The Most Beautiful Butcher Store There Ever Was
Sometimes, the best things in life are stumbled across by accident. Wandering around West Village on a holiday, I technically wasn’t in the market for raw meat products. Knowing me I was most likely searching for ice-cream. And knowing me I most likely found it. But despite my dessert mindset, by some happy twist of serendipity, the Ottomanelli & Sons butcher store and I crossed paths. For the first time of many, I hope, as here I found myself in a somewhat familiar situation – completely and utterly besotted by a food outlet. Isn’t this what all butcher store should look like? Red and white striped awnings and lovingly polished windows and checkered tiles on the walls and Italian men in baseball caps? The most heartbreaking part was that I couldn’t experience the enchanting little shop fully, which made the whole outing somewhat bittersweet. Because sometimes you find something, something so perfect and enchanting and quaint and at that exact moment in time it’s of absolutely no use to you. I couldn’t exactly go buying a lamb roast and carting it back to my hotel room now, could I? I felt cheated. But I’ve reconciled with this now. Because one day I’m going to live in West Village. In a brownstone. With wooden floors and red window boxes that I’ll grow my rosemary in. And when that day comes, I’ll walk down to the Ottomanelli & Son’s every Sunday and buy lamb chops from Italian men in baseball caps.
Ottomanelli & Sons
285 Bleeker Street
West Village, New York
I must admit you had me wondering whether you just sat in the store and took photos of them packaging meat without buying anything. I mean, if you talk in any way like you write, I can imagine you’d be charming and persuasive, but that would be quite the little coup for an outing for ice cream, action indoor shots at a butchers.
Oh my goodness we totally just commented on each others blogs at the same time! Hahaha why thank you, but definitely not charming enough to start snapping at Italians going about their daily chopping.
This post highlights the best and worst of travelling. I really enjoy going into markets, butchers, and the like when I’m away. The problem, though, is that you cannot fully experience it because you cannot buy anything — unless it’s a pastry shop but that’s an entirely different animal. This butcher shop that you found is exactly the type of place I seek out. This place is a real gem.
Thank you! Yes I’m a tad infatuated by it.
Oh. As if I needed another reason to move to NYC. If I could find better words I would make them magically say something like; “This is truly the bestest butchers shop I have seen in my life.”
Haha thank you! There are just so so so many reasons to move there aren’t there?! If only the USA wasn’t so stingy with handing out green cards I’d possibly be there already.