Butcher Shops in Saskatoon by Category and Neighbourhood

Saskatoon sits in the middle of Canada's grain and cattle country, and its butcher shops reflect the Prairie traditions that shaped the city.

Ukrainian, German and Mennonite settlers brought smoked sausages, farmer sausage and perogies that are still made locally today.

Family butchers that opened in the 1980s still cut custom orders, a cheese shop on Broadway grew a butcher counter famous for cold smoked steaks, and a chef trained in Michelin starred kitchens started a craft butchery in a church kitchen.

Add a fast growing network of halal and African food stores, and the butcher shops in Saskatoon cover far more ground than you might expect.

This guide profiles 13 of the best, grouped by specialty, and closes with a buyer's guide built for Saskatoon shoppers.

How we chose

Every shop here is an independent Saskatoon butcher, sausage maker or community meat market with a fresh meat counter or in house production and a clear specialty. No shop paid to be included. Histories link to their sources. Hours change, so call ahead.

The 13 best butcher shops in Saskatoon at a glance

Family Butchers and Sausage Makers

1. Boryski's Butcher Block (North Industrial, 2030 1st Ave N)

Best for: custom cuts, smoked meats and event catering.

Boryski's was founded in December 1981 in a small Quebec Avenue storefront with a single display cooler. Demand quickly outgrew it, and the shop moved to Millar Avenue, adding coolers, staff and its own smoked meats and sausages.

When big box grocery stores arrived in the early 1990s, the family pivoted again, adding catering and barbecue rentals. Still locally owned and family run, it has now moved to 2030 1st Avenue North, on Circle Drive across from The Brick near Home Depot, bringing more than 40 years of experience to custom cuts, catering and events.

What to buy: custom cut steaks and roasts, house sausages and jerky, and a catering order or BBQ rental for your next event.

2. Summit Meats and Sausage (Sutherland, 1418 Central Ave, Unit 3)

Best for: small batch sausages and Prairie comfort food.

A family owned shop that describes passing its butchery craft down through generations, Summit is built on top grade meats, small batch sausages and an old fashioned approach to service.

Its range covers beef and pork, specialty poultry, exotic selections and ready to cook meals, including homemade perogies, cabbage rolls and meat pies. Open Monday to Saturday, 9 am to 6 pm; closed on statutory holidays.

What to buy: house sausages, a box of homemade perogies and cabbage rolls, and steaks for the grill.

3. J and J Sausage (Warman, about 20 minutes north of Saskatoon)

Best for: authentic Mennonite farmer sausage.

In business since 1978, J and J Sausage celebrates the region's Mennonite heritage with naturally smoked farmer sausage made without fillers, alongside smokies, snack sticks, cabbage rolls, perogies, borscht, fresh buns and baked goods. It works like a year round farmers' market and is worth the short drive.

What to buy: farmer sausage, a bag of perogies and a jar of borscht.

A Taste of the Prairies: Farmer Sausage and Smoked Meats

Saskatchewan's Mennonite communities, many of them settled north of Saskatoon around Warman, Osler and Rosthern, brought farmer sausage: a coarse, lightly seasoned pork sausage that is smoked and served with perogies and cream gravy.

Ukrainian settlers added garlic sausage (kubasa) and holiday hams. These traditions are why Saskatoon's butcher shops lean so heavily on smoked meats and sausages, and why perogies and cabbage rolls sit beside the steaks.

Premium and Chef Led Butchers

1. The Bulk Cheese Warehouse (Broadway, 732 Broadway Ave)

Best for: cold smoked steaks and a one stop gourmet shop.

Scott Bartlett opened the Bulk Cheese Warehouse in 1987, and it has been a Broadway staple for more than three decades. What began as a small cheese shop grew to include fresh pasta, salads, samosas and a full butcher shop known for its cold smoked steaks. The butcher counter in the back also offers house sausages such as boar, mild chorizo and blueberry, and beef strip loin. Open seven days.

What to buy: cold smoked steaks, house sausages, fresh pasta and the sauce of the day, and a cheese board.

2. Pig and Pantry (Central Saskatoon)

Best for: craft butchery with a chef's perspective.

Founder Jordan Lohneis is a Saskatoon native who cooked his way from local kitchens to Michelin starred restaurants in London, England. He returned home in 2013 to help open Ayden Kitchen and Bar and develop its charcuterie program, then started making sausages and smoked goods in a church kitchen with a tiny cooler and a basic smoker before opening his own butcher shop. Pig and Pantry focuses on high quality, handmade products from local partners and ethically raised livestock, with globally inspired sausages, charcuterie and take away meals.

What to buy: chef made sausages, house charcuterie, local farm pork and beef, and a take away meal for a busy night.

Buying Saskatchewan beef direct

Saskatchewan is one of Canada's major cattle producing provinces, and many farms near Saskatoon sell beef by the quarter, half or whole. If you have freezer space, buying direct can lower your cost per pound and tell you exactly where your meat was raised.

Before you buy, read our wholesale butcher shops guide on hanging weight pricing and cut sheets, and ask a local butcher like Boryski's about custom processing.

Heading south? Our guide to the best butcher shops in Regina covers Cathedral Butcher Boy’s Canada Prime beef, Big Bob’s family abattoir and the capital’s growing halal scene.

Halal, African and Community Meat Shops

Saskatoon's South Asian, Middle Eastern and African communities have grown quickly, helped by the University of Saskatchewan and new immigration, and their grocery stores now offer some of the city's best options for lamb, goat and halal beef. Most cluster along 22nd Street West, 8th Street East and Central Avenue.

Halal butchers and desi supermarkets

1. Savor Supermarket and Halal Meat (West, 901 22nd St W; East, 1902 8th St E, Unit 2).

Two clean, well organized South Asian supermarkets with large halal meat sections offering fresh and frozen lamb, goat, beef and chicken, plus a wide range of spices, rice and frozen foods. The butchers will take special orders. The east store is the larger of the two.

2. Makkah Halal Meat and Grocers (City Park, 800 Central Ave).

A friendly, owner run shop with fresh halal chicken, mutton and beef at competitive prices, and a strong spice selection for Pakistani, Indian and Bangladeshi cooking. Open seven days.

3. Saskatoon Halal Meat and Groceries (West side, 2305 22nd St W).

Formerly known as Brothers, this store has a halal meat counter with helpful butchers and Pakistani and Indian groceries. Open late every day. Check freshness at the counter before you buy.

4. First Choice Super Market and Halal Meat (1024 Louise Ave).

A newer, spacious desi supermarket just off 8th Street with halal meat, a wide selection of fish cut to order, fresh vegetables and a small eatery. Open late.

Before you buy at any halal shop: ask who certifies the meat and whether chicken is hand or machine slaughtered. Canadian law requires every halal claim to name its certifier. See our guide to halal vs non halal.

African and Caribbean stores

1. Wosiwosi Canada (North, 401 44th St E).

A spacious African grocery with a broad range of foods and beauty products, ample parking and online ordering.

2. Safari Market and Pan African Buffet (North, 120 Apex St, Unit 15).

An African and Caribbean market with a buffet serving dishes such as jollof rice, curry goat and pepper soup. Check best before dates on packaged goods.

3. Latter House Glory Foods (Riversdale, 319 Avenue B S).

Formerly Bistak Groceries, a clean West African grocery known for fair prices and fresh stock. Paid street parking nearby.

4. CrownAfriq Groceries and Food (928 8th St E, Unit A).

An easy to spot African grocery on 8th Street with staples, spices and bulk beans and flours.

Finding goat

Fresh goat is most reliably found at the halal butchers, especially Savor and Makkah. African stores generally carry frozen goat and assorted meat. When buying mutton, ask whether it is sheep or goat, and for curry goat see our Jamaican goat curry recipe.

A Buyer's Guide for Saskatoon Shoppers

Make the most of Saskatchewan beef and pork

Saskatoon is surrounded by cattle and hog country, so local meat is easier to find here than in many Canadian cities. At the counter, ask:

1. Was it raised in Saskatchewan? Many butchers source from farms within a short drive.

2. Grain finished or grass fed? Much Prairie beef is grain finished, giving rich marbling.

3. Can you smoke or cure it for me? Several Saskatoon shops smoke their own sausages, bacon and ham.

Labels worth knowing

Shop smarter in Saskatoon

• Mind statutory holidays and Sundays. Several family butchers close Sundays and on stat holidays; desi supermarkets usually open seven days and late.

• Plan freezer buys before winter. Saskatoon's long winters make bulk buying practical; measure your freezer first (about 1 cubic foot per 30 to 35 lb of packaged meat).

• Hunters, book processing early. Fall hunting season fills butcher schedules quickly.

• Order catering early. For graduations, weddings and summer events, book BBQ rentals and catering well in advance.

Saskatoon's busiest weeks: when to order

Butcher Shops Saskatoon FAQs

What is the best butcher shop in Saskatoon?

It depends on what you want. For cold smoked steaks and a gourmet stop, the Bulk Cheese Warehouse on Broadway. For chef made sausages and charcuterie, Pig and Pantry. For custom cuts and catering, Boryski's Butcher Block. For small batch sausages and perogies, Summit Meats and Sausage. For halal lamb and goat, Savor or Makkah.

Where can I buy cold smoked steaks in Saskatoon?

The butcher shop at the Bulk Cheese Warehouse, 732 Broadway Avenue, is known for its cold smoked steaks.

Where can I buy Mennonite farmer sausage near Saskatoon?

J and J Sausage in Warman, about 20 minutes north of the city, has made naturally smoked farmer sausage since 1978.

Where can I buy halal meat in Saskatoon?

Options include Savor Supermarket on 22nd Street West and 8th Street East, Makkah Halal Meat on Central Avenue, Saskatoon Halal Meat on 22nd Street West and First Choice on Louise Avenue. Always ask who certifies the meat.

Where can I buy goat meat in Saskatoon?

Halal butchers such as Savor and Makkah carry fresh goat and mutton; African stores generally carry frozen goat.

Does any Saskatoon butcher do catering?

Yes. Boryski's Butcher Block has offered catering and BBQ rentals since the early 1990s.