The Local Butcher Shop

Berkeley, United States

3.7

Open now

20 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards

Contacts

QR code, vCard

Telephone:
+1 510-845-6328
Website:
thelocalbutchershop.com
Address:
1600 Shattuck Ave Ste 120, Berkeley, CA, 94709
b/t Cedar St & Lincoln St
Gourmet Ghetto, North Berkeley
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
200 ftShattuck Av & Cedar St
710 ftShattuck Av & Virginia St
800 ftShattuck Av & Vine St
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Bussiness info

Takes Reservations
No
Delivery
No
Take-out
Yes
Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Accepts Bitcoin
No
Good For
Lunch
Parking
Street
Bike Parking
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes
Good for Kids
No
Good for Groups
No
Attire
Casual
Ambience
Hipster
Noise Level
Average
Alcohol
No
Outdoor Seating
Yes
Wi-Fi
No
Has TV
No
Waiter Service
No
Caters
No

Today

Today 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
Open now
Local time (Berkeley) 13:25 Friday, 23 May 2025

Business hours

Monday 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
Tuesday 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
Wednesday 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
Thursday 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
Friday 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
Saturday 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Sunday 10:00 am – 6:00 pm

Description

Specialties

The Local Butcher Shop offers our community sustainably raised, local meat. We buy whole animals direct from farmers who are all located within 150 miles of Berkeley. All of the meat we sell comes from animals who have been 100% pasture raised, no antibiotics, no hormones, just pure, clean, true meat. All of the animals are free to roam on pasture and lead what we like to call «a happy life». Since we buy whole animals, we are able to cut your meat for you however you desire. Our trained butchers are also chefs, so they can help you with cooking suggestions and recipes. We are here to educate and help you succeed in the kitchen or at the grill! The meat that doesn’t make it into our display cases, goes into a rotating array of sausages, pates, confits, stocks, rendered fats and sauces. We also make a changing Sandwich of the Day! We hope to see you soon!

History

Established in 2011.

Aaron Rocchino was a chef in the Restaurant at Chez Panisse. Monica Rocchino was an Account Executive at Paula LeDuc Fine Catering. They never saw each other and they wanted to change that. They also wanted to have an impact on their local community. They realized that it was really hard to find locally grown, sustainably raised meat and poultry to cook at home. So, they put their heads together, made a few phone calls to farmers that they knew, and about a year later, opened The Local Butcher Shop in late August of 2011.

Meet the Business Owner

Aaron R.

Business Owner

Aaron learned how to butcher whole animals while working at Oliveto in Oakland. He then went on to be a cook in the Restaurant at Chez Panisse for five and a half years. After realizing that homecooks could not get restaurant quality meat that was all locally raised, he and his wife, Monica, decided to open a butcher shop focusing on pasture raised and finished, local meat (all from within 150 miles of Berkeley). Read more about Aaron on our blog!

The Local Butcher Shop also recommends

Chez Panisse

1504

reviews

American (New)

,

French

Aaron R. says,

«We provide Chez Panisse with beef and other meat products.»

Saul’s Restaurant & Delicatessen

1041

reviews

Delis

,

Diners

,

Breakfast & Brunch

Aaron R. says,

«We provide Saul’s with our ground beef and our beef bologna!»

Chez Panisse Café

789

reviews

American (New)

,

French

Aaron R. says,

«We provide Chez Panisse with beef and other meat products.»

Revival Bar & Kitchen

471

reviews

American (New)

,

Bars

Aaron R. says,

«We supply Revival with pork bones for their pork stock!»

S+S Gastro Grub Catering

58

reviews

Caterers

,

Party & Event Planning

,

Personal Chefs

Aaron R. says,

«S+S Gastro Grub buys much of their meat from us!»

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20 reviews of The Local Butcher Shop

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Place rating: 5
San Francisco, CA
Wanted to post a review to confirm to other people who will be googling this topic next year that yes, this is the place to get your haggis for Burns Night! (Remember to reserve one in advance.) This was my first time cooking haggis, and for many of my somewhat apprehensive guests it was their first time eating it, and it was a smashing success. Easy to cook — I was really nervous about «murdering» the haggis after all the buildup but the casing held together well in the oven while slicing very neatly at the table. And it was delicious enough that even the initially squeamish asked for seconds. Thanks, Local Butcher!
Place rating: 5
Berkeley, CA
The lamb and beef are amazing, the ethic impeccable. But best of all are the knowledgeable butchers who understand the meat, how to cook it, and how to interact with customers. Thank you Aaron!
Place rating: 5
Berkeley, CA
The Local Butcher Shop is well worth the extra money and trip (and, even still, it’s right next door to Andronico’s). I get the most amazing, delicious sausages, various bacon options, and sustainably-​raised chickens here, along with any kind of stock, Grove 45 and Katz olive oils, artisanal seasoning salts — and some much-​appreciated treats for my Spaniel. The staff is very knowledgeable and helpful, and it doesn’t hurt that they were playing Trampled By Turtles the last time I was in!
Place rating: 5
Berkeley, CA
I love this place. It’s a little pricey but the quality really supports it. I’ve seen way more expensive meat in Sebastopol nearer where the same meat is produced so we’re getting a better deal. They will be happy to explain each and every single spice in every food produced on premises (and yes, I wish they would put less pepper in their head cheese. They can’t cut it fine enough for one serving and I can’t be trusted with two so I can’t buy it).
They have come a long way from wanting to educate each and every customer about exactly where the specific cut came from before you could even figure out how much it cost in order to order it. I get the zeal about their «calling,» really, I most certainly do. But when you’re incredibly hungry and your blood sugar is crashing and you just need to buy something and go home and cook it and stuff it in your mouth and all this takes time and you are soo allergic to, basically, food, that this is the only stuff you trust, the teachable moment is long since past.
They are ready with an answer every time I’m trying something new and wondering how I should cook it. They are smart and helpful, they know their stuff, and they never patronize. They offer cool classes on how to do great stuff with meat which fills a need to educate people about how food is prepared so it isn’t taken for granted because, frankly, without it, we die. With bad quality food, we just die more slowly and more painfully.
They have a really nice take-​a-​number system but please don’t steal their beautiful cards. You can order them online. I found my set on Amazon without too much difficulty.
They’re also serving up sandwiches and bone broth at the Thursday’s Farmer’s market as well as their store. Their sandwiches are incredible. Back when I could eat bread, I loved them. They put the most interesting tastes together in a sandwich. I would never have thought of putting green beans on a bun but together with their own, specific for that sando special sauce, it was a little flavor explosion in my mouth. I miss treating myself to their sandwiches tremendously.
Rock on guys and gals
P. S. I have no idea why I react to Riverdog Farm’s chicken but since they also carry chicken from Skylark and Hoffman farms, I can usually find some I can safely eat. I think it’s important to mention this in case other food sensitive people are looking for info. It could be the non gmo soy in the meat bird feed they feed their chickens. I don’t know.
Place rating: 3
San Francisco Bay Area, CA
So… this place is far more sanitary than Magnani’s. SO if you are looking to NOT get sick, come here. Also, the girl who helped us was friendly. Though I think the prices are far too great, and for that, probably won’t come here often. I don’t like that I got charged the extra .4lbs for a bone that I didn’t want or purchased. I took the bone out thinking it would weigh less and cost less, but they weigh it before, then cut the bone, so you are still left at the higher price. I felt a little ripped off. I was going to give a 4 star, but I don’t like feeling ripped off when I leave a place. So there is that.
Place rating: 1
Berkeley, CA
The service was friendly, but what a shock to get to the cash register with some beef bones to make broth and be told the total was $ 57! Extremely over priced.
Place rating: 3
Manhattan, NY
The meats are great. Quality cuts, locally sourced, talented butchers.
Now for the bad news. It’s an upscale/​artisanal place, so the prices are high and the selection is limited. You’ll wait a very long time – give yourself a half hour or more if there are any other customers when you arrive. There’s no parking, and it’s a very busy neighborhood, so street parking is scarce.
If you can handle long wait times, hipsters, and high prices, the product itself is great. Whether it’s worth it is up to you.
Place rating: 5
Berkeley, CA
They have the best and most delicious pasture raised farm eggs… and duck eggs!!!
Place rating: 5
Kearney, MO
I searched high and low for the best bone broth, and I have finally found it! The Local Butcher Shop has «THE BEST» beef bone broth in the Bay Area. I drive ½ hour to purchase this product because it possesses the most delicious, rich flavor of any that I have ever had. It surpasses all other broths in the Bay Area; no other business in the area even comes close to the taste, let alone the quality. If beef bone broth is what you are searching for then The Local Butcher Shop is the place to go.
Place rating: 2
Emeryville, CA
This is only about the sandwich. It was a ripoff. I could have made a better sandwich at home. I had a garlic (hardly)aoli and roast beef sandwich. It was the size of a big dinner roll and the extras like the pickles and lettuce were so skimp it was basically a roast beef and bread sandwich. 11 bucks at least I should get a drink or a side to go with. Just another business piggybacking on high prices and selling «elegant dining». It’s not. It’s phony. Where did all the deals go with good food.
Place rating: 5
Berkeley, CA
Terrific. Great quality meat, great sandwiches, great service. Yes, the meat is expensive. My wife and I afford it by eating less meat. So we eat less, higher quality meat. A win for everybody.
Best sandwich in the gourmet ghetto.
Place rating: 2
San Francisco, CA
I used to go to this place very regularly. Ultimately, it’s just too overly priced in ways that are very deceptive. Case in point… yesterday, I tried my luck after having not gone there for a few months. For some reason, they have the cheaper pieces of pork in the window (butt, shoulder, etc), and I had to ask for pork loin. She brought a piece out and i asked her if i can it tied into a shape suitable for roasting. She informed me she would have to cut the bone out but weigh it BEFORE SHE REMOVED IT. On top of that, they leave more fat on the pork than I’ve ever seen in my life. Taking this piece home and trimming the fat, i was left with 2.5lbs that was about $ 40. Just not worth it. Other super high quality places like Café Rouge and Fatted Calf are way more reasonable.
Place rating: 1
Berkeley, CA
Generally, I like this shop. I love the concept, the high quality meats they provide, the care and variety they offer.
However, when I went in to buy a pound of chicken livers was charged almost $ 10! (Not only is that high priced, its highway robbery! I can get organic chicken livers across the street at Andronicos for $ 4 – they were out.)
To add insult upon injury, the livers were so poorly wrapped that they leaked blood all over the groceries in my bag! This was not only a bacterial fiasco, but a serious professional faux pas!
Unlikely to buy from them in the future.
Place rating: 5
Emeryville, CA
This review is for the butcher counter and meat I’ve bought there not for the sandwiches they sell. They look delicious but I have not yet had a chance to try one!
Local Butcher has a great selection of extremely high quality meats. Every cut I have bought here looked and tasted amazing and I watched them break down whole animals in front of me to yield exactly what I wanted. This is old-​school, careful butchery at it’s best.
The obvious downside to this is the price. Everything you buy here is going to be 2−3X more expensive than supermarket prices, even for“cheap” cuts like pork belly or ham hocks. I would knock them down a star for this but the reality is that good quality, humanely raised meat is inherently more expensive folks. Places like Local Butcher, Café Rouge, and 4505 meats charge what they do because they source from farms and ranches where things are done carefully not quickly. This costs more.
I recommend this shop as a place to buy meat for special occasions. Unless you are very wealthy it is prohibitively expensive to shop here regularly but if you really want to impress your friends and family with an amazing steak, lamb chop, or pork shoulder buy it here!
Place rating: 3
Berkeley, CA
Solid sammy. Not quite as amazing as I had expected, but will definitely be back to try the other delectable creations these guys have to offer.
Came here today for the first time. I absolutely love love loveee corned beef, and I had seen their special «sando» for Saturday included it, so I made sure to come today. Picked up my sandwich nice and quick (they are pre-​made), and headed up to the Berkeley Rose Garden for a nice sunny lunch in the grass.
My sando had corned beef, green apple sauerkraut, aioli on an ACME roll. It was pretty good, the roll was yummy, nice and soft, and the corned beef was good. A little dry, but it was definitely a good sandwich. The sandwich wasn’t very big for $ 9 though, I usually only eat half of my sammy and save the rest for later, but I was able to finish this no problem (granted, I was definitely full).
This place is super neat and has a huge variety of meats. I will definitely be back for a cut or for another sando sometime soon.
Place rating: 1
San Francisco, CA
The one star here is for customer service, not for the meat or products. That part is flawless.
I still love this place. I mean I love the idea, love the meat, love the products, love the sandwiches. That is why I am a fairly regular customer. But the attitude, Boys! Com’on!
Yes — you are cool because you are a butcher and these days it is super hip to be a butcher. But don’t be mean. Don’t be an ass. Have a smile. Yes, we non-​butchers might not know everything about meat or the cuts or your products. That is why WE pay YOU to answer queries and NOT to act all bothered when we have questions.
Service used to be better, but these days so many new people work here, and so much attitude is going on that I am intimidated ‘bothering’ the cool guys with the big knives and the butcher block. I mean… what if I ask the wrong question? :)
Place rating: 5
Washington, DC
Mmmm yummm :) a new sandwich everyday. They sell out around 3pm so def get your fix before lunch rush is over! And check out the weekly menu if you need it, but really you kinda can’t go wrong. Love the business model.
Place rating: 5
Mountain View, CA
1. It’s so cool that they don’t waste good meat! I’m all for sustainable living, and it’s very clear when you walk in the door that they share those values too.
2. Delicious sandwiches!
3. Also, great service. They don’t take debit/​credit under $ 10, which is reasonable, but my friend’s bill was at $ 9 and she didn’t have any cash… we didn’t want to trouble the folks there but the kind gentleman at the shop made an exception for my friend and she was able to purchase the sandwich! And they happily provided ample amounts of water (we had just come from a run and were thirsty.)
Place rating: 4
Somerville, MA
Tasty grab-​n-​go sandwiches.
I have not yet bought meat here, but have tried their sandwiches a few times. Their sandwiches are made ahead of time, but they use high quality meat, pickles, and mustard and are nicely assembled so they hold up well.
When I have been on the rush and have needed a quick lunch to go, the sandwich of the day at the Local Butcher Shop has yet to let me down. They have a credit card minimum, so you might need to buy a drink or pay cash.
Place rating: 4
East Bay, CA
A very yummy $ 9 sandwich, which was filling enough to be a complete meal.
Proportion of roasted pork to rest: seemed like it was made on pantofolina… Bread too much for the delicate roasted flavors of the meat.
Nice cabbagey slaw and a thin layer of some kind of spread underneath the meat. Pork itself was full of flavor, deep flavor… yummy.
Yes, the sandwich can be pricey, but so often, I’m paying same price or even more, and those sammies lack the quality and subtle flavors that this place prepares.
it’s gourmet foodie sandwich here… but even for the money spent, I didn’t feel ripped off… it was not small, and kept me quite full.
Credit accepted for any purchase over $ 10.