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The Butcher Man in Cape Town
Introducing Green Point’s trendy new master of all things meat
A butchery is not a place you’re usually inclined to linger, but The Butcher Man, a new one-stop meat shop based on Green Point’s buzzing Main Road, is one spot Cape Town’s many zealous carnivores and braai buffs will likely never want to leave.
Flaunting a chic, wood-panelled interior, an impressively broad range of fresh and pre-packed products, a biltong bar and an upscale sit-down grill section in front, the store is certainly, as its slogan suggests, ‘a cut above the rest’. And while a big part of the space’s draw is its contemporary concept (it’s one of the few butcheries in South Africa to offer so many facilities under one roof), much of the appeal also lies in its decidedly old-fashioned approach: patrons can watch the staff cut and carve before their very eyes.
“There’s a need for personal service in the meat industry,” explains owner Gerald Winkler, who opened the upmarket outlet with his wife, Mimi, in early July 2013. “So, we have two professional butchers who are passionate about their products and more than happy to help customers and give them advice.”
The two friendly master crafters he speaks of are Mick Donnelly and Peter Lees, both British natives who’ve been slicing and sculpting since they left school over 50 years ago. Working with fervour in their trendy glass ‘office’ (so that visitors can feel part of the process), the duo prepares a vast assortment of top-quality, ethically produced cuts to patrons’ specifications.
Both the gourmet counter and the pre-packed shelves are lined with everything from fresh turkey steaks, lamb chops, pork loins, beef schnitzel, lean mince and spatchcock chickens to speciality items like duck kebabs, rabbit fillet, crocodile and quail, and if, on the very rare occasion, a customer can’t find what they want, the team will gladly source it for them.
Then, for those who prefer their meat dried, salted and proudly South African, there is a separate biltong bar, which is home to options like ostrich and kudu droëwors, chilli sticks, impala slices and plain chips (they even make a chicken chutney biltong). And because the store is intent on catering to braai lords’ every need, it also lays claim to a section devoted to selling artisanal products that complement the cuts (think mustards, marmalades, relishes, drizzles, salt mixes and more).
What truly sets the butchery apart though, is the sit-down and takeaway diner-style corner where visitors can enjoy a selection of the shop’s delicious items, grilled to their liking, right there on site at a large wooden table. The small menu includes dishes like a 100% pure beef burger (easily one of the tastiest in the Mother City), free-range chicken breast, sirloin steak, gluten- and MSG-free boerewors, and New York-style hot beef on rye. All are served with artisan rolls, root vegetable chips, pickled cucumbers and a mustard of choice, and are kept free of any unnecessary garnishes so that the focus is on the first-rate flavour of the meat.
In this way, the butchery becomes so much more than just a place to stop by on the way to a carnivore’s cook-off; rather, it’s something of a destination, a stylish new addition to an already trendy part of town.
Tip: The Butcher Man puts together biltong gift boxes and platters perfect for any guys get-together. Soon, the store will also do home deliveries, so Capetonians needn’t even leave their lounges to get their weekly barbeque fix.
The Bill: The shop offers good value for money with very competitive prices, especially considering the high quality of the products. At the grill, visitors can enjoy a generous portion for less than R65.
Opening Hours: Monday – Saturday: 9am – 7pm; Sunday: 9am – 6pm
105 Main Road | Green Point | Cape Town | +27 (0) 21 434 1111
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Looking for a meat palace a little closer to home? Have a gander at our overview of butcheries in Cape Town.
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