Kingston has been trading food in the same square since 1801. The Kingston Public Market, behind City Hall, is the longest running market in Ontario.
The butcher shops in Kingston today are spread along the city's main roads rather than downtown: family meat markets on Bath Road and Norwest Road, a freezer pack specialist in Barriefield, an exotic game counter on Division Street, a Syrian halal butcher, and African and Caribbean stores serving Queen's students and the city's newcomer families.
This guide profiles nine of the best butcher shops in Kingston, plus the public market, and closes with a buyer's guide built for Kingston shoppers.
How we chose
Every shop here is an independent Kingston butcher or meat market with a fresh meat counter or in house production and a clear specialty. No shop paid to be included. Hours change, so call ahead.
The best butcher shops in Kingston at a glance
Shop | Area | Address | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
Brothers Quality Meats | West end | 831 Norwest Rd | Everyday quality, house burgers, deli meats |
Pig and Olive Premium Meat | West end | 1689 Bath Rd | Premium steaks, tenderloin, offal on request |
Bob's Butcher Shop | West end | 2808 Princess St | Seasoned meats, smoked meat sandwiches |
The Barriefield Meat Market | Barriefield (east) | 760 Hwy 15, Units 7 and 8 | Freezer packages, hams, lamb |
The Meat Market | North of downtown | 472 Division St, Unit 107 | Value packs, grass fed beef, exotic game |
Sham Marts | West end | 1753 Bath Rd | Halal butcher and Syrian groceries |
Blossom African Foods | Princess St; Gardiners Rd | 652 Princess St, Unit 115 | African groceries, smoked catfish, hard chicken |
Aunty Ann Caribbean and African Grocery | West end | 846 Gardiners Rd | Caribbean and African staples |
Kingston Public Market | Downtown | Market Square, behind City Hall | Local producers, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday in season |
The Market and Kingston's West End Butchers
1. Kingston Public Market (Market Square, behind City Hall)
Since 1801, the square behind Kingston City Hall has hosted a public market, making it the longest running market in Ontario. It runs on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from April through November, with local produce, prepared foods, plants and crafts. It is a small, old school market, so check which local meat producers are attending before you go, and pair a visit with a stop at one of the butchers below.
2. Brothers Quality Meats (West end, 831 Norwest Rd)
Best for: everyday quality at grocery store prices.
A busy west end butcher with friendly, efficient staff and a broad range: steaks, ribs, chicken, bacon, deli meats and house made burgers, with fresh grinding on request. Prices are comparable with supermarkets, but the trim and freshness are better. Closed Mondays.
What to buy: house burgers, thick cut bacon and deli meat for the week.
3. Pig and Olive Premium Meat (West end, 1689 Bath Rd)
Best for: premium cuts and special requests.
A premium butcher known for helping customers choose the right cut, from beef tenderloin trimmed to your weights for a holiday dinner to offal and other harder to find parts on request. It also sells meat packages. Open seven days.
What to buy: a whole beef tenderloin for a special occasion, and a thick steak for a birthday.
4. Bob's Butcher Shop (West end, 2808 Princess St)
Best for: seasoned meats, prepared foods and sandwiches.
On western Princess Street, Bob's offers seasoned and marinated meats, spices, salads and prepared meals, plus a well loved smoked meat sandwich. Check cuts at the counter to make sure you get exactly what you asked for. Closed Mondays.
What to buy: a smoked meat sandwich, seasoned pork chops and Korean style ribs.
Freezer Packs, Value and Exotic Meats
1. The Barriefield Meat Market (Barriefield, 760 Hwy 15, Units 7 and 8)
Best for: freezer packages and holiday hams.
On the east side near CFB Kingston, Barriefield is a favourite for consistently high quality steaks, stuffed chicken breasts, lamb, chicken and sausages, and for its freezer packages. Holiday orders such as bone in hams and beef tenderloin are a specialty. Phone or visit for orders rather than using the online system. Open seven days.
What to buy: a freezer package, a bone in ham for Easter or Christmas, and a beef tenderloin.
2. The Meat Market (North of downtown, 472 Division St, Unit 107)
Best for: value packs, grass fed beef and exotic game.
Open every day until 8 pm, The Meat Market offers large value packs, grass fed options, whole beef ribs for smoking, made to order kebabs, and exotic game such as kangaroo, elk and venison. Staff will cut to order. As at any shop, check packaging and dates before you buy.
What to buy: a super value pack for the freezer, a beef rib roast for the smoker, and something unusual like elk or kangaroo.
Buying From Local Farms
Kingston is surrounded by farm country in Frontenac, Lennox and Addington, and Prince Edward County, where many family farms raise beef, pork, lamb and poultry. Many sell by the cut, the box or the side, through farm gates, seasonal markets and online orders.
Ask your butcher where the meat comes from. Several Kingston shops source from eastern Ontario farms.
Buy in bulk with care. Before ordering a quarter or half beef, read our wholesale butcher shops guide on hanging weight pricing and cut sheets.
Visit Prince Edward County. The County's farm stands and markets are a popular weekend trip for local meat and produce.
Halal, African and Caribbean Shops
Kingston's Syrian, South Asian, African and Caribbean communities, along with international students at Queen's University and St. Lawrence College, are served by a small but growing group of specialty stores.
1. Sham Marts (West end, 1753 Bath Rd)
Best for: fresh halal meat and Syrian and Middle Eastern groceries.
A clean halal butcher and grocery run by a welcoming owner and his sons, with fresh halal meats including bone in beef, a strong spice selection, imported Syrian and Middle Eastern goods, rose water, sweets, and religious items such as prayer mats and Zamzam water. Open seven days.
What to buy: bone in beef or lamb for stews, spices, and sweets for Eid.
Before you buy: 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.
2. Blossom African Foods (652 Princess St, Unit 115; second location on Gardiners Rd)
Best for: African groceries, including smoked catfish and hard chicken.
A clean, well stocked African food shop with a warm welcome, carrying smoked and frozen catfish (gutted and cleaned), hard chicken and a wide range of African staples.
3. Aunty Ann Caribbean and African Grocery and Beauty Supply (West end, 846 Gardiners Rd)
Best for: Caribbean and African staples close to Queen's west campus and the Cataraqui area.
A friendly store with fresh products hard to find elsewhere in Kingston; the owner will order items in on request. Closed Saturdays.
Finding goat in Kingston
Fresh goat is limited in Kingston. Ask Sham Marts and the African stores about availability, or plan a trip to Ottawa or Toronto, where goat is widely stocked; see our guides to butcher shops in Ottawa and butcher shops in Toronto. When buying mutton, ask whether it is sheep or goat.
A Buyer's Guide for Kingston Shoppers
Labels worth knowing
Label | What it means |
|---|---|
Canada Prime, AAA, AA, A | Canadian beef grades based mainly on marbling; AAA suits most steaks |
Grass fed | Raised on grass and forage; ask whether it was also grass finished |
Value or freezer pack | A bundle of mixed cuts at a lower price per pound; check the cut list before buying |
Halal | Any halal claim must name its certifier under Canadian law |
Shop smarter in Kingston
Head west for choice. Most of Kingston's butchers are in the west end, so you can compare several in one trip.
Watch for student move in and move out. Late August, September and April are busy, and freezer packs are a smart buy for student houses.
Military families, stock up. Barriefield and other shops near CFB Kingston are convenient for freezer packages before postings and deployments.
Order holiday meat early. Hams, tenderloins and turkeys sell out before Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Check before you pay. Look at the cut, fat and bone in the package at the counter, and confirm dates on packaged goods.
Kingston's busiest weeks: when to order
Occasion | What to order | Order ahead |
|---|---|---|
Ramadan and Eid al Fitr | Ground meat, chicken, lamb and goat | 1 week |
Easter | Bone in hams and lamb | 1 to 2 weeks |
Eid al Adha | Whole lambs and goats | 2 to 4 weeks |
Canada Day and summer long weekends | Steaks, burgers, sausages, ribs | Before the weekend |
Queen's Homecoming and back to school | Freezer and value packs | 1 week |
Thanksgiving | Turkeys and roasts | 1 to 2 weeks |
Christmas | Turkeys, tenderloin, hams | 2 to 3 weeks |
Butcher Shops Kingston FAQs
What is the best butcher shop in Kingston, Ontario?
It depends on what you want. For everyday quality at fair prices, Brothers Quality Meats on Norwest Road. For premium cuts and special requests, Pig and Olive on Bath Road. For freezer packages and holiday hams, Barriefield Meat Market. For value packs and exotic game, The Meat Market on Division Street. For halal, Sham Marts.
What is the oldest market in Ontario?
The Kingston Public Market, held in the square behind Kingston City Hall since 1801. It runs on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from April to November.
Where can I buy halal meat in Kingston?
Sham Marts at 1753 Bath Road is a halal butcher and Middle Eastern grocery. Ask who certifies the meat.
Where can I buy exotic meats in Kingston?
The Meat Market on Division Street carries game such as kangaroo, elk and venison.
Where can I buy freezer packs in Kingston?
Barriefield Meat Market and The Meat Market both offer freezer or value packages, and Pig and Olive sells meat packages too.
Where can I buy African and Caribbean food in Kingston?
Blossom African Foods on Princess Street and Gardiners Road, and Aunty Ann Caribbean and African Grocery on Gardiners Road.
