The Chop Shop

[N.B. I've recently become a contributing writer to Ashevegas.com, the go-to blog for news & commentary on all things Asheville. I'll be contributing seasonal recipes as well as covering some of the Asheville food scene. This was first post for the site.]

If the name doesn’t pull you in, perhaps a look in the window will pique your interest. The Chop Shop, Asheville’s first whole animal butcher shop, has cases loaded down with what can only be described as a meat lover’s dream come true. Ribs, steak, roasts, and more beckon you in from the street, and the shelves lining the perimeter of the room are stocked with enough mustards, rubs, and sauces to satisfy any taste.

The butchery, located at 100 Charlotte Street in the historic Charlotte Street Pharmacy building in North Asheville, partners with local farmers to bring customers sustainably raised, ethical, and most importantly, delicious meats and deli products of a quality rarely seen these days. Owner Josh Wright and his staff have recreated that neighborhood butcher shop atmosphere that has recently been back in vogue, and with its prime location right next to City Bakery and Blue Water Seafood, The Chop Shop has helped make the kind of multi-store shopping that was thought to be extinct a reality once again.

I popped in on a recent Sunday (Bonus! Open Sundays!) and immediately began salivating over the thick-cut steaks and house-made charcuterie. The well-curated selection of rubs and marinades, not to mention the mustards and sauces, was also tempting me. Unfortunately I was on my way back to Durham and figured I was out of luck; nothing says “unappetizing” like a hunk of meat that has been sitting in a car for four hours. Luckily The Chop Shop staff came to my rescue, assuring me that they could pack whatever I wanted on ice for the car ride back east. A quick peek in one of the refrigerated coolers chock-full of their house-made charcuterie and other creations and I was sold – I grabbed a package of kimchi headcheese, swiped up a bottle of Crooked Condiments Gaelic Ale Mustard from one of the tables, and quickly made my purchase before I ended up draining my bank account on meats. That’s not to say that The Chop Shop was pricey – in fact my entire purchase was less than $10; its more a testament to my deep and dangerous love for all things pork.

The Chop Shop is the kind of place that your grandmother or great-grandmother might have gone to, and with good reason. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable, the atmosphere is pleasing and neighborhoody, and above all the product is impeccable. Don’t think of The Chop Shop as your special occasion source for a few NY strips, rather treat it as your neighborhood butchery, worth a daily visit. You’ll be glad you stopped in.

The Chop Shop, 100 Charlotte St, Asheville, NC

Open Tues-Fri 11am-7pm, Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 11am-3pm, Closed Monday

www.chopshopbutchery.com