My Favorite Animal is Steak: The Musical

April 15, 2012 9:28 PM

Who sells the best beef in the Bay Area?

I live in San Francisco. I want to buy the best possible rib steak to cook using this method. Money is no object. However, for a few reasons, I do not want to order the meat on the internet and have it FedExed. I want to go somewhere, buy it, and take it home.

What's your pick for the best butchery in the Bay Area for steak?

posted by eugenen to Food & Drink (8 answers total)

Both Marin Sun Farms and Prather Ranch sell at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market. Bi-rite Market also carries a great selection of high-end beef, including the seasonal meat from BN Ranch (Bill Niman's new project after leaving Niman Ranch), and 5 Dot, which is also available at Avedano's. If money is truly no object, you might sample them all and see which you prefer. Talk to the butchers at Bi-Rite and Avedano's - they're all incredibly knowledgeable and helpful.
posted by judith at 9:44 PM on April 15, 2012

Awesome, thanks. To be clear, since that's kind of an obnoxious thing to say, "money is no object" in the weaker sense that I'm resigned to paying up and won't use price as a primary factor in choosing where to go, not in the strong sense of having unlimited money to spend.
posted by eugenen at 9:58 PM on April 15, 2012

Seconding Marin Sun Farms, as we've had their beef and it's amazing. Note: it is grass-fed beef and is both more flavorful and lean than beef you'd normally see at a supermarket.
posted by Lynsey at 10:36 PM on April 15, 2012

4505 Meats at the Ferry Building Farmer's market has beef some weeks. Their beef is fucking amazing. Ryan Farr is a meat god. (The also have pork, lamb, rabbit, and killer sausage. Selection varies weekly.)
posted by mollymayhem at 11:27 PM on April 15, 2012

Belcampo.
posted by jeb at 8:16 AM on April 16, 2012

Yeah, I think that for this application you do not want grass-fed beef. (I say that as a grass-fed proponent who mainly buys local beef from Holding Ranch.)

For a one-off streak-stravaganza, though? I would buy USDA Prime beef ... from Costco. (I know! I know! But it is so buttery and so beautifully marbled, and you just have to walk in and buy it!)
posted by purpleclover at 9:07 AM on April 16, 2012

Nthing 4505 Meats. Their steaks are thick--almost roast-like--and amazing.

Two fantastic butchers with great quality meats and fantastic, friendly, helpful service: Avedano's in SF and Local Butcher Shop in Berkeley.

And, yes, Costco beef is shockingly high-quality! They sell only Choice and Prime meat, and for special occasions, my partner and I will pick up what we call "primeprime": Prime-grade prime rib roast from them--for much cheaper than the same, lower-grade cut at a local grocery store. It's always amazing. We get wonderful ribeye steaks and filets there as well.

All of these are equally wonderful. I buy based on where I am at the time--or if I'm buying in advance and not on the spur of the moment, I tend to just go for Costco since it's going to be the best value, unless it's a cut I can't get there.
posted by rhiannonstone at 12:16 PM on April 16, 2012

If you're looking for dry-aged beef (which is generally served in high-end steakhouses) check out this thread http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/708632
I've bought some great stuff from Cafe Rouge, as it is nearby for me, but Harris' Restaurant seems like a good answer for withing SF.
posted by ...tm... at 2:09 PM on April 16, 2012