Macelleria Venezia

THIS is the real deal! A true old world butcher shop that features master butchers and some seriously high quality meat. This is an un-​reconstructed establishment devoid of the pretense that has infected many similar shops — they don’t need the whole pseudo-​Medi affectations because they ARE the real deal.
This is a small shop located on Bloor close to the Ossington subway station. They are predominantly a butcher shop, but do have a limited high quality selection of cheeses and deli meats.
Let’s talk meat. While I have yet to have anything bad from MV, there are some consistent standouts worthy of mention. Their flank steaks are the most flavorful in the city, pork shoulder and butts roasts are truly tender — not the «seasoned» garbage you get elsewhere, pork tenderloins are amazingly sweet and do beautifully in the pot or roasted very slowly. The veal is superb. Service-​wise this place is a delight. You want a breast of veal to stuff? Just ask them — they’ll even slice it for you. Want ANYTHING ground? They’ll do it to your exact specifications. I wanted to make some old school meatballs — ground pork, veal, and one sweet sausage per pound. Bam! Done. The chicken here is really good, but if I was in the best of the best mode I would take a walk to Gasparro’s for chicken. The deli meats are on the higher side of standard — of special note are the prosciutto cotto and capicolla. The cotto is what ham is SUPPOSED to taste like. They run out quickly, so if you’re lucky enough to see it in the shop buy it — you’ll be glad you did. They have the standard capicolla which, although tasty, is a bit fatty for my taste. The large version is dryer, meatier, and has just a little more sweet bite. Ask them to slice it thin and put it in the oven on foil at about 275 for 10 – 15 minutes — BAM — instant spicy italian style bacon for eggs, sandwiches or just munching.
I took some heat from some of you who didn’t appreciate my lukewarm review of Nosso Talho. Here’s a challenge. Go buy a pound of ground pork form NT and have them grind you some fresh pork at MV. Take them home — heat up a skillet — open the bags and smell both meats. If you have a sense of smell, I believe my point has already been made. If not, form a small patty of each meat and grill in the pan. Season lightly with salt only. Now taste. You’re welcome. You and everyone who eats with you will be spending the best 30 cents per pound more and LOVING it.
From what I understand, in the before time, Toronto was studded with dozens, if not hundreds of this type of place. If you live in the hood, you’re lucky enough to have two of the few remaining (these guys and Vince Gasparro) within a few hundred meters of each other. Please do yourself and everyone in Toronto a favor. Buy your meat here! If not, we will be stuck with the service and quality challenged crud from the big blah stores.