Verdun Beef: charming butcher shop on Wellington

The Verdun Beach family is expanding with Boucherie Verdun Beef, which opened in March 2024 just next door, at the corner of Wellington Street and 3rd Avenue.

Led by the same team as the restaurant (Philippe Jacquelin, Marc Frandon, and Charles Garant), supplemented by chef butcher Yann Vadaru Chi Santos (formerly from Pascal le Boucher), as well as Anaïs Marchand and Simon Généreux-Vien from Primavin agency, the butcher shop fills a void in the neighbourhood, which previously had few options for quality meats.

Verdun Beef offers a selection of beef, pork, and chicken cuts (duck, guinea fowl, veal, and lamb may eventually be added), including some beautiful aged meat pieces displayed in the magnificent custom-built fridge suspended above the counter. All meats come from local farmers, with whom the owners maintain close relationships. “It’s a neighbourhood butcher shop, an ancestral butcher shop. We have a close relationship with the producers, all of whom are organic and responsible. We work on the carcass from head to tail,” says Philippe Jacquelin.

Yann Vadaru and his butchers also offer fresh sausages, charcuteries, and terrines. The dry-cured hams and saucissons sec currently come from L’Andouille charcuterie, but everything else is prepared on-site. Out of respect for the animals and the environment, nothing goes to waste at Verdun Beef: leftovers – snout, ears, bones, offal, etc. – are transformed into bone broth and dog treats, which will delight your canine companions.

Butcher shop–snack bar–wine merchant

The décor is intended as an extension of Verdun Beach: “It’s a place where you feel at home, a space that seems rooted in the neighbourhood,” continues the co-owner, an industrial designer by training, who dreamed up the space and did most of the renovations. “I spent the winter covered in dust! It’s a homemade project, we really made do with what we have, and we decorated to our taste,” he says with a laugh. Sprinkled with carefully chosen vintage elements, the space is bright and welcoming, inviting you to linger.

In addition to the butcher shop, there is a grocery section where you can find fine products, ready-to-eat meals prepared on-site with meat from the butcher shop, and lovely bottles from independent winemakers selected by Primavin. “We also have a nice offer in partnership with Alambika for glassware, decanters, shakers, and cocktail syrups,” adds Philippe.

Finally, Verdun Beef offers a lunch counter with a very affordable “snack bar” menu, which includes sandwiches (the braised Wagyu beef grilled cheese and the Cold Cut, with charcuterie, ricotta, and sun-dried tomatoes on focaccia, were big hits), cheese and charcuterie platters, and a “Butcher’s Plate,” a daily changing cooked dish. Wines by the glass are also available, should you be inclined to pair your meal with a shot of natural wine.

About thirty seats are available for lunch and apero; there will be about forty more on the terrace in the summer. The space will also host workshops, tastings, and wine events, as well as a large Butcher’s Table where Yann Vadaru can showcase his full talent.

With Verdun Beef, Philippe and his partners wanted to complement the offering of Verdun Beach by proposing a slightly more family-oriented daytime concept, but also to ensure a supply of quality meats to the restaurant. “It’s an ecosystem between Verdun Beach, Primavin, and Verdun Beef. We wanted to go back to basics, to seek out the highest quality possible in our products. With the butcher shop, we can go directly to the producer for the meat, make responsible selections, and know its origin,” explains Philippe.

A very nice addition to the neighbourhood!

Written by Mikael Lebleu
Photography by Mikael Lebleu

Last update: April 22, 2024

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