With the weather looking, at least temporarily, fine and sunny, barbecue season is again a possibility. So the upcoming opening of extremely promising new butcher Harley's in Hampstead is one to watch. And that's partly because it's from a team who are also behind the excellent Smithfields restaurant Ibai, known for its great steaks.
That team also run meat distributor Txuleta, who provide some of London's best restaurants with their meat needs. They have teamed up with seasoned butcher Oliver Harley (hence the butcher's name) to head up this new opening. He worked at the original Provenance Chelsea back at its beginning, so knows a thing or two about Butchery.
At Harley's, you'll find lots of cuts that normally go straight to great London restaurants like Brat, particularly the Galician Blond aged meat that they import themselves. You'll also have seen that on the menu at Ibai, Lurra and a few more top-tier steak restaurants. The shop will also sell Longhorn, Belted Galloway, Black Angus, Blue Grey and retired dairy beef options all from their own herds in Buckinghamshire, Wales and Norfolk. So the beef here will be very good.
Their burger is also one to watch, as it was featured in the National Burger Awards Champion of Champion burger by Whole Beast, which means is was essentially voted their best burger of the decade. There will also be Galician Blond x Wagyu burgers and Iberico burgers if you want to seriously up your burger game.
If you're not a big fan of cooking your own dinner, they'll also have free-range rotisserie chicken to take away. That's made with a recipe by Ibai's chef Richard Foster, slow-cooked and brushed in its own jus. That chicken will also be available from the butcher in Caesar salads or sandwiches.
So if you fancy trying to copy your favourite restaurant dishes at home or just create a barbecue to remember, this sounds like a place to head for to source the meat.
More about Harley's
Where is it? Oriel Hall, Oriel Place, London, NW3 1QN
When does it open? May 2025
Find out more: Follow them on Instagram @harleys.hampstead_.
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