The ginger pig is amazing. If you ask me, it's really one of the staples that holds this…read moreneighborhood together. The staff is always friendly, service is quick, prices are reasonable, and everything I have ever purchased there has been amazing. On top of all this, the staff is super knowledgeable. 9 out of 10 times I go in I have no shopping agenda. Not only can they recommend what's hot, but they can also tell you how best to cook it (and they have been right 100% of the time thus far). Highly recommend!

This is a meat lover's paradise…read more And yes, it smells of clean butchery, so probably not a spot to bring anyone squeamish about seeing the actual animal parts you're eating (which, to be honest, you should!). Keyword: clean. And, actually, in a strange way, really vivid and beautiful-- bright red, healthy looking cuts in a minimally decorated 'farmhouse-chic' (if that's a thing) space with a metal chain door curtain. The guys behind the counter are clearly career butchers, dedicated to their craft, and very knowledgeable. If you don't see something you need, ask. They'll more than likely have it in the back. I may be a poor student, but if I am going to drop real money on any aspect of my home cooking, it will be the meat. And I think the Ginger Pig is worth every extra pence it costs in both flavour and happy cow/pig/duck karma-points (plus supporting a really special local business). I also highly recommend their cook book.

Fantastic butchers. Extremely friendly. Great prices. I have bought all sorts from this butchers…read moreincluding rabbit, beef cheeks, T-Bone Steak, chicken, sausages, lamb, Pork Belly.. all great quality . Huge range of produce and they are always happy to help trim/joint/butterfly/debone pieces of meat. Highly recommend

Great and friendly butcher. The chicken thighs were perfect and very reasonably priced,read more

Well I've mentioned before how much I love a gourmet butcher, and James Elliott is just that…read more Welcomed by a beautiful awning and ye-olde-school signage, venture inside and it's a welcome treat from the rows of artificially-grown 'meat' at Tesco. The thing about gourmet butchers is they just don't smell like regular butchers. You know, that over-awing smell that, when hungover, you can't even walk past such a butcher without runniing for the nearest bin. James Elliott smells great (for a butcher!), and has such an impressive selection of free-range and organic meats, all beautifully presented. Staff are so helpful, always happy to help you with cooking times, suggested sides to complement a particular cut of meat, etc. Yes, butchers of this calibre are more expensive than cheaper butchers, but really only buy a couple of quid, which I think is well worth it. No argument at all.

Alongside excellent service from the very nice staff, this butchers offers an excellent variety of…read moremeat, sausages, poultry, prepared meals, etc. Our couscous, tajines, lasagna are among the tastiest we ever cooked (says my mother-in-law from Morocco...). Sorry to hear Robyn A.'s comments, but it seems quite odd that we're talking about the same place though...

A butcher right across the street from Smithfield Meat Market - which is the largest in the UK and…read moreone of the largest in Europe - not sure if I need to say much more? The butchers are very friendly, know their stuff and seem to like questions and recommendation requests. These chaps do trade/industry customers, but the store front is based on the busy walk up business by regular customers like you and me. You get a far shorter supply chain without the mass processing centres (and what can go along with that), and the meat sold here is handpicked by an expert butcher and cut in-store which delivers superior quality meat. They have a large selection of meats, and not all of it is on display, so ask if you don't see it. As you can imagine, cutting out several 'middle-men' also means all those saved margins are passed onto you. They also do sell small portions, if you want a skirt of beef, or two t-bone steaks, a single medium chicken, etc. But I've always bought in bulk (2-5kg), then divided it into single meal portions and then into the freezer, and suggest this for maximum savings and minimal trips to Smithfield Butchers. For example, large, good quality skinless, boneless chicken breasts here cost about the same as the basic brands of big name grocers which are small, pumped full of water and inferior quality. The 'steak meats' (e.g. rib eye, fillets, sirloin) are about half the price of big name grocers, and since you're buying a 1-4kg slab, you can cut your steak as thick as you want! Some of the best steaks I've had came from Smithfield Butchers, and the best Christmas Turkey ever! If you can make it to Smithfield Meat Market, this one is a no-brainer.

A butcher right across the street from Smithfield Meat Market - which is the largest in the UK and…read moreone of the largest in Europe - not sure if I need to say much more? The butchers are very friendly, know their stuff and seem to like questions and recommendation requests. These chaps do trade/industry customers, but the store front is based on the busy walk up business by regular customers like you and me. You get a far shorter supply chain without the mass processing centres (and what can go along with that), and the meat sold here is handpicked by an expert butcher and cut in-store which delivers superior quality meat. They have a large selection of meats, and not all of it is on display, so ask if you don't see it. As you can imagine, cutting out several 'middle-men' also means all those saved margins are passed onto you. They also do sell small portions, if you want a skirt of beef, or two t-bone steaks, a single medium chicken, etc. But I've always bought in bulk (2-5kg), then divided it into single meal portions and then into the freezer, and suggest this for maximum savings and minimal trips to Smithfield Butchers. For example, large, good quality skinless, boneless chicken breasts here cost about the same as the basic brands of big name grocers which are small, pumped full of water and inferior quality. The 'steak meats' (e.g. rib eye, fillets, sirloin) are about half the price of big name grocers, and since you're buying a 1-4kg slab, you can cut your steak as thick as you want! Some of the best steaks I've had came from Smithfield Butchers, and the best Christmas Turkey ever! If you can make it to Smithfield Meat Market, this one is a no-brainer.

I have a lot of time on my hands, so instead of going to the supermarket and getting all my…read moregroceries in one go, I prefer to support local businesses, potter at leisure around Ridley Road Market and do my shopping old school style; at the butcher, baker and candle stick maker (well, the first two at least). Butchers can be a little nerve racking to the inexperienced, in this extra packaging, extra sanitary day in age, its sometimes possible to forget that what you're buying is essentially dead animal. I like to remind myself of this fact and also, I like the variety of ways you can order your carcass at halal butchers, Kingsland Butchers. The first time I came to buy real chicken (as opposed to rinsed out, bleached white chicken from the supermarket) I was a bit green about the whole thing, I assumed that when I asked for my chicken to be cut up, the butcher would intuitively know what I meant. Not so, it seems there are not only many ways to skin a cat, but also many ways to hack up a chicken. Hacking was his preferred method, bones, skin and all. Next time, I came prepared, with my sister. She expertly asked the butcher to skin the chicken and separate it into wings, breasts and thighs, the way nature intended it to be. What a revelation: not only did the butcher do it, he seemed to really relish the challenge, it was very enjoyable to watch considering that I need a strong drink before touching wobbly, gross, raw meat. All the stall holders and shop owners at Ridley Road Market are up for a laugh and coming here is much more fun than the weekly Salisbury's run.

Here in the UK People usually do not go out for lunch like we do in Germany :)…read moreSo I just followed the colleagues again to see what they would recommend. Leadenhall market is pretty big and you should be able to find something to eat what you like because of the variety of shops in here. I took a steak sandwich which was really delicious, hot and spicy, just as I like it. You can eat here but seats are limited or take away what the majority seems to be doing here anyway :)

I have a great butcher close to my house but I find that I prefer the folks at the Butcher at…read moreLeadenhall for their knowledge, friendliness and delicious cuts. Every time I'm there they have a big smile for me and offer a helpful suggestion. Whenever I'm there I usually walk away with at least 6 chicken legs (75p a leg that is filled with meat!) and some wild boar sausages. There is a sense of responsibility and completeness about knowing where your food has come from, that it is responsibly reared and that you are getting it from people that are extremely passionate about what they do. I usually call ahead and place my order but sometimes if I'm just strolling through I stop in and they are always helpful. I trust them so much that I got my turkey there last year for my annual "An American in London Thanksgiving" party. The turkey was moist, light and lovely. It also fed twice as many people as most turkeys of the same size from a grocery store could feed due to the incredible amount of meat. There is also a little bistro attached to the butcher where you can get some simple dishes prepared fresh from the butcher. I myself have never eaten there but Time Out gave it a pretty good review and I definately must put it on my list to try. Seriously, get the boar sausages, you can thank me later!

Unless you want everything in Britain to be managed by Tesco and Starbucks, it's important to…read moresupport locally owned shops. Especially when it comes to special arts like butchery, fish mongering or baking. This is a store where it only requires a few minutes to know you are in good hands. It's family owned and operated, with a couple of generations running behind the scens (and in front). While the shop overlooks a very hip weekend market, it's not a place you'll head for exotic game. Rather, they stick to basics: beef, lamb, chicken and pork in things like roasts, ribs and steaks. I don't think they have virginal partridge stuffed with dates, or free range alligator smoked over cedar, or a virgin stuffed with alligator on her first date. But if you want lamb chops, he'll offer 4 big ones for 5 quid total. Think about it. That's real food for 2-3 people for cheaper than a slice or two of bad pizza. Or a burger meal for one just about anywhere. It'll be a sad world if we end up with 400 types of coffee and only 3 cuts of pork.

Located on the quaint strip of Broadway Market in East London, this butcher is definitely a…read morecontrast to some of the other shops on the strip. I guess it is obvious that a butcher is not going to have much in common with a boutique fabric shop though. Anyway, this place provides locals, and weekend visitors, with a good selection of meats. It is a funny little store, and definitely has a real slightly 'rough around the edges' East London feel. I'm not saying that is a bad thing, I think it gives it character. My friend orders a certain type of chicken from there every now and then. At first she was a little scared of the staff, but after a while, she realised that they are really nice people. I guess proper East Londoners can be a bit intimidating, but you have to take it with a pinch of salt.