Years ago the local butcher shop was the only place to purchase your meats, and in the past decade, it seems to be the only, and trendiest place to grab those steaks and chops.

In 2022, there were approximately 129,500 butchers and meat cutters in the United States, which means a wide variety of locally owned places to shop, but only a few are considered the very best in America. In Michigan, we have not only one top-of-the-list butcher shop, but three, and one is right here in Mid-Michigan.

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Food & Wine is obviously the expert on everything, well, food, so it's only fitting that they were the ones to compile a list of  "The Best Butcher Shops and Meat Markets in America". The goal was to search out those exceptional shops that have kept tradition and skill alive.

"In choosing this list of essential butcher shops across the country, there was one very clear standard — the more sustainable, the better. These shops have served their communities well for so long, when they could be doing something, anything else. We celebrate their commitment and perseverance", they wrote. 

 

What Michigan Butcher Shops Are Considered the Best in America?

In Michigan, it was two Metro Detroit butcher shops and one Mid-Michigan iconic business that made the list as the very best in the nation. Here's who took the crown:

Willi's Sausage Co., Frankenmuth, MI

"Make all the jokes you want about the Midwest's committed-to-the-bit "Little Bavaria," we'll be in line for the best wurst at this century-old shop, run for decades by immigrant master sausage maker Willi Becker. There's new ownership these days, but the recipes—metts, brats, you name it—remain."

 

Ronnie Berry's Halal Meats, Dearborn, MI

"Grab a jalapeño cheddar stick—you're in the Midwest now, we don't make the rules—and browse the selection at one of the country's longest-running halal butchers, serving one of the largest Muslim communities in North America for more than half a century. Try their corned beef, a Detroit specialty."

Marrow, Detroit, MI

"How about a locally-raised duck on your table at this year's no-rules holiday non-gathering? This smart addition to East Side isn't just a highly likable restaurant; Marrow is also Detroit's best modern butcher shop, sourcing conscientiously from small family farms".

Michigan's butcher scene isn't just a cut above the rest; it's a testament to passion, quality, and innovation. So, whether you're in Mid-Michigan or Metro Detroit be sure to savor the flavors of these top-tier butcher shops. Trust us, your taste buds will thank you later.

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