The Butcher & Larder: Chicago's New Butcher Shop
Go nose-to-tail at The Butcher & Larder
Chicago has its share of butcher shops.
But our lack of rock star butchers always seemed incongruent with the city's love of meat.
Enter The Butcher & Larder, Noble Square's new destination for local meat, cut to a lively soundtrack (Kanye when we were there) by young guns with sharp knives.
The shop is a carnivorous labor of love from Rob Levitt, whose devotion to nearby farmers and whole animals put Wicker Park's Mado on the map.
At B&L, Levitt's case is stocked with Dietzler beef, Slagel pork and Gunthorp chicken. Local rabbit, duck and goat are available by special-order, with a week's notice.
In addition, specialty-item fiends should call ahead for limited-quantity cuts like marrow bones and spider steak, a flavorful piece from the top of the hip (only two per cow), which tend to sell quickly.
A simple lunch menu of two sandwiches, soup (recently smoked hock-white bean) and charcuterie (summer sausage, rustic pâtés), is available to eat on-site or take to go. Small Sunday dinners are also due to start next month.
But for now, we're more than satisfied with the chicken thighs, maple-syrup breakfast sausages and pig's foot that recently graced our fridge.
The Butcher & Larder, 1026 N. Milwaukee Ave.; 773-687-8280 or thebutcherandlarder.com