Ok I'll come clean. I did initially come to this store with a wallet full of five dollar notes…read moreexpecting a lap dance and a bit of day time entertainment. But I came away with oh so much more. Breasts, rumps, thighs, bellies and a pretty nice rack of lamb. You see the Gourmet Meat Rack just has everything. And the shiny lights that are scattered throughout the store with specials and suggestions just worked to excite me even more. In fact I was so excited by the time I left the Gourmet Meat Rack that I had to go and sit down for a bit. You see it is not every day that you come across so much meat in one place. And I'm talking good meat too. All kinds of pieces of meat. And the best thing is that it is all for sale!

This incredible Northcote butcher certainly has a nice rack. And breasts, and thighs, and more…read more Silly me had been buying my meat for as long as I can remember from nearby Coles but today, today I struck meat gold in the form of Northcote Plaza's very own butcher, The Gourmet Meat Rack. 30 odd different cuts of beef; chicken portions and cuts that you just can't find at the supermarket; beautifully marinated looking skewers and very friendly and professional service, The Gourmet Meat Rack has it all. I spent around $20 today but for that came away with three ginormous chicken breasts, a handful of beef ribs and a giant piece of sirloin steak. The Gourmet Meat Rack is arguably better value than Coles and the meat looks fresher and is much more prettily displayed. A no brainer really.

Every time I go to Glenferrie (Hawthorn), I do not leave the area empty handed without taking home…read morea few of their gourmet sausages: we are talking about flavours such as rosemary, cheese and chives. See and appreciate for yourself. There is (every Saturday) this budding cook cooking delicious sausages for you to smell, taste and appreciate: like a mini appetiser/snack: there is no limit to the number of little sausage pieces you can try. This staff member (the same guy every weekend) is always so cheerful and friendly. It gets interesting once you come inside. You would almost feel guilty if you walked away depending on how many sausages you have tried. Their cooked gourmet sausages is a great hook to come inside. Truly divine. More like a deli instead of a butchery of gourmet meats. The staff are so energetic (full of protein literally) and I always (without fail) order two parmas that just need to be whacked into the microwave for a few minutes, and they are just a meal in itself for me on those respective two nights a week I am not in the mood to cook. Great value for gourmet meat. My Amex doesn't always think so.

I recently started buying there as I once tried a sample of chicken steak they were giving outside…read morethe store. I loved that bite so much I had to buy it and I continue on doing so whenever I feel like eating meat. They offer quite a good range of produce and staff is really friendly. Prices are affordable even for me as a student. Highly recommended!:)

Last Saturday after braving the crowds at Ivanhoe Plaza Coles I headed to Quality Meats to purchase…read moresome, well, quality meat. Beef to be exact. The displayed meat looked fresh and tempting but I only had eyes (and funds) for the diced beef. Fast forward a day and I was found enjoying my home made Thai green beef curry. The quality of beef was clear and made the dish fresh and filling, no fatty beef here, just lean, well cut produce. The prices on display seemed to be a little higher then the supermarket, but in return you can expect far superior quality and taste. The service is fast and friendly and the shop clean and well lit. Also you can hire a spit for your next event, but if you need one for Christmas, book ahead.

After reading the previous review I thought to give them a try. I was left standing with no other…read morecustomers but myself; the 2 butchers looked up at the corner of their eyes at me, but looked straight back down at the bench they were working at. I was made to wait another 5 minutes as they ignored me not even acknowledging my presence. Then after some time one of them finally took interest to come and serve me but I was disgusted and walked away. Also whilst I stood there waiting observed their prices were very ridiculously exorbitant. Service is very ordinary I will never shop there.

The Continental Butcher is not so much continental as just another butcher. Sure, they sell pork…read moreand fennel sausages, but who doesn't these days. They also probably don't marinate their chicken wings in teriyaki sauce. But there is nothing that I can tell that particularly makes this butcher continental. The Continental Butcher doesn't really seem to offer anything other than what you can get at any supermarket or market stall. There is nothing particularly bad about the fact that this particular butcher is nothing too special. It is reasonably priced and I do prefer to buy from these guys rather than from the supermarket. It's just that I sometimes lament the fact that you can't get some more interesting cuts from butchers, as well as maybe some more interesting kinds of meat. When I first saw the sign mostly written in Greek with the only English words written "Continental Butcher" I guess I was expecting something a little bit rustic and old school.

Want meat? Meet Northcote Shopping Centre's Continental Butcher. A does what it says on the awning…read morebutcher that is handily located right next door to Aldi and selling - you guessed it! - a pretty awesome selection of meat. There's obviously nothing wrong with going to nearby Coles to buy meat, but Continental Butcher is arguably cheaper and just as good and if you're after sausages? There really is no question. Continental Butcher is the place to go. Selling a standard range of different cuts of chicken, pork, beef etc, Continental also does a fine line in some pretty gourmet sounding sausages containing things like fennel and sundried tomatoes. The flavour? Pretty good for not-too-expensive sausages. A little gristley but good all the same. Ok, this place might not be glamour incarnate but when you're selling bits of dead animal razzamatazz isn't obligatory now is it?! A great local butcher; if you're a Northcote local you should check it out.

A word of warning: this butcher is popular…read more I remember coming along with my dad last year to get our meat for Christmas. It was two days beforehand and the queue was enormous. When we finally got to the front the lists of customer orders took up the back wall. There's a reason why this butcher is constantly busy. The quality of the meat that is sourced locally (be it chicken or pork) is exceptional and the prices are very reasonable. The Bouchiers of Balwyn also boast a long list of specialties including delicious slavinks, beef racks, Peking duck and more. They also do the most phenomenal pork racks. They are also able to prepare particular cuts and products for special occasions all year round, just give them plenty of notice. Service is brilliant and the team is efficient and friendly and their ability to work under the pressure of events like Christmas is testament to their skills as professionals. I have been buying meat from the Bouchiers of Balwyn for years and am always impressed with the quality and prices and never disappointed by the product or service.