-to-cook meats that will wow dinner guests (think: stuffed chicken breasts, seasoned burgers, tasty kabobs and mouth-watering marinated options). If you’re looking for a few shortcuts, the selection of barbecue sauces, rubs and marinades is unparalleled. Around the holidays, delectable hams, turkeys and roasts are all the rage, but be sure to reserve one well in advance.
Cote De Boeuf
130 Ossington Ave, Toronto, ON M6J 2Z5If you’ve got a hankering for something a little different, this Parisian-style neighbourhood boucherie will not disappoint. By day, it’s a bustling butcher shop where all beef and pork are sourced from a single local farmer. Prepared steaks, chops, roasts and house-made sausages are dry-aged to perfection (they can even be custom-aged to your preference). By night, the store transforms into a chef’s table where mouth-watering meals are prepared by Parisian chef Chris Mathias. Other specialties include duck confit, foie gras, pork terrine, chicken pot pies, pantry preserves and hard-to-find wild game selections (partridge, anyone?).
