#6 Best Butcher by Toronto Life

6. Stock-in-Trade This east-end butcher, which recently added a Danforth shop to its Little India location, got its start in 2014, when three chefs—Tony Marinuzzi, BJ Verano and Jason Becker—left the restaurant business but didn’t want to stray too far from the kitchen. Stock-in-Trade is a shop for those who want something more than a nice striploin: there’s an emphasis here on underappreciated butcher’s cuts—a merlot steak, for example, which isn’t just a cut that pairs nicely with red wine—and international standards from presa to picanha. They source gorgeously marbled, deep-red beef from well-aged, grass-fed heritage cattle, and even the odd retired dairy cow (“vintage beef” is one of the latest trends in steak). And for those who want to understand how differences in farming techniques affect flavour, they offer sampler packs loaded with a variety of cuts and methods, for a DIY at-home tasting. For an even more hands-on experience, butchery classes are offered in store. 307 Danforth Ave., 416-461-2121. stockintradeto.com