Meatsmith Balwyn

Andrew McConnell and Troy Wheeler’s specialty butcher is a cut above the rest. Since opening in Fitzroy in 2015, it has expanded the stable with upscale butcheries in St Kilda, Brighton and Balwyn.

At the Balwyn outpost, you’ll find a cabinet stocked with the Meatsmith all-stars: Gippsland pasture-raised beef porterhouse steaks, free-range Bannockburn chicken schnitzels, duck breast, pre-prepped porchetta, pre-marinated lamb shoulder or backstrap, and reams of plump house-made sausages.

For the time-poor weeknight cooks, there are ready-made meals that might include hearty lasagne, tender lamb tagine, beef massaman curry loaded with aromatic herbs and Cumulus Inc’s slow-cooked bone-in lamb shoulder that, once cooked, beckons for a generous squeeze of lemon.

For your fridge and pantry there's seasonal veggies from Ramarro Farm, as well as mustards, pickles, relishes and sauces.

As at any McConnell establishment, drinks play a significant role here too. There’s a curated selection of wine, beer, spirits and non-alc beers to sip on while cooking, eating or both.