Butchers of Distinction

We moved to Leslieville a few months ago, and this has become our go-to butcher shop. They have great cuts of meat, with a lot of it being grass fed. Prices are fair too. Our favourites are the burgers very juicy!, kofta, chicken and ribs. They also have a good selection of soups. Service is great too, and the shop is spacious so even when busy you don't feel crammed in there.

Butchers of Distinction or I Do Not Dream of Brussel Sprouts At one point in their late 80’s, my father and his best buddy were asked to name some accomplishment that gave them a strong sense of pride. We expected these survivors of The Great Depression, two wars and great social upheavals to reference successful kids, strong marriages, or even owning homes but they surprised us. As my Dad put it, the one thing he accomplished that neither his father nor his grandfather ever could was putting meat on his family’s dinner table every night. Granted, during lean financial times, “meat” could be fried Spam or tinned corn beef, but during better days, “meat” to these old warriors meant the steaks and the chops for which it was worth putting in their dentures. When I shared this moment with a group of friends - all carnivores, all in our 60’s and all with our own teeth - the nodding was unanimous. Each of us could think of moments we had journeyed great distances to reach some restaurant renowned for its meats. None of us had ever travelled for turnips. None of us, Dear Reader, had ever dreamed of brussel sprouts. Meat – more than cheese, bread or even wine - had its own place in our personal mythologies and, fortunately, its own temples where we, the faithful, could gather. One such place, especially during these pestilential times, is Butchers of Distinction at 738 Queen Street East. Why? Obviously, as the old Dominion Store jingle said, “it’s mainly because of the meat.” It’s all there, every imaginable cut, hormone free and sourced from farms known for ethical and sustainable practices. Butchers of Distinction also offers in-house prepared main dishes and sides, including the best meat pies and fried chicken thighs I’ve yet to find in Toronto. Still, other butcher shops offer wonderful things. What makes Butchers a safe “escape”, especially these days? Simply put, the knowledgeable staff working there “get it”. They honour and work hard to preserve the comforting myth. Whether I am there for the holiday roast, the celebratory steak or the Friday night burger, something almost ritualistic is taking place. Cross-counter discussions of everything from preferred breed to best cooking method are commonplace. The outside world – all of it – disappears. For a moment it’s only about the marbling or the marinade. Was the animal grain or grass fed? Should preparation be slow and low or fast and high? I’ve always lived in cities. Getting groceries usually means simply crossing the street. Getting here, on the other hand, requires an hour long walk. The question then becomes, is the overall experience worth the extra mile and the extra buck? In the case of Butchers of Distinction, the answers are yes and yes. Cheers!

CON - I find myself conflicted after realizing I was charged $9.00 for a dozen extra large eggs from Murray's Farm. PRO- So I like coming here to get my fresh meats and I always like to support local businesses. With the emergency measures in place they have even done a great job keeping things clean and pleasant. Always pleasant and welcoming! Don't ruin a good thing. At least your business is still up and running. Everyone else around you is unemployed, and some businesses have closed up shop permanently.

We are really luck to have Butchers of Distinction as our local butcher. Their steaks, chicken and pork roasts are all incredible... but their in house prepared sausages are the best in the city. Their green chorizo is a household favourite, however you can’t go wrong with any choice. Always fresh tasting, and packed with flavour. Their blueberry sausages sound like something that shouldn’t exist.. and they are absolutely delicious. If you find yourself around Queen and Broadview, Butchers of Distinction is a must visit.

This had to be one of, if not the best butcher in the city. The quality of meat is excellent. Not insanely pricey but definitely not cheap. They do custom orders as well, just call and ask.

I stumbled on this spot yesterday and was happy I did. They have a great selection of meat as well as multiple options for dry-aged beef cuts and ages They also do their own salumi like duck saucisson and chicken mortadella. Both were fantastic. Service was also stellar. Alex was friendly and superbly helpful. I think this will be my new butcher moving forward. Highly recommend!

Great butchers! Very knowledgeable and friendly staff with a very good selection. I even asked for the short ribs sliced Korean style and they were more then happy to help!

unbelievably delicious cuts of meat that are beautifully presented great people working there

I absolutely adore Butchers of Distinction. Each time I enter those doors I always leave with exactly what I'm looking for, some stuff I didn't know I was looking for and inspiration for my culinary creations for the week ahead. The customer service is top notch. Always enjoy connecting with Rachel, Alex, Jonathan and Kayla. I'm a big fan of homemade bone broth. Distinction is where I find the best knuckles, tendons and femurs. I love that everything is locally sourced and as ethical/sustainable as possible. Highly recommend the heritage eggs, full fat milk, the whey butter, all the sausages, lamb, steak and free run full chickens. Also, the to go foods are insanely delicious! Obsessed with their soups. Highly recommend this spot!

This is our local butcher shop. We enjoy all of their meat and have never been disappointed. There is less selection earlier in the week, and the case is fully-stocked on weekends. Really enjoy when they have offal available, it’s always delicious and exceptionally-fresh.