I hope that my frequent five star ratings of establishments does not diminish the veracity of what…read moreI type in these reviews. Writing reviews for me is more about giving my fellow yelp family the opportunity to visit these locations to sample, taste, buy and own the best of what is available whilst getting exceptional quality for their money and unparalleled service. I'm not about bargains, I prefer quality over quantity. And if it's good enough, large volumes can be consumed...I've been known to eat three meals in one sitting with dessert and the usual accompaniment of vino. Franklin Country Meats (FCM) is an fine example of a butcher that puts out high quality fare. If you're after volume at a cheap price, then I'd recommend you go somewhere else. If you're happy to pay a little bit extra for fantastic meat, then this is definitely one butcher to stop in at. A friend had recommended FCM to me some years ago. He stated that the meat doesn't shrink like other meats purchased at other butchers'. He named one franchise in particular which just happened to be the one that I 'used to buy' my meat from. That and a supermarket chain, both of which shall remain unnamed. I'd always thought of meat as being a means to an end...something that was served up but couldn't really be dressed up much more than what it was...because it was meat. I've always thought that if I wanted to eat an exceptional cut, it would have to be served up at a fine dining restaurant. It annoys me now, that I'd held this misconception for some years because the two best and most memorable steaks that I had ever eaten in the world were not at fine dining establishments. One was at a restaurant in Dahab, Egypt where the beast was slaughtered and prepared to be served the following day. What was surprising was that this restaurant did not purport itself to be anything other than a place for sustenance, nourishment and 'hydrating' after a spectacular day diving in the Red Sea. The other most memorable steak of equal standing was from a cafe that I happened across in Brussels, Belgium. It was a €5 Euro meal which had steak, pomme frites and salate. They didn't even ask me how I wanted it, and it was served rare! What an absolute delight that steak was. And if you've been to Belgium, you'd know that they do food fantastically. Now, coming back to FCM. The reason this review has come about in a roundabout way, is because I wanted to highlight that you don't need t spend top dollar to have the best steak in the world. Hotel Kostes, Paris. Jin Mao Tower, Shanghai. Mandarin Oriental, Hyde Park. Le Méridien Etoile, Paris. London Hilton on Park Lane. The Grosvenor, Park Lane. Fantastic meals, I have enjoyed at all of these places, but you could have five star quality meat from Franklin Country Meats. Their pork marinated ribs are divine and they have gold medal, silver medal and bronze medal awarded sausages. Their casarole cuts are top notch and do not shrink when you slow cook them. All in all, the best of the best, except for the bacon and ham, which I go to Pokeno Bacon for. Love, love, love all the same!!!

From the owner: We have a large range of specialty Meat products.read more

Great selection of meat. Place looks clean too. Good service…read more They even honored our special request how to pack our meat because we had to transport them on a flight. Professionally done!!

I never gave the Aussie Butcher much thought. It seemed weird and unpatriotic to patronize an…read moreAussie brand in NZ when there were equivalent alternatives. I've heard the cheesy radio ads and just clumped them in with the likes of the Mad Butcher. I was assigned sausage duty for a social club event at work and on recommendation I decided to inquire with the Mt Roskill location. The manager, (I think his name was Paul), was super helpful and gave us a great discount due to the quantity ordered. They had an extensive range of flavours which were all offered at the the same price and gluten free. We ended up going with 100% beef and the Garlic & Smoked Paprika options. The manager advised that they made sausages every Monday and Thursday and since the event was on Friday, we were getting them fresh as! When I went to pick them up all the staff were so incredibly friendly and the manager was so insistent that I soak the sausages in hot water for 10 minutes before grilling them that he gave me a bucket to do so free of charge. I was really surprised at the wide selection of quality yet reasonably priced meat and specialty cuts. At the social club event, the sausages were such a hit and inspired many people to talk about their deliciousness. The Aussie Butcher isn't super boutique but also isn't a cheap meat lot. You can tell they care about the product and are keen on providing reasonable prices. Totally a fan!

The Whenuapai Meat Centre is known by most West Auckland locals as the best place to go for fresh…read morecuts of meat. Incredibly well priced, you can't find anything else like it! Having grown up in central Auckland, I only recently discovered the Whenuapai Meat Centre. As an enthusiastic chef, my boyfriend's dad swears by it. He refuses to buy his meat anywhere else, and insisted I accompany him on a trip to the butchery. Whenuapai is a pretty small place, and the atmosphere of the Meat Centre was really friendly and community oriented. The two guys working there both knew my boyfriend's dad by name, and he in turn knew them and every other customer in the store. It was really nice - despite being in the biggest city in New Zealand it felt like we were in a tiny town. The lamb chops we bought were some of the biggest I have ever seen and this butchery had a great selection of meats and cuts. Though I'm not an expert, I could tell it was all great quality and that the butchers were really experienced. They also seemed to genuinely enjoy their job - both men wore big smiles and even gave us a discount for being regulars. If you're ever out in West Auckland, don't settle for the shitty overpriced meat you find in the local Pak N Save or Countdown. Head out to Whenuapai and give these guys a go. It's a real Kiwi experience - real meat from real Kiwi blokes, and you can't beat the prices!

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.

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.

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.

Butcher Jacks has been in operation in Glenfield since 1995…read more They have a long relationship with the neighborhood and are well known by the locals of the North Shore. I popped in recently on a trip to the doctors and pharmacy only right next door and decided to buy some delicious NZ Scotch fillet steak for dinner. The set up inside the big red store is similar to that of a supermarket; they have packed meats in fridges and freezers. The difference between Butcher Jacks and say the franchise butcher down the street is that they pride themselves on serving 100% NZ owned meat, and they even produce on site their own bacon, sausages and legs of ham at anytime of the year. I really enjoyed my dinner that evening; the meat was top quality and just a perfect few cuts. Weekly specials change every week so check out what they have to offer, and you will walk off with a freezer full of meat and a great bargain! They are moving to a new location just down the road in a few weeks, so be sure not to miss them next time your near Wairau Road.

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.

Aussie Butcher, thats my favourite local butcher. The meat is always fresh and its good quality,…read moreyou can also get bigger pieces of meat if thats what you are after. Personally they are much better than Mad Butcher. I also like that they have a free range section in store for pork and chicken. They also have a great range of tasty sausages. There are often good weekly specials instore. This particular Aussie Butcher is nice and handy on Mokoia Road. The guys who work there are so super friendly and helpful if you need advice on cuts of meat and stuff like that. With service like theirs why would you go anywhere else.