A hidden gem. The tandoori chicken and spicy lamb sausages are the best in NZ. If your anywhere…read morenear St Luke's or want to go for a drive to find a decent butcher this is the place.

Bad customer service. I won't go back there. Ordered meat around 15-20 kg. When I went there to…read morepick it up. I asked some help to put it in the vehicle as I parked the vehicle far . Guess what ,guy who works in the cashier got angry. Bad customer service ever.

A hidden treasure for budget minded foodies or those simply looking for great and unusual cuts of…read moremeat. The Pork Mart is nestled away behind the Car-fe at the Greenlane roundabout - the easiest way in is by driving through the Countdown carpark, There's head to toe quality meats on offer. I get my beef cheeks there, pork ribs cut several sizes, meaty bones for stocks, massive pork hocks as well as your standard cuts of beef, lamb, pork and poultry. I go there once a month and stock the freezer. They also have an array of Asian dried, frozen and canned goods.

I once stopped here for some burger patties as I wanted to make handmade burgers for dinner than…read morenight. Despite there being none made up, the butcher was happy to make some up for me. Less than ten minutes later they were ready, and they made for an excellent dinner. Another time I was asked if I would like to sample a sausage that they had cooking away, and as it was conveniently at lunch I obliged. It was a sausage from the Pokeno Butchery (Mt Eden Butchers have only recently started selling these, along with their award winning bacon). It was very tasty indeed and I think they make a great option for an easy dinner. If you're after friendly, helpful service with an emphasis on quality - visit Mt Eden Traditional Butchery and see if you too become a fan.

We came here on our way home, conveniently at 5.30 on the dot when the clearway outside stops,…read moreenabling us to park right outside. All I wanted was a couple of pieces of eye fillet, so I wasn't in a position to say 'hey, what should I have for dinner?', but in saying that, I feel this is totally the kind of place you could. You know the New World ads where they pretend that's what the butcher will do, but really it's just some 17 year old who doesn't give a crap about what you have for dinner... Here is where they might give a damn. Will totally head back, especially if the head is in a bit of a jumble about what's for dinner. Parking is a little bit of a mission in Mt Eden, but sometimes you can wing it - like we did! The meat itself was beautiful, and for two big pieces of eye fillet it was $12.00. I don't think that's any more than I would pay in the supey. I was also eyeing up all those delicious sausages as well... I'm sure they'll make it into the basket next time.

Excellent selection and friendly staff…read more Fabulous range of meats, good parking, The only downside is the Arsenal poster

Westmere truly is the bomb dot com. Hiked out here from St. Heliers to sample their wares, based…read moreof a word-of-mouth recommendation (jeez people, haven't you heard of yelp?). The peri-peri chicken was great for grilling, as we're the Moroccan-seasoned sausages, which had a sweetness to them. Definitely try the Toulouse sausage, a fantastic complement to your Saturday breakfast. I was pretty impressed with their efforts to source meats from farms they had relationships with, little posters around the shop telling you about the people responsible for raising your food :) Equally impressed with their curated selection of hot sauces from around the world - I need to send them a shipment of Dave's Gourmet sauce, that sh*t will destroy even the meanest of lads. All things considered, a lil' on the pricey side, but you definitely get what you pay for here.

A butcher is a staple in any small community. Greenwood's Butchery is a striped apron classic and…read morecan have you waltzing home feeling like Jamie Oliver. I love cooking and having a freshly cut slice of meat wrapped in brown paper can make all the difference. Not only do they stock the free mEAT magazine for the culinary impaired but the staff happily volunteer information on cuts and cooking techniques. In fact staff here some how manage to make you feel special and memorable every time. The meat is organic, hand-made sausages delicious and they are always willing to go the extra mile by nipping out the back and carving something up for you or ordering something especial. Just great.

Greenwoods has a real community buzz. It seems like everyone knows everyone. The people are super…read morefriendly, keen for a yarn, and the butchery is no exception. It's been around for over 80 + YEARS, which totally blows my mind. As for the meat, they've got a great range and quite a number of less common meats (duck, quail etc). Also free range and organic - big TICK!

The CBD location of the Royal Save Mart family is a great Korean supermarket for inner city…read moredwellers without a car. Unlike the small colony of Korean supermarkets on the North Shore, this Royal Save Mart packs a punch for the size of store and location. They have a very respectable selection of Korean (and some Japanese) imported dry goods, snacks, drinks and frozen foods. They offer a range of frozen Korean style meat cuts from a butcher on the Shore and also carry a range of Kimchi both imported from Korea as well as some locally made stuff. Now you may be thinking that the local stuff is fresher and should taste better. However, as Kimchi is fermented cabbage this is a bit irrelevant and the more important factor is the use of Korean chiles and fish sauce (which most NZ made Kimchi does not contain). Royal Save Mart's Kimchi selection is very reasonably priced especially when you buy the larger pack sizes. Above all the Royal Save Mart has a little food corner that is open until about 5 or 6pm. I haven't been able to sample the food myself as I never visit this store when it is open (I don't work in the city). However, the women that run the food corner also have a whole fridge of fresh made Korean side dishes (panchan) that are so reasonably priced and so damn delicious that I would imagine the mains are just as delectable. These women are from the deep south of Korea which is known to have the tastiest recipes in all of the land. Compared to the 3 other Auckland Korean supermarkets I've been to, this one has the best and varied selection of side dishes. If you want to impress your friends by cooking Korean food, you can buy the side dishes from these ladies and make 'cheats bibimibop' (pic uploaded). Only downside is a real lack of parking, but its in the CBD so get over it and enjoy!

I am reviewing this Countdown because it is brand spanking new and it has an in house pharmacy, so…read moreyou can get your groceries and drugs in one convenient location. Milk, bread, pregnancy test, it is all here. So first impression was, this place is huge, it is, massive open produce section, everything was nicely presented. The entire store was so tidy and shiny and all of the shelves well stocked. Due to its size you can expect to find more variety here and the aisles are nice and wide. For a Countdown this one is probably the best and the merchandising in many parts focuses on making things easy for the customer and therefore in a clever way getting you to buy more. It is like when you shop online and those suggestions come up that say, 'recommended products, you may like, others who purchased this also purchased ..' So for example, bulk nuts and dried fruits you will find plastic containers, in the bakery section, cartons of flavoured milk, in the fruit section packets of easiyo yoghurt, and so on. It is smart, so you see the chopped nuts by the ice cream freezers and you think, 'good idea'. I think they're on to something here.

I have been to this Countdown and I can report that it's all shiny and new but overall I am not a…read morefan of the Countdown shopping experience. If we need something, Countdown is our only option in Te Atatu but we do our weekly shop in New World. I just find Countdown uninspiring and they rarely have anything different or unusual to liven up your grocery shop. Granted you can get most of the mainstream products under one roof but for a dreary shopping experience, it's not what you would call cheap. Pak n Save is also dreary but at least it's cheap. Even the deli doesn't have much to recommend it, unappetising looking olives and meats. I bought some swiss frankfurters here once and they tasted foul. Personally I miss the supermarkets in London such as Sainsburys and Tescos where you can get good food at an affordable price.

When you can get 14-21+ day dry aged beef for the same price as in the supermarket, how can you not…read morebuy your meat here???? Plus, the pricing is comparable. And did I mention anything about their excellent customer service???? They stayed open late on a holiday to wait on me, and never made me feel pressured or hurried. I bought one Savannah dry aged prime rib for $46/Kg (see photo), and it easily is the best meat I've ever bought at a butcher. I'm a believer, and I look forward to returning.

If you're looking for quality meats in the Ponsonby area pay a visit to Neat Meat…read more It's situated within Ponsonby Central, a hub of wonderful produce suppliers and other retailers and some of Auckland's best places to eat, many of which this family business butchery supplies. The entrance to the store is not for the feint hearted vegetarian; you'll see premium cuts of meat ageing in the window. Inside there is a massive selection of meats and smallgoods, sauces and other pantry items on offer. The meat is sold by weight from an impressive looking and well stocked cabinet and they also sell a range of pre packaged well known quality meat brands like Harmony. Their sausages are first class and so is their bacon which is available in thick cuts. Be prepared to pay in the high side for some cuts but be assured you'll be buying quality.

This butchery has been around for decades. As an independent family owned business, Better Butchers…read moreof Mt Eden gives off a friendly, trustworthy, reliable vibe and is a proud part of the Mt Eden community. All their meat is locally grown and the animals receive the best care during this time - you don't have to worry about pigs in cages, and battery chickens here. Quality is what this butchery prides itself on, as evidenced by their good cuts of meat, fresh boned chicken and REAL MEAT SAUSAGES. The Better Butchers of Mt Eden are also well known for their amazing Christmas hams. We get our ham from them every year and are always really impressed with the flavour and quality of the meat, as well as the price! Unlike other butcheries and supermarkets, you actually get what you pay for with Better Butchers. No one I know has ever been let down by these guys, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone after some decent meat - and some friendly banter! Bonus: Not only is this a great butchery but the staff are really welcoming and have a great sense of humour. Every visit is a delight!

So if you've read a few of my other reviews you'll know that I'm a bit fussy about eating meat. I…read moream however also a mother of three and am not ready to discount whole food groups on behalf of everyone else. Known to locals as the Wairiki Butchery (it's on the corner of Mt Eden and Wairiki Roads), I feel lucky to have this place close by. While whole carcasses really do freak me out, I'm a typical hypocritical consumer and meat in its prepared and packaged form does excite the cook in me. I go here often for the Chicken Nibbles, Lean Beef Mince, a log of Eye Fillet for a special occasion and also some really interesting sausages - the Wild Thar are always a hit at my BBQs. There is something about shopping at your local butchery that makes me feel like a small girl with my nana and I think it's so important to support specialty businesses like this. The guys are always so lovely; really helpful and I don't feel stupid asking them for advice on temperatures and timing. A lot of the basics I buy are priced comparatively to supermarkets so if you have the time, it's well worth dropping in here to get your meat. They also have some flash stuff in the fridge (marinades and the like) so it's one stop shopping if you have a dinner panic.