Guide to the best butchers in London

Smithfield Market is a historic London meat market whose roots go back over 800 years. Also known as London Central Markets, the weekday market occupies a pair of listed buildings in Farringdon and is the largest wholesale meat market in the country. However, anyone can shop for meats here, with the Smithfield Market butchers offering a diverse array of meaty delights. Note that you'll have to get up early in the morning to get the choicest cuts.

Parson's Nose first launched in 2007, with the traditional butchers determined to provide the finest free-range meats, friendly, experienced customer service, and an assortment of artisanal products, all to keep the dying art of butchery alive and well. They even collaborated on workshops and programmes for young people. They operate several physical locations, with Parson's Nose Fulham, the oldest among them and an online store. All sell a wide range of meats.

The Chadwicks Balham butcher's shop is renowned for its environmentally friendly business practices, including a commitment to decreasing its carbon footprint. You can choose from a comprehensive range of meats, including slow-cooked lamb, gourmet burgers, pork chops, sausages, and venison. They also sell barbecue kits, cheese, and chutneys.

HG Walter, founded in 1972 and still family-run, is among the country's top butchers and is revered by professional chefs like Phil Howard and numerous dedicated customers. Committed to sustainability and ethical sourcing, they prioritise British native breeds from humane, free-range farms. HG Walter's Barons Court butcher's shop offers an expansive range of meats and gourmet products, from traditional cuts to rare delicacies and chef-crafted items.

The Quality Chop House is an iconic, timeless London institution that goes back over 150 years. The historic restaurant has its own in-house butcher to ensure it serves only the finest cuts, but you can also stop by for any meat-centric needs. The butcher can provide expert advice and help meet any special requests, and the shop also stocks various products from The Quality Chop House's suppliers.

Porterford Butchers is a traditional family butcher shop in The City that's highly popular among the area's lunchtime crowds. Going back more than four decades, the butchery sells a broad assortment of meats, poultry and fish, ranging from premium Wagyu beef to venison and specialities such as oxtail.

Small Herd is a collective of butcher shops around London that are committed to regenerative British farming. Countering the destructive impact of mass commercial agriculture, their butchers highlight whole-carcass practices and source meat from independent, low-intervention farmers. They offer a range of unique artisanal products. Even if they don't have something you're after, their experienced staff can recommend a suitable replacement.

Out of one dedicated farmer's manner of putting unsold meat to good use by making great sausages grew The Ginger Pig, now a household name on the city's restaurant scene. The Ginger Pig's clients include renowned establishments such as Dishoom and Social Pantry, but retail customers are alsowelcome at its many delicatessens around London. In addition to the full range of slow-reared meats, you can pick up one of their famous sausage rolls or other takeaway dishes here.

M.Moen & Sons, located near Clapham Common, is a family-run butchery boasting over two decades of expertise. Esteemed by top London restaurateurs and chefs such as the Honey & Co team, they're considered one of the city's premier butchers. They procure organic meats from traditional free-range farms, offering a diverse range from Iberian ham to Kobe beef.

William Rose Butchers, one of London's oldest butchers, was initially established in Vauxhall in 1862 but has since moved to East Dulwich. However, the family-owned butchers remains committed to quality meats, ethical sourcing, and top-notch customer service. There's a wide range of products, including seasonal and specialist meats like game or duck. You can also pick up a pie, sausage roll, or snack at the deli counter.

Provenance Village Butcher makes no secret of the importance it places on where it gets its meats from. Found at various locations around London, the skilled butchers take care to understand the origins, life, and farming methods of the produce they sell. This has won them favour among chefs and regular customers, with the team always ready to provide expert advice and cuts to both. Products here range from steaks and Sunday roasts to skewers, venison, and meat bundles, with gourmet deli goods also available.

The Hampstead Butcher & Providore runs multiple butchers around London and is considered a top local destination for butchered meats and grocery essentials. Their traditional meat cuts come from British free-range farms. In addition to fresh cuts, the butcheries also offer various artisanal pantry fillers, wines, cheese, and other delicacies that go well with the steaks, house-made sausages, meat boxes, and other offerings.

Renowned restaurateur Richard H. Turner and traditional butcher James George join forces at Turner & George, an esteemed London butcher. The meats sold inthis artisan butchery comes from ethically reared British native breeds and are cut using traditional methods. Premium cuts, handmade sausages and burgers, in-house dry-aged products, and other mouth-watering goods are all sold here, and the Turner & George meat boxes are incredibly convenient if you've got an important dinner planned.

Smithfield Butchers has been located next to the Smithfield meat market for more than 50 years, with the shop passed down from generation to generation, building a loyal customer base in the process. The experienced staff at Smithfield Butchers take care of retail and wholesale customers alike with their broad assortment of products. In addition to classic offerings such as poultry and lamb, you can get game meat, Black Angus beef, sausages, bacon, and much more here.

Daylesford Organic is a group of cafés and farm shops found at multiple London locations. They pride themselves on bringing over garden-fresh produce from their organic farm in the Cotswolds, highlighting seasonal, sustainably farmed produce. This includes pasture-raised meat in their butcher's section. The goods are delivered fresh every morning, and local delivery is also available.

Heap's Sausage Café is a bustling delicatessen serving takeaway dishes made with local ingredients, along with charcuterie, cheeses, bread, tea and coffee, sweet items, and other artisanal goods. As indicated by the name, handmade sausages are a speciality here. You can enjoy them in dishes of all shapes and sizes, from bangers and mash to hot dogs, or buy them to cook at home. This is the home of Simply Sausages, one of London's most acclaimed sausage brands.

Notting Hill Fish+Meat is one of Notting Hill's premier destinations for quality ingredients. The contemporary store offers diverse fresh produce and essential kitchen items to elevate your culinary creations, including fresh meat and fish. The store also boasts an in-house bakery and even private chef services.

The Cedar Deli and Meat is an offshoot of the established Lebanese restaurant group The Cedar. The Brent delicatessen serves fresh meats, free-range poultry, beef, and more, with the option to have your meat grilled right there. Home delivery is available as well. The deli also offers an array of mezze and other Lebanese dishes to take care of any immediate hunger.

Dugard & Daughters, a family-owned butchery in South London, reflects the owners' commitment to high-quality, sustainably sourced products and local shopping. They offer dry-aged beef in-house, distinctive rare breeds, free-range poultry, and handcrafted sausages among their delicacies. In addition to the meats, they provide an assortment of gourmet treats, cheeses, local craft beers, and more.