Top Five: the best butchers in Toronto
Boutique meat shops that sell impeccably sourced cuts
1 Sanagan’s Meat Locker, Kensington Market’s cult-followed butcher shop, pictured above, sells the usual staples (Berkshire and Tamworth pork, dry-aged Angus beef), as well as some more daring proteins, like rabbit, quail and wild boar. 176 Baldwin St., 416-593-9747.
2 At Custodio’s, his namesake storefront, Jason Custodio packs the display cases with raw and prepared seasonal farmed game like wild boar side ribs, ground bison, venison stock and quail marinated in orange juice. 121 Roncesvalles Ave., 647-350-6328.
3 Ben Latchford spent 20 years working in Toronto butcher shops before opening Roast, his own place on St. Clair West, where he sources Tamworth pigs from Perth Pork Products and potato-finished beef from P.E.I. 786 St. Clair Ave. W., 416-657-6278.
4 Côte de Boeuf, Ossington’s Parisian-style butcher, dry-ages all its meat (elk, boar, water buffalo) to concentrate its flavour. Even the birds get a stint in the dry-aging room, giving partridge and guinea fowl a crispier skin. 130 Ossington Ave., 416-532-2333.
5 The long-awaited new location of the boutique butcher Cumbrae’s has finally opened on Queen West. The shop has a ham bar (featuring cured pork from around the world) a dry-aging chamber and a special French rotisserie. 714 Queen St. W., 416-681-1111.
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