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The city's wondrous butchers and fishmongers want to send their meaty wares your way
Supermarket meat and fish is great, but sometime a Londoner craves... something more. You know what we're talking about. A spider crab, say, or maybe fifteen sausages filled with things like cardamon, apple and edible gold. At times like this your best bet is to hit up your local butcher or fishmonger. Alas, that’s quite tricky right now but, thankfully, many of London’s finest purveyors of surf ’n’ turf offer delivery services.
This list of London fishmongers and butchers who can send the goods to you is as accurate as we could make it, but details change all thetime, so it’s always best to check websites for the latest delivery info before you plan your suckling pig feast.
Need some vegetables to go with the meal or something sweet for afters? Check out our list of the best fruit and veg boxes that can be delivered and the shops and restaurants that will bring their desserts to you. Or click here for other groceries, from cheese to chocolate. And if you can’t be bothered to cook, take a look at our directory of top London restaurants that will bring their food to your home. Yum!
They say: ‘We put care and attention into everything we do, from hand-making our own pork sausages to supplying our valued customers with the perfect meats for roasting, frying, grilling and stewing.’
Why buy? These Bermondsey butchers like to go the extra mile, so if you’re after something different or special, like osso bucco or ox hearts, they can order it for you.
Delivery: Free delivery to SE1, SE8, SE11, SE14, SE16 and SE17 with a minimum £30 spend.
They say: ‘Shop high-welfare, free-range meat from the Market.’
Why buy? Borough Market superstar butchers, assemble: The Ginger Pig, Wyndham House Poultry and Northfield Farm Butchery all sell through Borough’s online service. And while you’re on the site, you may as well pick up some bread, cheese, veg, wine...
Delivery: Within a three-and-a-half-mile radius of the market.
They say: ‘[We sell] birds that are raised by nice people, who make sure they have good conditions, and don't suffer unduly. “Live fast and die young” does not make a happy or tasty chicken!’
Why buy? The Butchery dry ages all its meat, especially the beef: whole fore- and hindquarters hang for between four and ten weeks in a special beef ageing room. It’s confident you will taste the difference if you try its steak or even mince.
Delivery: Free delivery on orders over £50. Order by midnight for next-day delivery to SE1, SE4, SE5, SE15, SE16, SE17, SE22, SE23, SE26, E1, E2, EC2 and EC3.
They say: ‘Nobody knows more about meat than a top-class butcher and Lidgate’s has the best recipes to make the most of quality meat.’
Why buy? Oh, the pies. Lidgate’s pastry creations are lipsmackingly good, but that’s not all. There are mash-topped cottage and shepherd’s pies, too. Super-size your order and one beast of a pie will feed up to 16 people – or just you for at least a week.
Delivery: Free next-day delivery to most of west, north-west and south-west London.
They say: ‘We are a team of foodies who supply the best restaurants in London with the highest quality ingredients. We are now doing our bit to help households cook healthy, balanced meals with organic and ethically sourced ingredients.’
Why buy? It’s a very established name in the restaurant supply chain, with a positive and direct relationship with the farmers and fishermen it works with. And the fact you order through Deliveroo or Slerp means you’ll not be waiting long.
Delivery: Within an hour, friends. An hour. Only to west and south London, though.
They say: ‘We deliver grass-fed, free-range meat, fish and cheeses, to households all over the UK. Every cut and catch is 100% traceable from field and sea to our customers’ doorstep.’
Why buy? Locally sourced meat (and fish and cheese), all free range and wonderful. Organised by two guys who were farmers originally, so they know their (meaty) onions.
Delivery: Available delivery slots are shown on the website. They've recently increased the frequency of deliveries, but it can still be around a week's wait. Worth it, though.
They say: ‘We are offering a selection of three meat boxes so that you can recreate the iconic classic Flank dishes in your own home.’
Why buy? Those boxes contain steak, burger mince, pork belly, short ribs and more, with recipe cards for four of Flank’s specialities.
Delivery: Throughout London. Order before 3pm for 48-hour delivery at a charge of £7.50.
They say: ‘All our sausages and burgers are made by hand by our skilled butchery team, who manage everything from mincing and mixing to curing and cold-smoking.’
Why buy? You’ll find the highest quality beef, lamb and pork here, plus the famous Ginger Pig sausage rolls and an intriguing steak tasting box.
Delivery: Nationwide, by courier, with free delivery for orders over £100.
They say: ‘From field to fork we are passionate about the provenance, rearing facilities, preparation and cut of each animal we provide.’
Why buy? The Godfreys are a family of master butchers – the shop’s founder, great-grandfather Frank Godfrey, was famous for his Lincolnshire sausage recipe and the fact that he grazed his cows in Clissold Park – so you know you’re going to get quality cuts from here.
Delivery: London orders placed before 1am will be delivered the following day between 8am and 5pm. No delivery charge for orders over £80.
They say: ‘Our meat and pantry products supply hundreds of restaurants, and we are the go-to butcher for many of London’s food writers, chefs and critics.’
Why buy? Who doesn’t want a steak box to arrive on their doorstep? There are condiments galore to choose from, too.
Delivery: Anywhere within the M25, with no delivery charge for orders over £50.
They say: ‘Small herd, whole carcass butcher and cookshop.’
Why buy? Nothing goes to waste at this Broadway Market favourite, so you can be adventurous and try unusual parts of an animal. Or go for a rump steak.
Delivery: Up until recently you to phone to place an order. Not any more, now they have a very flash website. Minimum spend £40 for pick-up and £80 for home delivery.
They say: ‘No meat product is out of our reach: with enough time we can source and supply any produce.’
Why buy? Jones deals in mega meat boxes. You can get a pack of goodies all from the same animal, but we like the look of the mixed meat box and the breakfast box: bacon, sausages, black pudding, white pudding and eggs.
Delivery: £5 delivery (or free for orders over £60) to most south London postcodes.
They say: ‘We ensure every cut of meat that makes it on to our blocks is sourced from producers practising good animal husbandry – livestock reared well will undoubtedly taste better.’
Why buy? You could buy all your meaty bits separately, or you could go for a ‘larder meat for the week’ box, which contains enough flesh to feed two to eight people, depending on which size you choose.
Delivery: This one’s for the people of Bromley only, lucky them.
They say: ‘Meat Me at Home delivers the pleasure of exceptional meats from around the world to your home dining experience.’
Why buy? To taste forgotten cuts such as wagyu neck, iberico pork secreto (from the shoulder) or traditional thinly sliced Japanese meat.
Delivery: Anywhere in mainland UK, by courier. Delivery is free on weekdays for orders over £50 and Saturday for orders over £80.
They say: ‘We source the finest free-range meats and artisanal products and combine that with knowledgeable and personal service.’
Why buy? All the meats are here – fresh meat, smoked meat, cured meat – plus an array of gravies and stocks to douse them in.
Delivery: Order before noon for same-day delivery in areas close to their Putney, Fulham and South Kensington shops.
They say: ‘The public can buy any quantity of meat from us and we are happy to cut and prepare it as part of our free butchery service.’
Why buy? This Smithfield Market operation offers all the basics plus specialist meats like venison, veal and all the game birds you can think of. It sells an impressive range of halal products, too.
Delivery: All postcodes within the M25 and other areas on request, with orders over £100 delivered for free.
They say: ‘We work tirelessly with small independent farmers and produce partners to source the best cuts around.’
Why buy? This venture is a collaboration between restaurants Burger & Lobster, Zelman Meats, Goodman and Beast, so its meat boxes are as high-end as you might expect. And for £40 extra you can throw in some Norwegian king crab legs!
Delivery: Within a 30-mile radius of Oxford Circus, so you should be covered. Delivery charge £5 inside the M25.
They say: ‘We are on a mission to give everybody a taste of meat as it ought to be and to reinstate traditional animal husbandry standards.’
Why buy? Tom Gibson, Struan Robertson and their team only provide meat from family-run farms – meat that can be bought on or off the bone, as individual items or in curated barbecue boxes. And their condiment selection is very tempting, too.
Delivery: To W1-W14, NW1-NW14 and SW1-SW11 postcodes. Free delivery but minimum order is £30.
They say: 'We are a strictly whole-carcass butcher with a total dedication to supplying exceptional native rare breed meat. Our pursuit of this leaves no stone unturned.'
Why buy? This award-winning, native breed butcher has only recently launched its online platform. Designed with the home cook in mind, the team is made up of chefs as well as butchers.
Delivery? Five days a week, delivering on Tuesday to Saturday. Orders over £50 are delivered for free.
They say: ‘Whether you are looking for the perfect cuts to make a delicious breakfast, lunch or dinner, we provide a range of meats to choose from, all at great prices.’
Why buy? This rare central London butcher offers a dizzying selection of beef, lamb, pork and chicken products, plus offal, sausages, bacon and more.
Delivery: To most of London and the Essex borders. Email your order and then pay by phone. Minimum spend £40.
They say: ‘The world's finest produce. Trusted by the best chefs and pitmasters in the UK. Here to help you create special dining moments.’
Why buy? Because not only do these guys have the finest cuts of the best meat, they also have an 'exotic' section, featuring kangaroo and crocodile. Oh, and they do halal!
Delivery: Free and within two working days to anywhere in the UK.
They say: ‘We are passionate about native breed animals and are committed to food traceability, low food miles and a very high standard of animal welfare and quality.’
Why buy? For the banging barbecue boxes filled with burgers, sausages, ribs and steaks. You can buy beef, pork, lamb and poultry items separately, too.
Delivery: Nationwide within 48 hours. And your meat will come wrapped in biodegradable sheep’s wool insulation.
They say: ‘Every piece of meat we offer has been raised naturally, lived the best of lives and is completely hormone-, antibiotic- and cruelty-free.’
Why buy? This place loves its cows: Yorkshire cows, Spanish cows, ex-dairy cows, all are welcome, which means there are plenty of beef options. Same goes for its other meats. It also sells a range of T-shirts with cheeky vegan-baiting slogans.
Delivered to: Free nationwide delivery for orders over £50.
They say: ‘This is your opportunity to buy the best dry-aged meat that was destined to be on the pass.’
Why buy? Warrens sells huge hunks of meat that were meant for the kitchens of now-closed restaurants like Brat, Kiln and Blacklock. Get your super steaks and racks of ribs here.
Delivery: Nationwide with a £10 delivery fee. Once you’ve ordered, Warrens will ask how you’d like the meat prepared and which day you want it delivered.
They say: ‘Bourne’s is a fishmongers by day and a seafood bar by night, committed above all else to serving the freshest and most sustainable seafood and shellfish the UK has to offer.’
Why buy? Fish are versatile creatures and can appear in many different guises. Bourne’s knows this and so offers delicacies like fishcakes, gravlax, pâtés and stocks alongside the wet counter produce.
Delivery: Via Slerp.
They say: ‘We take great pride in serving the very best quality fish, shellfish, crustaceans and anything else unusually wonderful from the sea that comes our way on the day.’
Why buy? You can order fish with fins, fish with shells and weird creatures with tentacles from this Broadway Market stalwart. If you choose the Maldon rock oysters, don’t forget to buy a shucking knife to eviscerate them, too.
Delivery: Delivery available in the Hackney area, but it’s free. Minimum order £30. They do now offer click and collect too though.
They say: ‘Forman & Field is part of H Forman & Son, a family-run smoked salmon business that dates back to the 19th century.’
Why buy? This East End institution produces London cure smoked salmon and sells it in myriad guises: on a pizza, dried as jerky, cured with gin and tonic and more. And there’s plenty of non-salmon fishy finds here too.
Delivery: Nationwide. Delivery cost is a tenner but Foreman & Field say that everything is wrapped and delivered with love and there are no hidden costs.
They say: 'We receive deliveries of freshly caught seafood each day from our local fisheries and fishermen. We believe in supporting sustainable fishing and buy locally sourced seafood such as rod and line caught Wild Sea Bass and Hand-Dived scallops from just off the coast of Dorset. '
Why buy? Fishworks is one of London's most popular seafood restaurants, and their pivot to selling fish last year has been a big success. From Dover sole to John Dory and yellow fin tuna, this is all high-quality, sustainably sourced stuff.
Delivery: To pre-order fish you'll need to call one of the three shops or fill in the online entry form.
They say: ‘Every order supports a fisherman working in the UK.’
Why buy? If you want to add an element of surprise into your life, buy a Henderson fish and shellfish box. It’ll be brimming with whatever’s just been caught: could be day-boat fish, live langoustines or hand-dived scallops – or something else entirely. Exciting!
Delivery: Tuesdays and Fridays only, to postcodes N, NW, E, EC, WC, W, SW and SE. Free nationwide for orders over £60.
They say: ‘From cod and salmon to mackerel and swordfish… if it can be smoked, we’ll smoke it!’
Why buy? For under £20 you could welcome a live lobster into your home and, for an extra few quid, a bunch of its (dead) shellfish friends. Creatures with scales and fins are also available.
Delivery: If you’re local to Kingston, minimum spend is £40 and delivery is free. Elsewhere in south and central London your order needs to hit £100 and you’ll be charged a £10 delivery fee.
They say: ‘Our focus has always been to deliver the freshest fish available to our guests. We are delighted to maintain the same approach with our delivery boxes.
Why buy? London Shell Co usually provides seafood meals aboard boats on London’s canals but is now bringing its wares ‘from seashore to front door’. Choose the picnic box of ready-to-eat fishy treats or the barbecue box for home cooking.
Delivery: Within the M25 every Friday.
They say: ‘Moxon’s is a London-based fishmonger. We buy our fish from all around the British coast and Billingsgate Market every day.’
Why buy? Yes, there’s the wet fish, but their smokin’ brothers bring the specialist flavour. Moxon’s smokes salmon, cod, haddock, mackerel, kippers and more at a special facility in Wimbledon.
Delivery: If you live near Clapham South, East Dulwich, South Kensington and Islington you’re in luck. Call your local Moxon’s shop to arrange delivery. Next-day delivery is available Wednesday to Saturday
They say: ‘Our expert team want to share their knowledge of preparing and cooking seafood with you in the hope it will give you the confidence to cook and experiment more at home.’
Why buy? Ordering a slab of fish is all well and good, but do you know what to do with it? This Chelsea fishmonger removes that problem by offering ready-to-eat and oven-ready fresh dishes prepared by its experienced seafood chefs. Sorted.
Delivery: Via Slerp.
They say: ‘Handcrafted oak-smoked fish cured in London to the highest possible quality.’
Why buy? The proud producer of London Cure Smoked Salmon also smokes haddock, trout, mackerel and kippers.
Delivery: Its all-electric van will deliver to E1, E2, E8, N1 and N16, otherwise your fish will arrive via Parcelforce. There’s a flat delivery fee of £5.99.
They say: ‘We believe in supporting a sustainable ecology, bringing the freshest fish from the British coastline to the Islington community with the smallest ecological footprint as possible.’
Why buy? Shop here if you like an element of surprise – Steve Hatt’s stock is different every day, depending on what’s been caught.
Delivery: Place your order by 5pm for next-day delivery to EC1, EC2, E2, E5, E8, N1, N4, N5, N7, N16, N19 and NW5. Minimum spend £20.
They say: ‘Premium quality fish delivered to you at the same price that is offered to our restaurant and hotel clientele.’
Why buy? This Billingsgate Market wholesaler is now delivering its huge range of fresh and frozen fish and seafood direct to you, including a whole raw octopus for less than £20.
Delivery: Free to most WC, EC, N, SW, SE, E and W postcodes plus a few others. There’s a map on the website showing the exact delivery zone. Minimum order £20.
They say: ‘Our top-quality wholesale business is now offering delivery of fresh and frozen fish to households.’
Why buy? There are three choices here: the £26.50 ‘The Only Way is Up(stream)’ box; the ‘I’m Hooked’ family pack for £40; or a create-your-own assortment of whatever the fish you want.
Delivery: Free within 15 miles of Upstream’s Croydon HQ.
They say: ‘We have been growing and buying seafood for London’s best chefs for nearly 20 years. We want to deliver the same restaurant quality and service to you at home.’
Why buy? Want to slap an entire sea bass down on the dinner table? No problem, with Wright Brothers’ oven-ready whole fish service. Or order one of its boxes for a variety pack of finned favourites.
Delivery: Five days a week within the M25. Minimum order £35, with free delivery on orders over £50.
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