After some soft openings and a few teases of good food and cold beer, the Butcher Shop will finally open July 4 at 5 p.m.
Is the Butcher Shop a butcher shop, a restaurant, or a beer garden? Executive chef Dustin Ward tells Short Order that the Wynwood eatery is a blend of all three.
"Remember when our parents went to a butcher shop to buy meat? We'll have a 24-foot-long meat case filled with nothing but the best products -- USDA Prime Black Angus beef, organic chickens, ducks, and turkeys. A huge range of sausage made in-house. It's your choice. Take it home or pick out what you like and we'll prepare it for you here."
In addition to clean, quality meats, Chef Ward is procuring only local produce for the restaurant. "Our greens, tomatoes -- all from local farms. I think the furthest farm is in West Palm Beach." Asked if that poses a challenge, especially in the summer season when many growers take time off, Ward explains the menu will change seasonally. "We still have some beautiful fruits and vegetables grown here."
To wash it all down? A large selection of craft beers, including a private label Butcher Shop brew, made by a local organic brewery.
Ward, who has worked with the top chefs in the world, including Gordon Ramsay and José Andrés, is psyched about serving Miami residents the best ingredients at reasonable prices. "The Butcher Shop is more casual than other places I've worked, but not everyone can experience these restaurants. Only 3 percent of all restaurants use the USDA Prime Black Angus that we serve. I want everyone to experience good food at reasonable prices."
The prices, by the way, are reasonable. For instance, a burger made with ground USDA Prime Black Angus, Gorgonzola, and bacon (the cheese and bacon are ground into the patty), served on a pretzel bun with German potato salad, will cost $10.
The Butcher Shop opens July 4 from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. and will be open Tuesday through Saturday for lunch and dinner.
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