The best butcher shops in Los Angeles

Serving as a butcher shop and either a full-service restaurant or a fast-casual burger joint, depending on your location of choice, Belcampo Meat Co. offers customers a solid spot to grab a bite and pick up a pound of ground beef to bring home. The company prides itself on sustainable and organic meat, a practice that’s readily apparent as soon as you bite into one of their famed cheeseburgers. They built their own processing facility to create a stress-free environment for their animals, and use traditional hand-cutting methods to craft the cuts of meat you’ll find in both the shop and the restaurant. Stop by the Santa Monica outpost for a sprawling butcher case full of cuts and sausages, not to mention quarts of house-made stocks, sauces and tons of pantry staples; in Grand Central Market, find a more pared-down selection and a diner-style burger counter; along West Third, find something a little in between the two.

On top of devoting themselves to providing the “best of the best” in the meat and fish market, knowledgeable owners Nathan McCall and Karen Yoo (both of whom spent time in the kitchen at Daniel in New York City) also place high priority on sharing their love and passion for food with customers from all walks of life. As you’re perusing perfectly portioned fresh fish and exquisitely marbled cuts of beef, don’t be surprised if you spend half your visit in conversation with them about finding the perfect handmade sausages, Thanksgiving turkey or sashimi-grade tuna to suit your culinary needs. Expect antibiotic-, hormone- and cruelty-free animals here, plus local and line-caught seafood, fresh baked goods, artisan cheese and whatever else you might need to complete your meal.

Located in the Original Farmers Market, this butcher shop has been a neighborhood standby since 1986, serving as the meat purveyor Nancy Silverton called on for her nearby and now-shuttered Short Order burgers (and she’s far from the only chef who trusts these guys). Locals drop in for 21-day aged meat, sausages from traditional sweet Italian and bratwurst to more exotic flavors such as wild boar and alligator andouille, plus beef jerky, veal, heritage breeds, stocks and house-made grilling sauces and marinades. Carnivores and butcher wannabes can learn all about beef and sausage from the friendly staff, while those who want more local farm goods can tack on bottles of fresh, local milk and plenty of creamery butter.

Curtis Stone’s elegant Gwen isn’t just a perfect place to grab handmade pastas and fire-grilled meats. You’re greeted with a butcher case as soon as you open the door, proving a warm welcome (and a bit of retail temptation, even if you did just come here for a full meal). It’s at this butcher case where you can buy coils of lamb sausage or hefty cuts of steak to take home; the staff here specializes in whole animal butchery, which means high-quality popular cuts, lesser-known options and everything in between. In addition to charcuterie, terrines, salami, prosciutto and a phenomenal dry-ageing program, look for market goods and freshly baked options such as the occasional sausage roll.

Owner and head butcher Eddie Shin earned his stripes at Nick and Stef’s Steakhouse, so he knows a thing or two about meat. He was a self-taught chef and became a self-taught butcher as well, with expertise in dry-aging and eventually starting his own shop, A Cut Above. Here you’ll find luscious and beautifully marbled cuts of meat and pre-prepped grill packs (basically a party platter of raw sausages, ribs, chicken and more), in addition to a mouthwatering menu of sandwiches, hot plates and picnic food to-go. Cases wrap around the register, providing the absolute best kind of window shopping: With so much variety and so many mouthwatering cuts, skewers and house-roasted deli meats, good luck walking out with just one or two items.

The case at Standing’s is a sight to behold, especially when it comes to sausages. This whole-animal butcher shop specializes in humanely-raised and sustainable meats—almost always locally sourced, and in a rainbow of options: Stop by for some of the area’s most creative sausage flavors (hot honey? buffalo chicken? chili cheese? beef with kimchi? beet with balsamic?), or grab some of the old standbys (chorizo, Italian and beyond). They also stock chops and other choice cuts, plus confit chicken, freshly ground meat, lard, tallow, meatballs, bacon, stocks, soups and more for your fridge. Need pantry supplies such as heirloom beans or bottles of wine? They’ve got you covered there, too.

Owners Israel and Nomi Feuerstein opened this upscale kosher butcher shop after realizing that so many of their important family and holiday moments revolved around food—very special food. Rabbi’s Daughter (and Nomi really is one!) is a neighborhood gem, providing antibiotic- and hormone-free beef and poultry, as well as grass-fed beef and organic poultry, plus extra special cuts of lamb and veal. In addition to raw meats, Rabbi’s Daughter offers a menu of deli and hot sandwiches, matzo ball soup, side salads, and signature lunch specials such as shawarma and schnitzel. For those who care about kosher, Rabbi’s Daughter is under the supervision and certification of Rabbi Dr. Yehuda Bukspan.

Don’t let its appearance fool you: This humble, pint-size butcher shop packs big, bold flavor. The family owned and operated stalwart has been a well-kept Pasadena secret since 1995, and focuses on Armenian marinades and specialties to really liven up your grill. You’ll find all the butcher-shop classics here (rib-eye, whole chicken, pork chops, lamb shank—you get the idea) but we advise picking up a few of the house luleh, too, not to mention the marinated chicken wings and at least a few pints of their dips and spreads.

When a restaurant known for above-and-beyond high-quality meat opens a butcher shop a few doors down, well, you shop there: Park’s BBQ, which could very well be the best Korean BBQ spot in Los Angeles, now also sells its meats out of a butcher shop so you can replicate galbi, steaks and other sizzling cuts in your own home. You can find them prepackaged, with some meats even in marinades (pounds of seasoned bonless beef ribs, anyone?) and harder-to-find options such as pork belly and thinly shaved brisket points. You can even shop online and add on sides and sauces like kimchi, bean paste and ssam.