Butchers: Northern CA

Berkeley | Local Butcher Shop (pictured). This shop takes its name to heart. All meat comes from ranches within 150 miles—pork from Riverdog Farm in Capay Valley, grass-fed beef, pasture-raised turkey, and goat that grazed along Tomales Bay. They also carry local favorites like Studebaker Pickles from Oakland, and beans from Sonoma’s Rancho Gordo. Our pick: Sando of the Day and a chocolate chip cookie made with lard. 1600 Shattuck Ave.; thelocalbutchershop.com

San Francisco | Avedano’s Holly Park Meat Market. This old-school butcher shop has been taken over by a trio of women with a serious commitment to local meat. The staff here breaks down whole animals several times a week and even offers classes in home butchering, should you be the DIY type. Our pick: A lesser-known cut like goat neck or bavette steak. 235 Cortland Ave.; 415/285-6328.

Sebastopol | Victorian Farmstead Meat Company. In 2009, Adam Parks came home to take over his parents’ 40-year-old Christmas tree farm. In the process, he turned an unassuming shack in front of those evergreens into a purveyor of some of the most coveted meats around. Chickens live on-site, while local farmers sustainably raise beef, pork, and lamb for Parks. Good news: A second, bigger shop and full butchery will be coming to downtown. Our pick: Victorian’s own Cabernet and roasted garlic marinade. 1220 Gravenstein Hwy. N.; vicfarmmeats.com