NYC butchers: Where to get the best steaks, chops, sausage, more

• Best for: Dried, spicy soppressata junkies

  Don’t miss: In addition to meat, prepared foods and ravioli, Esposito’s also sells one of the best Italian sandwiches in NYC, stuffed with mortadella, sopressata, prosciutto, provolone and red peppers.

  There’s a giant pig in front of this butcher shop in Carroll Gardens, making sure anyone passing by knows what’s inside the shop. Open since 1922, this is the place to visit when in the mood for Italian-accented fresh or dried sausages or other cuts of meat. It’s also the type of place where pictures of James Gandolfini posing with the owner of the shop hang prominently beside drying sausages. (357 Court St., Carroll Gardens, 718-875-6863)” data-id=”112044948″ data-link=”https://amnewyork.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/23241_image.jpg” class=”wp-image-1.12044948″/>

• Best for: Italian specialties and artisanal cheese

  Don’t miss: The selection of game, including rabbit, squab and wild boar

  Open since 1917, Staubitz is well known for excellent service and choice cuts. And if you’re a cheese lover, you have some 50 options to choose from. The shop also carries provisions, including stocks, vinegars and breads and

  (222 Court St., Cobble Hill, staubitz.com)

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• Best for: Charcuterie and bratwurst fiends

  Don’t miss: Schaller’s Stube Sausage Bar, right next door

  Schaller & Weber, a family-run business since the 1930s, is one of the last remaining vestiges of the Upper East Side’s Germantown. Jeremy Schaller, pictured, carries on his ancestor’s tradition of German-style sausage and charcuterie making. The complete shop also sells German cheese, coffee and sauerkraut. (1654 Second Ave., Yorkville, schallerweber.com)” data-id=”112033341″ data-link=”https://amnewyork.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/20560_image.jpg” class=”wp-image-1.12033341″/>

• Best for: Nostalgia fans

  Don’t miss — you couldn’t even if you tried — the sawdust-strewn floor, because it’s just cool.

  Another longtime Village staple, Florence is small and features vintage white porcelain scales. There’s a refrigerated case holding various cuts and house-made sausages, so just scan and see what you find; it’s all carved fresh daily by the in-house butchers. (5 Jones St., Greenwich Village, 212-242-6531)

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• Best for: Appreciators of old-school vibes

  Don’t miss: The wild game birds and animals, including ostrich, camel, squab and elk, that the shop is known for

  This quaint Italian butcher shop was opened by Onofrio Ottomanelli more than 60 years ago, and it is still family run, now by the Ottomanelli brothers Frank, Jerry and Joe. (285 Bleecker St., West Village, 212-675-4217)

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At one time, butchers were arguably as important as the family doctor. A shop that was trusted, knowledgeable and helpful could make or break the eating habits of families of all sizes.

But butchers are back in fashion. As consumers become more and more interested in where their meat comes from and how it was raised, butchers are increasingly on our minds – and helping feed our bellies.

New York City is flush with butcher shops of all types. Here are some of the best.