Who's your favorite butcher?

When I moved to the Seattle Eastside nine or ten years ago, I wandered downtown Kirkland searching for the butchers and green grocers, perplexed as to where I would get food for dinner.  The discovery that I was expected to purchase perishables from the supermarket came as a complete shock.  Convenience had won out and the small neighborhood butchers had disappeared.  I couldn't believe it.  Who buys meat from the supermarket?

 

The Scoop:  You CAN buy meat from the supemarket, you WILL buy meat from the supermarket and the good news is, it can be great meat.  You are going to be hard pressed to find a local butcher anywhere other than, you guessed it, the supermarket.  Now, of course, some supermarkets are much better than others.  My first very favorite supermarket was Larry's Market, but its now gone.  The best places around now, in my view, are:

Central Markets, Top Food & Drug, Haggen, Whole Foods and Metropolitan Market.

If you're not lucky enough to have one of these supermarkets in your neighborhood, Costco is also a great and more economical option --- particularly now that they also stock the organic meat.

If you are looking for the neighborhood butcher experience, demand did go up slightly in the last few years.  The butchers I know of in my neck of the woods are:

Bill the Butcher - http://www.billthebutcher.com/
Open 12 until 7 daily
Located at:
7990 Leary Way NE, Redmond, 98052:  Tel 425 636 8901
3600 NE 45th Street, Seattle, 98105:  Tel 206 588 2539
12637 NE Woodinville Drive, Woodinville, 98072:  Tel 425 949 8277
3600 NE 45th Street, Seattle, 98105:  Tel 206 588 2539
2911 East Madison Street, Seattle, 98112:  Tel 206 402 5079
3800 34th Ave W, Seattle, 98199:  Tel 206 829 9741
10600 Main Street, Bellevue, 98004:  Tel:  425 637 4920

Golden Steer Choice Meats - http://www.goldensteer.net/
Open Weekdays 9 until 6, Saturdays 9 until 5:30, and Sundays 10 until 4
Located at 15255 Bel Red Road, Bellevue, WA, 98007
Telephone 425 746 1910

For help on understanding meat cuts, read the grocery page ...

Have a great Tuesday!!!!