Well I've mentioned before how much I love a gourmet butcher, and James Elliott is just that…read more Welcomed by a beautiful awning and ye-olde-school signage, venture inside and it's a welcome treat from the rows of artificially-grown 'meat' at Tesco. The thing about gourmet butchers is they just don't smell like regular butchers. You know, that over-awing smell that, when hungover, you can't even walk past such a butcher without runniing for the nearest bin. James Elliott smells great (for a butcher!), and has such an impressive selection of free-range and organic meats, all beautifully presented. Staff are so helpful, always happy to help you with cooking times, suggested sides to complement a particular cut of meat, etc. Yes, butchers of this calibre are more expensive than cheaper butchers, but really only buy a couple of quid, which I think is well worth it. No argument at all.

Alongside excellent service from the very nice staff, this butchers offers an excellent variety of…read moremeat, sausages, poultry, prepared meals, etc. Our couscous, tajines, lasagna are among the tastiest we ever cooked (says my mother-in-law from Morocco...). Sorry to hear Robyn A.'s comments, but it seems quite odd that we're talking about the same place though...

A butcher right across the street from Smithfield Meat Market - which is the largest in the UK and…read moreone of the largest in Europe - not sure if I need to say much more? The butchers are very friendly, know their stuff and seem to like questions and recommendation requests. These chaps do trade/industry customers, but the store front is based on the busy walk up business by regular customers like you and me. You get a far shorter supply chain without the mass processing centres (and what can go along with that), and the meat sold here is handpicked by an expert butcher and cut in-store which delivers superior quality meat. They have a large selection of meats, and not all of it is on display, so ask if you don't see it. As you can imagine, cutting out several 'middle-men' also means all those saved margins are passed onto you. They also do sell small portions, if you want a skirt of beef, or two t-bone steaks, a single medium chicken, etc. But I've always bought in bulk (2-5kg), then divided it into single meal portions and then into the freezer, and suggest this for maximum savings and minimal trips to Smithfield Butchers. For example, large, good quality skinless, boneless chicken breasts here cost about the same as the basic brands of big name grocers which are small, pumped full of water and inferior quality. The 'steak meats' (e.g. rib eye, fillets, sirloin) are about half the price of big name grocers, and since you're buying a 1-4kg slab, you can cut your steak as thick as you want! Some of the best steaks I've had came from Smithfield Butchers, and the best Christmas Turkey ever! If you can make it to Smithfield Meat Market, this one is a no-brainer.

A butcher right across the street from Smithfield Meat Market - which is the largest in the UK and…read moreone of the largest in Europe - not sure if I need to say much more? The butchers are very friendly, know their stuff and seem to like questions and recommendation requests. These chaps do trade/industry customers, but the store front is based on the busy walk up business by regular customers like you and me. You get a far shorter supply chain without the mass processing centres (and what can go along with that), and the meat sold here is handpicked by an expert butcher and cut in-store which delivers superior quality meat. They have a large selection of meats, and not all of it is on display, so ask if you don't see it. As you can imagine, cutting out several 'middle-men' also means all those saved margins are passed onto you. They also do sell small portions, if you want a skirt of beef, or two t-bone steaks, a single medium chicken, etc. But I've always bought in bulk (2-5kg), then divided it into single meal portions and then into the freezer, and suggest this for maximum savings and minimal trips to Smithfield Butchers. For example, large, good quality skinless, boneless chicken breasts here cost about the same as the basic brands of big name grocers which are small, pumped full of water and inferior quality. The 'steak meats' (e.g. rib eye, fillets, sirloin) are about half the price of big name grocers, and since you're buying a 1-4kg slab, you can cut your steak as thick as you want! Some of the best steaks I've had came from Smithfield Butchers, and the best Christmas Turkey ever! If you can make it to Smithfield Meat Market, this one is a no-brainer.

Great family run business. Good quality reasonably priced stock. Friendly and welcoming staff.read more

This family run butcher shop is conveniently located near Angel station in the heart of Islington…read more This shop gets their meat sourced from Smithfields Meat Market, so if you like to get fresh meat but can't go to Smithfields in the early mornings this shop is a great alternative. They offer great deals on meat and eggs. It's £1.89 for a dozen large eggs, at shops like Sainsbury it cost £1.63 for only 6 eggs. They always seem to have various cuts of meats throughout the year but if you want something in particular it is best if you order it a week beforehand just to make sure that it will be there. If you are looking for beef ribs this place has got it. I have even ordered my Canadian Thanksgiving turkey from here twice now and they have always pulled through for me.

One bite of the sausage roll and I started to have a mad craving for a beer lol. Soo juicy from the…read morefat! A little too rich for me actually, but those who are true carnivores would very much enjoy it. Subtle seasoning taste to it (could've had a tad more). Wished the pastry crust had more of a crisp also but let's be real the main role of it is just to prevent greasy fingers lol. Review is specifically for the stand at Borough Market. Several people in the queue on a weekday late afternoon and the queue went fairly quickly.

This was a spot on a foodie tour…read more We got sausage rolls and shared them. They were so good and the sausage was very fresh tasting. The outside was flakey and just yummy! After I finished my portion the glutton in me wanted more. Definitely recommend stopping here.

I've just returned from Devon which…read more has the best meat in England to find this marvellous butchers. The sheer range of stock is breathtaking. Every kind of animal & fowl is here, & some wonderful cooked meats too. If you want a good joint for Christmas you MUST place an order weeks before, or you may be unlucky No ifs or buts, it gets 5 STARS easy!

Superb butcher: one of the very best in London. Great service, great food, sensible prices…read more What more could you want?

It was our first time to visit London and Leadenhall market was on our itinerary! Walking around,…read morewe stumbled upon Viandas de Salamanca. The jamons can be seen hanging outside and added as a decoration. We got the special for a pint of beer and tapa for 5,90 pound. The lager beer is served cold and went really well with the tapa. I recommend this place. Great ambiance, great conversation over a pint of beer and tapas!

Life doesn't get any better than this! In the middle of tourists and busy The Strand you'll find…read morethis store specialized in Spanish meat. Sorry, we can't call this meat, this is the best ham (Jámon) in the world. Oh, how we love those piggies raised on nuts. They sell different kind of packed meats, cheeses, wines, sandwiches and freshly cut Jámon. Price of a sandwich is £4,50. We find that a fair deal. The're open 7 days a week.

This is Smithfield Market's oldest shop, apparently. The…read moresausages are amazing and they sell Wagyu Beef - the holy grail as far as I'm concerned. The market shuts at 8am everyday, but Keevils are online and deliver out to me in Kent, and across the country I think. I love them!

This place apparently always has a queue... so you know it has something going for it. Went at…read morelunch time and line moved fairly quickly. Inside they have alllll the meats. Pretty cheap sandwiches and so many options. I had the brisket baguette and had slight regrets as other meats looked even better. Def worth checking out in this vibey alley.

Long , but fast moving queues for the lunch counter - which to my shame I haven't sampled. Think…read moreburgers, sausages etc. However , the "proper" butchers shop seems to be largely overlooked by punters- which is a shame, as, although fairly expensive, has excellent meat and knowledgeable butchers.

Here in the UK People usually do not go out for lunch like we do in Germany :)…read moreSo I just followed the colleagues again to see what they would recommend. Leadenhall market is pretty big and you should be able to find something to eat what you like because of the variety of shops in here. I took a steak sandwich which was really delicious, hot and spicy, just as I like it. You can eat here but seats are limited or take away what the majority seems to be doing here anyway :)

I have a great butcher close to my house but I find that I prefer the folks at the Butcher at…read moreLeadenhall for their knowledge, friendliness and delicious cuts. Every time I'm there they have a big smile for me and offer a helpful suggestion. Whenever I'm there I usually walk away with at least 6 chicken legs (75p a leg that is filled with meat!) and some wild boar sausages. There is a sense of responsibility and completeness about knowing where your food has come from, that it is responsibly reared and that you are getting it from people that are extremely passionate about what they do. I usually call ahead and place my order but sometimes if I'm just strolling through I stop in and they are always helpful. I trust them so much that I got my turkey there last year for my annual "An American in London Thanksgiving" party. The turkey was moist, light and lovely. It also fed twice as many people as most turkeys of the same size from a grocery store could feed due to the incredible amount of meat. There is also a little bistro attached to the butcher where you can get some simple dishes prepared fresh from the butcher. I myself have never eaten there but Time Out gave it a pretty good review and I definately must put it on my list to try. Seriously, get the boar sausages, you can thank me later!

I am still thinking about this sandwich a week later!…read more This place was tucked away down a back street. I ordered a sandwich for takeaway, and it took less than 10 minutes to toast to perfection. I checked out the upstairs seating while I waited. It was cozy and there was ample seating (see picture). My sweet onion and melted cheese toastie was so good!! I ate it hot, while walking around town. It was a bit of a mess but totally worth it.

From the owner: Pistachio & Pickle Dairy is a independent Artisan Cheese shop in Islington. We specialise in…read moreBritish cheese, celebration cheese wedding cake, cheese platters & fine wines. Our Parlour is open at weekends where you can sit with a cheeseboard and glass of wine.