The Cottage Butcher

Still a five-​star joint and just getting better. This year the butcher’s stock was even more amazing, and not just the meats. Don’t tell anyone, but I fell off the veg wagon *hard core* during our stay in Bala this year. I couldn’t resist, and I was soooo glad I didn’t.
This year’s meaty samplings included whole, marinated chicken; beef kebabs; pork tenderloin; jumbo tiger shrimp; sea scallops; beef burgers; lamb sliders; and prime beef steaks. The quality of meat here is blow-​your-​mind amazing, and most of it is cut, filleted, or ground right before your eyes. You can pre-​order rarer meats, too, like bison, duck, elk, and rabbit. Also available are a selection of amazingly delicious cheeses including real smoked cheddar and black truffled goat. As well as gourmet crackers, chips, dips, and spreads. Not to mention tidbits like addictive Milford Bay smoked trout, brie wheels, charcuterie, and homemade frozen cookie dough to take back to the cottage. Insane.
Staff is wonderfully friendly, a local family who loves what they do – we visited nearly every day for 9 days, and they always recognized us, chatted with us a few minutes, and thanked us profusely for our business (I think we’re putting the youngest through uni). And they’re still trolling the lakes on their adorable pontoon boat, delivering your orders or stopping by your dock if you flag them down to let you browse that day’s selection.
This place has to be, without a doubt, one of the best butcher shops and gourmets on the planet, let alone Bala.