The Heart & Trotter Whole Animal Butchery

Amazingly fresh and delicious locally sourced food. The whole place is immaculately clean, stocked with other goodies like local honey, salts, etc. Fridge by the entrance has everything else you could want e.g. stock, gizzards, soup bones, etc. The service is awesome. My SO went in asking for pork belly. They were out since most of it gets used for their bacon, but they just happened to have a fresh carved pig. So they literally went and carved out the amount of pork belly he wanted from that. Oh. Em. Gee. It was so amazingly delicious, I still dream about it in my sleep from time to time…

Went to their store just to check it out and try one item. Love Braunshieger (liverwurst). So that was my choice. No kidding the best I have ever eaten on both coasts. Homemade, Less fat. And made from local raised pigs. Yummy and will return for more. Not cheap but worth every penny

While it is more expensive than the grocery store, I can eat the meat from there without worrying that the animal lived a horrible life, and that is definitely worth the extra cost. I got 2lbs of short ribs, two pork chops, and a dozen eggs for around $ 60.

Yes, this place is a terrific whole animal butchery, but did you know that it also is a great place to find some great eats? I found out the good way, by coming in and checking these guys out and proceeding to order one fine burger.
It was a Sunday, so I took advantage of their Double Double Grass Fed Burger Special for I believe $ 8 or $ 9, but I can’t rightly remember. The burger was prepared to a nice medium pink which was very juicy. The beef flavor was milder than I expected, but good, and I did feel the beef would of benefited from some salt, to help elevate the beef’s flavor. The double double was quite large, so if you prefer large burgers, this one is for you.
The burger came with double the cheese, given the doubling of the patties, and was well melted throughout the burger. The burger came with some delicious caramelized onions that were more similar to a onion confit. They were great. They put shredded lettuce and thinly sliced tomatoes on their burger which resulted in easy eating. The burger came on a brioche but which was very tasty and moist, but they needed to toast it up a bit, so that it’s a little firmer and holds up well to the abundance of beefy goodness in the burger, because those patties were quite juicy I tell you. Oh yes, the burger comes with a house sauce which is very good, but they go a little heavy with it, so if you like it on the lighter side, please let them know.
The burger reminded me of an old time burger that saying, «this is what a burger should be!» Great stuff.

Fresh and delicious. Staff is really helpful and friendly. This was my first experience with a butchery and it was a good one! I’ve been back since and plan on returning soon.

Awesome service! The gentleman at the counter made us some delicious burritos. Bought some rib eye and NY strip steaks. Can’t wait to try them! Everything just looked so good.

This place is it for meat and so much more. The cuts are incredible. They also sell frozen bone broth! Their lunch counter serves up a different house made sandwich every day, and they are incredible. Go there. Now.

Amazing quality along with a fabulously knowledgable and friendly staff. Worth every penny!

It was a cold and dreary night. I had just finished my Friday night pint of ice cream, when I remembered that it was BLVD Market night. I’d been to Heart and Trotter before when the burgers were sold out, so I called to make sure there were bacon burgers left, and sure enough, due to the rain, there were plenty left.
The kitchen had begun to shut down when I arrived due to the slow demand, but after seeing the hungry faces of a few other customers and I that straggled in, the staff graciously agreed to make a few more burgers.
I knew it would be a wait, so I prepared my favorite podcasts for listening, but H&T had a bumping playlist. Jessie McCartney, Backstreet Boys — seriously, all of my jams. I especially enjoyed hearing the staff singing along to all the words. I love browsing around this butchery because the meat looks fantastic and the extras and condiments for sale are intriguing.
When I received my burger, I had a very unique experience. The patty tasted clean somehow. It was not greasy at all. How can burgers not be greasy?! Confused, I continued to eat what can only be described as a health food bacon cheeseburger. Although, I’m not sure my body understood such high quality beef, I really liked this burger. For me, the pimento cheese and the bun were fantastic. The bacon, which was hidden within the patty, was surprisingly not overpowering, and the burger was overall filling. I love cheeseburgers and now I love Heart and Trotter. I look forward to trying more from Heart and Trotter.

I really appreciate being able to go to a butcher to get high-​quality meat when a meat craving hits. The staff are always pleasant and will answer all questions you may have!

It’s so much better to purchase meat from a whole animal local butcher.
The hamburger was excellent & the chicken was so unbelievably delicious… All I did was bake for 40 minutes w/​some olive oil and spices. Bologna (yeah the name conjures up scary bad chemicals) was so good, I had to have more. Chicken livers were divine. The bone in pork chop was on the menu tonight, & I can honestly say, it was the most delicious pork I have had. I thought I had died & gone to heaven — -And please note that I am not an expert «meat cooker». I simply pan sautéed each side for a minute or 2 — then baked it for 15 minutes at 375 & made a tomato-​based low carb bar-​b-​que sauce.
Variety: I thought the variety was excellent due to the fact this meat is not mass produced & I’d have no problem substituting for what was available. This just tells me they are doing it right.
I loved the bologna but was told there is some minimal nitrate in it to avoid rancidity. This was enough for me to stop buying it & substitute for non-«processed» (even minimally) meat.
Price: I can’t imagine the average family can afford to buy meat here. I prefer to eat less meat, less often but buy the top of the line product. Of course, I cook for 2, not a family of 4 – 5. But I bet if you cut out processed junk food, chips & soda — , you’d be able to buy your meat at Heart & Trotter!

Superb!
Got some steaks and sausages here — well worth the price. Amazing.
Great customer service too — these guys deserve to succeed.
If you want some top quality meat then it’s definitely worth checking out.

The first time I visited, I almost fainted from the sticker shock. I think I paid something like $ 12 for two chicken breasts. Recently, I picked up two sausages, which ended up being $ 10. Smoked chicken is $ 6 a thigh. Don’t even get me started on the price of the chuck steak.
Well, I think the meat is worth the high price. We’ve been very pleased with the quality and the excellent results. I used to think that the dishes were tasty because of my cooking technique, not the meat quality, but I’ve since changed my mind. I’m a big fan of the product and the people!

Ordered ham and pastrami due to Unilocalers reviews. At first I wasn’t sold by the pastrami, coming from eating pretty darn good pastrami in LA, a lot of places didn’t tickle my fancy. I ended buying some and going home to make a sandwich, and that’s when the pastrami really blossomed. When you have thick chunks that had the crusted seasoning in the top, marbled fat and the juices mixing in your mouth you will become a believer. The ham isn’t brined like a lot of deli stores which make the ham less flavorful and more meaty and gamey in flavor. I was never a huge fan of ham and this didn’t sell me either.
Meat is pricey but good. The place is knowledgeable and organized. I can see myself stopping by for sandwiches or meat cuts for special occasions but cannot see myself coming here weekly.

Drove by & was intrigued so turned to my trusty Unilocal app to see what this place was about. What is about is respecting the product and providing quality alternatives to your meat section in your local grocery store. On the day I went, they were breaking down a lamb. I was invited to watch the skilled butcher at work. They had some charcuterie which I sample then purchased. I was struck by how lean and flavorful everything was from the house cured pastrami to their smoked heritage ham. And if you think you know bologna; you don’t until you taste their’s. They carry lard, bone broth, stock and bones in addition to other products that can be difficult to find. They have a daily special which features prepared food (burger, sandwich) all of their meats are locally sourced & hormone & antibiotic free.

I’m literally writing this review in a state of euphoria. My girlfriend (who is seriously considering becoming a full-​fledged vegetarian) and I spent the past 10 minutes moaning with flushed faces, making eye contact the way only a couple in deep, endless love would make, and we never even layed hands on each other. Yes, that’s right, this happened sitting at our dining room table. The culprit? A 100% grass-​fed «Denver» cut steak.
Let me take a step back and praise Ben’s expansive knowledge and friendliness when we took our first steps inside this amazing butcher shop. The place is clean and quaint, with glass cases full of beautiful looking meats.
Maybe I should mention that I’ve eaten vegetarian for 3+ days in a row, and you should excuse my 50 shades of grey — type writing style and take what I say with a grain of salt (and some fresh cracked pepper corns)… but I digress…
Just go here and check the place out. The meat is all sustainable, local, pasture raised and everything we tried has been delicious. They make all their sausages, bologna, head cheese, etc. in store, and if you are lucky, they may give you a taste of some things before you make those hard decisions. It took everything I had to not buy everything in the store, but now that I’ve actually TASTED the steaks, it might be even harder the next time I walk in.
5 stars. No questions asked. Well… some questions, and plenty of answers.

Aesthetics — love the feel of this place, very boho/​hipster meets the farm… Aside from looks, has a sense of cleanliness that is always appreciated.
Taste — still waiting on this, being everyone should know to call ahead prior to arrival, to check on supply. This was one thing that I wish they’d post on their site or stream somewhere, instead of having someone commute for nothing… ;(

I’ve had some fantastic experiences here. My first visit was by myself. I decided to make a steak for my boyfriend. I popped in on my way home from work and explained that I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I was advised on what cut to buy based on our preference, was given instructions on how to prepare and cook the meat, and was completely satisfied by my entire experience.
We’ve since returned to buy various cuts, eggs, and truffles from the cooler. They sell wine, hot sauce, BBQ sauce, different salts, and have some cheeses as well!

I came here after reading other reviews of this new butcher shop. What got me so excited was reading about their made in house pastrami! I love LOVE pastrami, but sadly (up until today) there was no place in SD that makes their own pastrami.
Heart and Trotter specializes in quality locally sourced pork and beef. They purchase whole animals and use every part of the animal (from the router to the tooter) Nothing goes to waste, they find a way to use each part of the animal. The head is used to make a terrine, fat to make sausage, bones to make stock, and my favorite part the PASTRAMI! Not only is it homemade from grass fed cows but they use the belly! So its basically beef bacon! Its a little pricy at $ 17/​pound but if you love pastrami as much as i do then you’ll appreciate something being made in house.
I called ahead to see if they had it in, since everything is only available as a whole animal is butchered. I had them save me a pound, when i arrived it was nicely sliced packaged and had my name on it, how nice! On the way home i stopped by a bakery and got a fresh french bread sliced it in half and piled on the pastrami! Oh baby, freshly made pastrami! Finally the real deal in San Diego! I like all the bits of cracked pepper and spices on top that get all over everything when you pile it on your sandwich. I tossed in the the toaster oven to get a bit of caramelization on the meat and to melt and soften some of the fat. Hands down the best pastrami in San Diego.
I like the concept of the place, properly raised animals, properly handled and butchered, nothing goes to waste. Yes the prices are going to be higher than the supermarket but you get what you pay for. What’s even better is the staff, they are very knowledgable, helpful and friendly. It’s nice to be around people who love what they do.
There was a sign in the back advertising that they will soon be offering sandwiches and beer. I think the sandwiches should up and running by now but she said that the liquor license would take a bit longer. Can’t wait to try their sandwiches, if they put as much pride and attention to detail into the sandwiches as they do their meats, i predicting some great sandwiches!

The Heart & Trotter has stolen my heart. When you walk it, the space is modern, white, clean (you had me at subway tiles) – unlike your typical butcher shop. You can see that the butchering occurs in the back of the store. I would start at the back of and make a beeline straight to their beef case. They offer primarily grass fed beef with a smaller selection of grass fed and grain finished beef. I also appreciate the fact that all their meat comes from small California ranches. We got their grass fed beautiful grass-​fed, bone-​in rib eye. Although the beef is leaner than grain fed beef, it was tastier and more enjoyable in every way.
If you’re not a beef eater, then their pork offerings will make you cry tears of joy. I sure did when I brought home their signature cut «Kansas City steak,» which is a bone-​in part of the pig’s shoulder. Perfection. I was ready to give up beef and just eat pork for the rest of my life. They get 2 – 3 pigs a week and have almost every cut imaginable. Truly nose (or snout?) to tail butchering. And they make their own bacon and even pastrami. If there’s a particular cut or part you’re looking for, just give them a call a couple of days ahead and they’re more than happy to accommodate your needs. They occasionally have chicken, but they don’t seem to have that regularly – or they just run out quickly.
There are also 2 fridges/​freezers right by the entrance with housemade deliciousness like pork rillette, stocks, jus, and even the currently «hot» bone broth. Of course, frozen pork, beef and chicken bones if you want to make your own. As a bonus, there’s a wall of local products from Desert Smoke and La Jolla Salt Co. in case you’re looking for something to season your meat and more.
Service is so fantastic and helpful. I have not encountered one unfriendly person there. Prices are a dollar or two more than what you may get elsewhere, but it’s honestly worth every penny. As for parking, there is a tiny lot, which hasn’t been an issue the few times that I have been there. However, some of other shops in the complex have not yet open. So, I anticipate that once those open, parking will be more challenging. Regardless, I will be going back to The Heart & Trotter again and again for all my carnivorous needs.