Florence Meat Market

Profile

This long-standing butcher shop offers a great glimpse into how New Yorkers used to shop before the mega-mart. Saw-dusted floors, a few choice family photos, and butcher blocks are all the décor that's needed; even the meat case doesn't display more than a few packages of cold cuts. The fiercely loyal clientele here is so confident of good quality they don't bother browsing before ordering—they'll eye the carcass when it's brought out from the back and chat up the staff as it is butchered exactly to specification. Even those who moved out of the neighborhood long ago come back to the out-of-the-way nook because of the guarantee of dry aging, gentle prices, and the cut Florence made famous: the Newport Steak, a triangle-shaped center cut of richly flavored sirloin. Veal and porterhouse are also popular, but along with the good quality, it's the knowledge that they are supporting the "little guy" that has made shopping here a seven-decade family tradition for many. — Kathleen Squires