The Most Flavorful Meat Shops in Saint Paul

Anoka Meat and Sausage

★★★★☆ 3.8 (12) • $$

"Great place - 5 stars!I've been buying most of my meat products from Coborn's in Ramsey for many years. But I haven't been very happy with the "Four Brothers" brand. (The previous "Kretschmar" brand was even worse.) Fortunately, I visited Anoka Meat and Sausage for the first time and I'm very impressed. This is definitely my new go-to spot for my zero-carb, meat based diet.This place has nearly everything you could ever want from a meat market. Plus, they have tons of extra specialty products like spices, rubs, sauces...and more. And they're the ONLY place I've found (so far) in my local area that offers bacon with no added sugar!I don't know why it's is so hard to find processed meat with no sugar. Companies insist on throwing sugar in every damn food product and they even do it with meat...rotisserie chickens, hot dogs, sausages, hot dogs, jerky, brats, bacon, braunschweiger, etc. Don't believe me? Read the labels. They try to hide it by listing sugars on the ingredient label as organic cane juice, turbinado sugar, sucanat, molasses, honey, dextrose, kings syrup, invert syrup, maltose...you name it...they try to sneak it in everything. I found a website that lists sugars by 65 difference deceptive and sneaky names. It's sad. I guess the big food companies want everyone to be diabetic.Last but not least, the employees are very friendly and I feel the prices are very reasonable. You can go to Main Street Anoka and buy a high end product for the same price (or less) than the big box grocery stores with questionable quality. What's not to love?Thumbs up!-Maxx"

North Market

★★★★☆ 4.1 (11)

"I took a cooking class here. I really like this grocery store. They have some really good deals. On Wednesday they have 50% off all their produce either organic or non. They rent out their community room for people doing cooking classes and fitness classes. I really love how much they give back to the community. I'll have to shop more here. Have not bought groceries here yet, but I have taken several classes at this location."

Von Hanson's Meats

★★★★☆ 4 (9) • $$$

"You know when you go to local breweries and you buy those tasty seasoned pretzels? Well, I was craving them one night and learned that they sell them at Von Hanson's so away I went.They sell those flavored snacks in a larger container for a lower price so I stocked up I can pack them along to my next brewery adventure. As it was my very first in a Von Hanson's I strolled around to see what else they had to offer. While I did not purchase anything else that day I did see multiple delicious looking items that I am pretty sure I will be back to try. Customer service was top notch and served with a sincere smile. While my pretzels and I did not require carry out service I did witness the another customer receiving assistance with their order to the car is please keep that in mind. Please check them out and grab a container (or two) of those seasoned pretzels!"

Rieder Meat Market

★★★★★ 4.8 (12) • $$

"Been coming here for years, as a teenager I would buy jerky for the camping trips and now salami. Very tasty!Good Read - I agree with this Herald Journal article: 100th anniversary celebration for Rieder Meat Market at Delano City Hall Saturday, June 4, 2011http://www.herald-journal.com/archives/2011/stories/rieder-meats.html"

Duff's Meat 2

★★★★★ 4.5 (10) • $$

"This place has been my go to for all my pork needs at least. Colleen has been accommodating and pleasant to work with. This small multigenerational store definitely gives the small town vibe with great quality meats. They are great at what they do, it's affordable, and it's the relationship that makes it all work it."

Von Hanson's

★★★★☆ 4.1 (25) • $$

"The lady that works here is so nice, cheery, fun and seems to love her job. She helped me two weeks ago select the right smoked beef tendons for my dog. I shoulda got her name. She is that cool. Tonight I bought 5 more as they are only $1 each. I asked if these were good ones. My fave item VH carries are Maple Beef sticks so I splurged and bought a pack. I remember when these were $6.99 a # now they are $10.99 a # must be inflation! The same lady told me about their online coupons and put a flyer in my bag. When I get her name I'll post it in tips."

Von Hanson's Meats

★★★★☆ 3.5 (26) • $$

"All I can say about this place is quality, quality, quality - anything you buy. Not much fish, but as feather and fur goes, they've got it all - fresh, great quality, and good prices. Lots of wonderful side dishes, drinks, and other offerings as well. Pretty much a one-stop shop for food for a social event. Friendly, knowledgeable help. They clearly don't hire from college IT departments, because these folks actually make eye contact and smile, and come around from behind the display counter to hand you your purchases, instead of throwing them over the top. Obviously, somebody here knows something about gracious service.You need to be warned - their dill-ranch pretzels have been classified as highly addictive. I have been assured, upon asking, that the necessary licenses and 12-step recovery programs are in place."

Vonhanson Meats

★★★★☆ 3.8 (9) • $

"These peeps in white aprons are dedicated to quality. Walk into the family-owned store with a clear nasal passageway and you'll be delighted: the smell of seasonings is incredible. If you're grilling out, this place guarantees it'll make the experience well worth it, *especially* if you're entertaining guests. From brats to steaks, they'll help you figure out what you want to bring home. Plus, if marinades and whatnot intimidate you, there's a sweet selection of pre-rubbed chops/breasts/roasts/etc. It costs a bit more than buying the economy bag of brick-hard frozen chicken at Cub, but let's put it this way: if you want to keep small business in business, and you want amazing/real/THICK meat, you gotta put up the cash for it and be happy about it."

Grundhofer’s Old Fashioned Meats

★★★★☆ 4.3 (3)

"Old fashioned butcher shop with a NEW location in Forest Lake...same great service and products as the Hugo location, just another location to search for that perfect Brat~But not just brats-they offer more meats than I find at my local chain supermarket! We're fans of their meat sticks and jerky."

Von Hanson's

★★★★★ 5 (2) • $$

"Ask for Eric, try the jerkey!! My favorite,is sweet and spicy and this store does it better than all other locations. Eric is,a ball of,energy and sets a happy tone from the moment you walk in."

Bruce's Foods

★★★★☆ 3.9 (9) • $$

"Bruce's Food's is the best small town grocery store that I have ever shopped. There is plenty of parking, friendly staff, very comfortable and clean interior and a great selection and pricing! On occasion I have stopped in for their lunch specials ( Taco Thursdays) and used their seating area in the store."

Von Hanson's Meats

★★★★☆ 3.6 (14) • $$$

"Love Von Hanson's! Great meat at great prices. They are always sending me emails for a variety of things. Got BOGO baby back ribs for the smoker today, but love their steak, chicken & pork. Delicious! Plus the guys are all super friendly & knowledgeable."

Jensen's Market

★★★★★ 5 (3)

"When I first saw Jensen's Market I thought is was just meats. I was wrong. I went there today for the first time based on a recommendation about there cinnamon rolls. The person who greeted us made a recommendation to heat them for 10 seconds in the microwave. Spot on recommendation, they are some of the best cinnamon rolls I've had in years. I also picked up a couple cake donuts, the that brought me back to my childhood. I highly recommend Jensen's Market."

Von Hanson's Meats

★★★★☆ 3.9 (7) • $$

"Von Hanson's may be spendy but aside from going to a small neighborhood butcher, which thsee days is quite hard to find, it doesn't get any better. Their meat sticks are super tasty. The jalapeno is my favorite but then again I almost put siracha in my oatmeal the other day...just out of curiosity. They are also really knowledgeable about cuts and grades. Even though the butchers in Cub and Rainbow are trained they got nothing on the people that work in Von Hansens. Again, they can be spendy but the quality of the product is noticeable from the first bite off the grill...if not the first glance in the case."

Schroeder Meat

★★★★★ 5 (5)

"If you have ever been to Schroder's then you know that you are getting a quality product. Our family favorites are but of course the best beef jerky you have ever tasted that is made fresh weekly on Tuesday's. This jerky is so good that it will make your mouth water and has even been sent to me 1600 miles away as a present. Their smoked sausages and beef sticks are also great favorites. Sausages are very plump and have great flavor and beef sticks are so yummy. They also do meat processing there as well so if you need you cow or pig processed they do that to the owner is an awesome guy too. They are always so friendly. Can pay with cash or check only."

Pekarna Meat Market

★★★★★ 4.6 (11) • $$

"We were headed to Jordan for a baseball game and I called to inquire if they had dog bones. They replied we have beef bones for dogs and they gave me one for free. They don't butcher dogs thankfully. They are open Friday until 8 so that was nice. I bought beef and cheddar beef sticks that were good. I purchased golden maple breakfast links that would you believe they taste like Kramarchuks but a lot cheaper, super good. I noticed these bacon wrapped chicken breasts and bought a Hawaiian flavored one with cheese and pineapple and a gourmet flavored one with cheese. These you put in the oven for an hour. OMG so moist, big and flavorful. Not dry at all. These could look very impressive at your next dinner party. I also found Kolakys from Franke Bakery in Montgomery. Service was good and meat top quality. Too bad they are over 30 minutes away. Support local family run businesses."

Seward Community Co-op

★★★★☆ 4 (133) • $$

"I participated in a virtual Nourush 201 Summer Series cooking class 'Black Bean Burgers' with Chef Jess Delicious Toliver through Seward Community Co-op Nourish 101 program. The class was excellent. Very fun and educational. They provided the list of ingredients, equipment and recipe in advance so you could be prepared and prep in advance and cook along at the same pace as the chef and enjoy dinner afterwards. We mashed the beans (or you could use a food processor). And chopped the veggies. (chef used fresh, I sautéed mine first I just don't care for onion or raw garlic). Add spices (cumin, Hot paprika, pepper, salt, and sauce. We eat an egg ( or you can make Chia seed egg) and you could add breadcrumbs. We then mixed with our hands and formed patties. One can of black beans makes four burgers. As we cooked, host Lasked questions and also relayed our questions from the chat. Chef Jess provided her background and how she got into the cooking and being a personal chef now and trying to make healthy meals and promote wellness through food. She gave lots of suggestions on various summer meals and a variety of veggie burger combinations. And showed us how to chop the vegetables and provided the knife she prefers. She gave us tips on photographing food from above not the side (Check out my cool hands in the air photos) Made mine with black beans, poblano, peppers, carrots. onions, egg and buffalo sauce. (I sautéd the veggies with garlic and herbs) we baked the burgers in oven. Chef Jess used Sriracha. But she gave us lots of suggestions in how to make it your own. she gave alternates if you wanted to make it vegan or gluten-free or dairy free etc. (I am pescatarian). As far as assembling the burgers. I fried two eggs. And sliced an avocado, tomato and some radishes Topped with the buffalo sauce (use sour cream instead of mayo), avocados, radish, and tomato and served on mixed greens. You don't need no stinking bread. Yum. They turned out so good. And so filling. I'll be making again. Next time with garbanzo beans.Thank you Chef Jess! And thank you seaward community co-op /Lawson for hosting."

Blue Ribbon Quality Meats

★★★★☆ 3.7 (3)

"This butcher shop does it all. You can go directly onto their farm and pick out the animal you want and they will take it and make whatever you want. They are so friendly and really care about their product. This is a family business with 3 of the workers having worked there from the very beginning and truly care about each of their customers leaving happy. I would definitely recommend everyone go and check them out!"

Deutschland Meats

★★★★★ 4.6 (18) • $$

"Old fashioned meat market with good service and Covid precautions enacted. Not your usual butcher shop. We picked up some awesome brats and Schweinshax (to be roasted later). We also picked up our lunch to-go (see menu for specials). The Chicken Alfredo was creamy and flavorful, a great lunch to have at the brewery down the road!"

Nerstrand Meats & Catering

★★★★★ 4.7 (9) • $$

"I grew up with this stuff. My great-grandmother lived on a farm down the road in Nerstrand and I spent many summer days in this tiny town. Ever since, Nerstrand wieners have been a holiday staple at our family gatherings (4th of July, Thanksgiving, etc.). Anything any one of the wandering Farmer clan gets near that town we demand they bring beer beef and wieners.A few years ago, this would have been a solid five stars. After my most recent visit last week, I have to bump it down to four due to artificial coloring listed as an ingredient in some of their products. There are ways to make this stuff, if not free range or organically, free from artificial colors and other ingredients. The staff is friendly and I enjoy eating the meat and I'll make it a point to stop by anytime I'm heading south of Minneapolis."

India Bazaar

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (12)

"It doesn't surprise me that mine is only the second review for this hidden treasure in Eagan. My Indian friends let me in on the secret, and while I wish nothing but amazing success for this cafe, part of me wants to keep it on the down low so that it doesn't become too busy to maintain the exceptional quality they currently have. My friends were ecstatic to find India Bazaar, for the grocery as well as the amazing food. I was thrilled that they serve dosas after 5 PM, since they're becoming harder and harder to find. With the large population of Indian immigrants in Eagan, I've been disappointed with the larger restaurants which seem to cater more to the sensitive Minnesota palate than the Indian population. This is an efficient, spare operation that puts all the focus on the food. Fine by me! The food choices are in a deli case with about 15 rotating dishes. Naan and puri are made to order, no dried out bread​ in a buffet line here. We shared chicken curry, mutton curry, an okra and peanut dish as well as a cauliflower side. Everything was vibrant and spicy-and by spicy I mean bountiful flavor with just enough heat to make things interesting. The mutton and chicken both were cooked with bone in, which makes for juicy meat that doesn't dry out. Careful with the smaller bones eating these dishes. Not everything was labeled for the uninitiated​ like me, but it was all delicious. There were packages of spiced nuts and cookies on the counter that were tempting, but I was only interested in the savory delights. There are two bowl sizes, and tasting is permitted before making a decision. The bowls are delivered overflowing, and a small serving could easily be shared with two. Several people stopped in on a Sunday afternoon to pick up large trays of catered food, and I don't doubt that's a lucrative business for them. Heads up, better to have cash since they'll charge you the difference for credit card processing fees. Staff is pleasant and efficient. I couldn't be happier that I need only drive two miles to get authentic, delicious Indian food."

BoB's Produce Ranch

★★★★☆ 4.3 (46) • $$

"This is a happy place especially in late summer. Best sweet corn, peaches and all of the other MN grown vegetables. Wait!! I forgot great but I just went for the skin on weiners , I won't buy packaged any more. I got myself a couple peaches and they put them in a brown bag to ripen on counter for a day ... This place has been around for at least 50 years.... stop here before your next bbq"

Swanson Meats

★★★★☆ 4 (4)

"Swanson has great high-quality meat products, they provide excellent customer service too. Very happy with the products they make for my restaurant."

Brine's Market & Deli

★★★★☆ 3.7 (23) • $$

"In town for Hockey decided to swing by and grab a couple sandwiches late afternoon. The store was really well organized and clean. Deli counter attendant was quick and making our sandwiches and friendly. The sandwich was delicious, turkey with chipotle aïoli and jalapeños, can't remember the name, but a great value at $5.99. We'll definitely stop back the next time we're in the area.The spotlight of our trip today was my interaction with Faith at the cash register. You can tell when someone really enjoys their job, and she was just that. Super friendly, welcoming, even service with a smile (which is rare these days). We love supporting local businesses and it is because of people just like Faith who enjoy interacting with the public that makes these experiences so memorable."

Von Hanson's Meats

★★★★★ 5 (4)

"This is where I pick up my CSA box every summer. Once a month (during the summer), I get a meat product with my CSA box. The item is always good quality, and tastes great. The staff is very friendly, and often bring the box out to my car for me. Today, I actually made a purchase. :) I got 4 brats free with my CSA, but I wanted more - the family and I have tried the Wild Country (Bacon, wild rice, and pepper jack cheese) brats before, and they are so good. We needed more. The transaction was smooth, and the girl helping me was helpful and kind. Covid info: All staff were wearing masks, customers were 6 ft distanced and most were wearing masks."

Finer Meats & Eats

★★★★☆ 4.2 (36) • $$

"If I could give six stars I would! Stopped for a beer at Venn and ordered a pulled pork sandwich to share. Would have been happier with 2, they were so good! The owners / operators were lovely as well. Next stop - the Finer Meats butcher shop! My guess is that I will not be disappointed."

Von Hansons Meats

★★★★☆ 3.7 (6) • $$

"We love Von Hanson or as we refer to them in our family "Vonnies". We've been going to Vonnies for over 20 years. In fact after we purchased our home, the first place we went was our local butcher shop to get some food so we could have a celebration bbq. I still remember that day 20 years ago. My brother in law and I picked our the biggest sirloin we could find while the ladies selected some chicken breasts. We put that sirloin on the grill and went sat down to relax. As we watched the smoke billow out of our grill, we grinned and patted our selves on the back as we were "master grillers" and this was going to be a great meal! Well as it turned out we left that sirloin on way too long as it shrunk up and looked liked a dirty flip flop. I can't believe it didn't catch on fire! So our first grilling experience didn't go so well. Not to the fault of the butcher. We have since learned a lot more about not only grilling but the cut of meat too. Some of that knowledge has come from the guys at Vonnie's. Vonnie's is really more than a butcher shop. It's kind of like a mini grocery store as they of course have a full meat case. They also have fresh baked buns and rolls. There is a good sized frozen section with not only meats but prepared meals, cookies and desserts. They also carry sliced lunch meats, cole slaw and excellent potato salad. I make a decent potato salad but I have to admit the potato salad at Vonnie's is really good. Another interesting point of interest is this past year the Pioneer Press rates Vonnie's bacon as one of the best bacons on the market. You know everything is better with bacon. Vonnie's sells various grill packs and they even do game processing. Some of our favorites are their double chicken breasts, their smoked sausages, grill steaks, bacon and of course potato salad. Here's a tip, sign up for their MVG (most valuable griller) and you're receive coupons and deals in your email. They also have monthly specials too. We've tried other butcher shops because we always like to try new places. We have yet to find another place that has the quality, selection and friendly service as Von Hanson's."

Kowalski's Woodbury Market

★★★★☆ 4.2 (52) • $$$

"Reunited and it feels so good----Kowalski's is my favorite grocery store to shop at---and since moving across the river I just did not get a chance to skip-a-doodle over to St. Paul that much---I was so happy to discover that there is one in Woodbury and close enough to do my shopping at----I gleefully entered the store and got one of my preferred little two tiered carts. I also enjoyed that there were not a ton of brats running around in big ass plastic car carts. Kids ruin my grocery store experience because they are always zigging when I want to zag.There was a vast array of samples and unfortunately for my wallet I ended up buying pretty much everything I sampled. Hahahahahaha that is a damn good marketing tactic. The old lady doing the Bacon demo needed to put a sock in it though---she never came up for air and was a bit pretentious. I did buy the bacon because even though she got on my nerves I enjoyed it. There is so much inside this fabulous store---flowers, gifts, cards, wine, Aveeda products, Cooks of crocus hill , fancy olive oils and seasonings, and cheeses---the wonderful cheeses----I specifically would shop here just for cheese.I got quality ingredients and seriously I don't feel like I did too bad on my budget. I indulged in some gourmet items that I cannot get at other grocers. Potter crackers, fresh Alaskan wild caught coho salmon, Waygu beef, velvet honey butter, northern lights Bleu cheese.I picked up a few recipe cards and enjoyed the friendly check out boys --one who took my groceries to my car for me. This place is the stuff my entertaining and food dreams are made of..."

RJ's Meats

★★★★★ 4.6 (32) • $$

"Love this small meat market! Cheese and curds galore, packaged sausages, pickles, fresh bread and rolls, Boar's Head deli products, and (of course) they have the fresh cut meats (insert Arby's music here). There is also a selection of salads, chips, drinks, and basic grocery supplies. It is always a pricey trip when we stop in but the service is great and the products are high-quality."

Von Hanson's Meats

★★★☆☆ 3 (10)

"One of our favorite meat place in the City. Nice cuts of meat, they are always willing to check, and thinly slice my meat for me whenever I ask. Their beef jerky is pretty good too. We usually buy our ribeye from there. Definitely a little bit on the pricier side compare to Cubs and target. But definitely worth it."

Benny’s Meat Market

★★★★★ 5 (3)

"Made a trip to Hutchinson and spotted this gem in April. I am on a brat hunt. I tried the pizza flavor, very spicy and tonight had the swiss. I got some good pork sausages. Every small town needs a local butcher and this is perfect."

Ready Meats

★★★★★ 4.5 (35) • $$

"This place has been around for over 30 years, and my grandpa loves it. So, I promised him I would pick up Christmas dinner meats here. It was a zoo! Be sure to grab your number right away. It was hidden for me since there were so many people, but it's off to the left side, right when you enter. I found the boards with what was available very helpful, but it's also a good idea to look at the food in the case. I went with porkchops and bacon wrapped chicken stuffed with asparagus. Sadly, I learned that the chicken came from Wisconsin. I was under the impression that this was also a butcher shop. I don't think everything is local here. They do have a large selection of frozen and packaged foods. Some examples were cheese curds, lasagna, turkey wild rice meatloaf, tator tot hotdish, potatoes and meatballs. I over heard a comment to a worker about how delicious their dinner rolls were. Next time I would like to try the lefse and a few stuffed sausages."

Valeries Carniceria

★★★★☆ 4 (3) • $

"Since I was in the n'borhood this morning, I decided to stop in to see if they sold manioc starch (tapioca starch).I think I was the only customer in the place when I arrived. Happy-sounding Mexican music was playing, and a woman was standing behind the checkout counter slicing spines off cactus leaves (for nopales). I browsed around the store and shared an "hola" with a man from the butcher area.They did not have the manioc starch I was looking for, but I found a "brick" of espresso coffee that I decided to try in my stovetop espresso pot.The woman at checkout was friendly and gently curious about my Spanish-speaking capability (dusty and limited). However, I was able to thank her and wish her a good afternoon in Spanish as I left."

Seward Community Co-op

★★★★☆ 4 (32) • $$

"This is an inspiring location and ranks up there now as one of my favorite co-ops (you'll probably catch that on a number of my co-op reviews...I LOVE THEM)!I've been to this one twice and absolutely adored the vibe, the presence, and the happy/helpful/energetic employees that work there! This is an incredibly diverse and inviting location that just makes you want to come back over and over again to support and watch it succeed!The selection is great, the people are great, and the prices (or at least in the produce) seem to be a bit more affordable than some of the other co-ops (the packaged-processed goods are about the same as other locations).The meat & seafood department may just be the happiest meat & seafood department I've ever encountered. Kind, informative, and generous. While it MAY have something to do with being so new, so many of the employees really go out of their way to be helpful and nice. But I had also been to the Lakewinds-Richfield opening season multiple times and, while great, the Seward Friendship store seems to be living out their name and investing in great friendships.I had talked to a man at the customer service desk when they were 1 1/2 weeks into their opening and he said that they had a goal of selling approximately 90 memberships in their first month...BUT...they had already sold OVER 500 in their first 1 1/2 weeks! The support for co-ops is inspiring and such a huge testament to the fact that we are STARVING for nutrient-dense REAL foods!Just go to walk around and experience the cheeriness (& buy something that you've never tried before...they've got a fantastic variety and supply of the goods)! They're worth it and I'll be back again...and again...and again."

Von-Hanson's Meats of Woodbury

★★★★★ 4.5 (6) • $

"This might not be fair, but here I go..... Being an employee off and on of this fine company since 1992 (yes I was under the "legal" working age, but I wanted a new bike, damnit!) I have also been a faithful patron of all the Von Hanson's stores for 2+ decades. It is an old fashioned German/American meat market. They don't carry wild or exotic game, nor do they carry fresh fish and seafood(only frozen.) With a large selection of fresh, homemade sausages, or fully cooked and smoked. Items such as: Chorizo, Andouille, Kielbasa, Polish, Bratwursts, Snack Sticks,(Beef Jerky, Smoked Salmon, Smoked Baby Back Ribs (Done on site, in each store)), as well as a full service meat counter with a wide a variety of poultry, pork, and beef items cut fresh daily. Von Hanson's was founded in 1984 on the idea of giving people great fresh food, at an affordable price with unmatched service. They still carry on with this same tradition today! They have literally created an independent meat empire from the ground up. Stop in at any location and pick up something for the grill!!!!! It's the best for a reason!"