A New Manhattan Beach Butchery Transforms the Shopping Experience into a Celebration of Flavor and Skill

 Today, amid the convenience of packaged goods, the traditional butcher’s shop remains a symbol of authenticity, sustainability and human connection in the food we share.

Opened in July by Robert Hagopian and Brian Smith, The Butchery in Manhattan Beach is the latest to bring fine proteins and a curated shopping experience to South Bay food enthusiasts and gastronomes. This marks their fourth location, following stores in Costa Mesa, Newport Beach and Del Mar.

The 6,000-square-foot space—formerly Lindberg Nutrition—has been transformed into a sleek yet approachable market with a distinct Dean & DeLuca-inspired aesthetic. Inside, guests find a walk-up butcher and seafood counter, artisan cheeses, cured meats, sauces, spices, marinades, gourmet snacks and cooking essentials—a haven for culinary exploration.

The store features a full kitchen and a 45-seat dining area outfitted with tables and leather booths, complemented by a rotating selection of craft beers and wines. The kitchen serves seasonal, made-to-order dishes for both in-store dining and grab-and-go convenience.

Brian and Robert, who met through their children, bonded over a shared passion for butchery and a desire to enjoy flavorful, premium-quality steaks at home, reminiscent of a classic steak house experience. Noticing a lack of neighborhood butcher shops in Southern California—especially compared to Brian’s New England hometown—they launched The Butchery to offer high-quality meats and ingredients not readily available to retail shoppers.

“Growing up shapes your palate,” says Brian, a Boston-area native where steak tips—marinated sirloin flap—are a staple at pubs, restaurants and backyard barbecues. “They’re virtually unknown in Southern California, so introducing this regional favorite at The Butchery has been exciting. It’s become a cult favorite.”

That philosophy underscores their ethos: Butchery is not just about cuts but about culture, tradition and sharing new flavors.

The Butchery distinguishes itself with exceptional products and personalized service. By building strong relationships with ranchers, they source richly flavored meats from ethical, regenerative farms that prioritize humane treatment.

“We know the feed, breed and genetics—ensuring consistency,” Brian explains. Unlike grocery chains with prepackaged commodity beef, The Butchery offers full traceability, clearly labeling each cut’s source, breed, feed and certifications such as “organic” or “humane handling.”

Trained butchers are always on hand to provide custom cuts, recipe suggestions and pairing advice with wine, cheese or beer—enhancing everything from weekday meals to holiday feasts. That personal touch defines their mission: to elevate the shopping and dining experience.

Balancing traditional hand-cutting and dry-aging techniques with modern dietary preferences, The Butchery caters to diverse lifestyles with lean cuts, grass-fed beef and organ-meat grinds.

“Our customers get the best—not more of the average,” says Brian, acknowledging the premium price point but emphasizing unmatched quality.

“It’s what we’d feed our own families,” adds Robert.

At the seafood counter, freshness is paramount. “We keep inventory sparse—never stacking fish on fish,” notes Robert, an avid surfer who is deeply committed to sustainable aquaculture and ocean health.

Customer loyalty fuels The Butchery’s growth, with some shoppers traveling hours to visit, and others—even college students—requesting their meats when returning home. This dedication has supported steady expansion, with a new location opening every few years.

Holidays are peak season, and Brian advises ordering early. He highlights marbling as the key to flavor and tenderness—recommending the Saratoga roast, a signature offering.

“We take a prime rib, remove the outer cap and a large fat kernel, then tie it back together for rib-eye flavor with tenderloin presentation. It’s a showstopper.”

For bone-in roasts like prime rib, he suggests planning for 2 to 2½ servings per bone; for boneless, about a half-pound per person, or more for leftovers.

Their butchers provide thoughtful, hands-on service such as tying roasts for even cooking and easy carving, demonstrating twine removal for presentation and offering insider tips. Brian recommends using a meat thermometer for larger cuts, noting that roasts continue to cook another five to 10 degrees after leaving the oven—and should always rest before carving.

The Butchery also boasts a sublime selection of artisan meats, cheeses, dips and gourmet treats for charcuterie. Customers can bring a board for in-store assembly or choose to have their selections packed to go. Refrigerated cases feature house-marinated favorites like lemon-pepper chicken breasts and other curated grab-and-go offerings.

Robert, with a background in real estate and finance, and Brian, experienced in construction, combined their complementary skills to build the business. “It’s been a school of hard knocks,” Robert admits, “but our confidence in the concept and hands-on approach have paid off.”

The Manhattan Beach location has already earned rave reviews and stands as one of their most successful launches to date. Their unwavering focus on superb products, operational excellence and personal service  has secured The Butchery’s place at the heart of the South Bay’s evolving foodie culture—where craft, care and community still come together behind the block.

• 3 tablespoons Shawarma spice blend (Villa Jerada)
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• ¼ cup mild olive oil, plus more for garnish
• rib-eye steak, cut into 10 to 12 (2-inch) cubes
• kosher salt
• juice from ½ lemon, divided
• creamy garlic sauce (Toum)
• pickled onions
• 3 mandarin oranges, peeled, pith trimmed,
  sliced into ¼-inch rounds
• fresh parsley & basil for garnish
• pomegranate seeds
• Zhug sauce (at right), tahini or harissa

Combine spice blend, garlic and olive oil in a bowl. Add beef and gently rub in the marinade to coat. Cover and refrigerate for two to three hours. Remove beef from marinade. Place between two pieces of plastic wrap and slightly pound with a meat tenderizer. Trim excess fat, as needed. Generously salt meat on both sides. Add one cube of beef to each skewer. (If using wood skewers, soak in water for one hour before use.)

Grill or pan-sear skewered beef over medium-high heat. Cook 3 to 4 minutes per side until internal temperature is 130º to 135º for medium-rare. Use tongs as needed to distribute heat throughout. Remove from heat, drizzle with some of the fresh lemon juice and sprinkle with salt. Let rest about 4 minutes to retain juices.

Spread garlic sauce on serving platter. Layer drained pickled onions and mandarin slices; top with beef skewers. Toss loose herbs with remaining lemon juice, salt and a drizzle of olive oil. Arrange on platter. Scatter pomegranate seeds over all. Serve skewers with Zhug sauce, tahini or harissa.

Zhug (spicy Yemenite green sauce)

• 2 to 3 jalapeño peppers, seeded
• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, rinsed and dried
• ½ cup Italian parsley leaves, rinsed and dried
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ cup mild extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• ground black pepper

In a food processor, combine jalapeño, cilantro, parsley, garlic and salt. Pulse until finely chopped. With the processor running, slowly add olive oil and lemon juice until a loose paste forms. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add pepper as desired. The sauce flavors will deepen with time, becoming milder after refrigeration. Can be made up to one week in advance and stored in refrigerator in a tightly sealed glass container. Thin with olive oil and lemon juice, check seasoning and bring to room temperature before serving.

Artisan Cheeses

• Camembert Le Châtelain Seacrest: Soft, buttery, earthy notes with hints of mushroom (cow, Normandy, France)
• Reypenaer: Hard, crumbly, Gouda-style,  butterscotch and caramel notes  (cow, Netherlands)
• Ewephoria: Hard, Gouda-style, nutty butter-scotch notes, mild crunch from tyrosine crystals (sheep, Netherlands)
• Caveman Blue: Earthy notes of shiitake mushroom, sweet golden beets, brown butter, moderate “blue” flavor  (cow, Oregon)
• Brie de Meaux: Soft, sweet buttery notes of mushrooms and almonds (cow, France)
• Manchego El Trigal: Hard, buttery texture (sheep, Spain)
• Trufa Negra: Semi-hard, premium black truffle (sheep, Spain)
• Tete De Moine Aop Flowers: Semi-hard cheese, nutty, fruity, aromatic  (cow, Switzerland)
• Harbison Mini: Soft, woodsy and sweet, balanced with lemon, mustard and vegetal flavors, rustic, bark-wrapped bloomy rind (cow, woodlands of Jasper Hill, Vermont)
• Sweet Grass pimento cheese spread: Shredded Thomasville Tomme, Sir Kensington’s mayo, Spanish piquillo peppers and  other spices

Miscellaneous

• Fresh herbs, bay leaf, rosemary,  flower blooms

Sliced Cured Meats

• Thumann’s Genoa salami, made into a rose*
• Bresaola, thin-sliced and hand-rolled
• Brooklyn cured thin-sliced chorizo
• Brooklyn cured thin-sliced sweet soppressata
• Monte Nevado jamón serrano, 24-month

*For a charcuterie rose, use 4 to 8 ounces of salami. Let sit at room temperature before folding. Overlap slices, fold in half lengthwise, roll tightly from one end, and secure with a toothpick. Can be made up  to 24 hours in advance. Store wrapped, in the refrigerator.

Sweet Components

• Fromage Ami fig cake with almonds
• Temecula honeycomb
• Guayeco gourmet guava paste
• Turkish apricots
• Rancho Meladuco dates, California
• Comptoir du Cacao framboise white chocolate
• Assorted fruit: grapes, blackberries, blue-berries, figs, lady apples, golden berries, Little Pranksters mini kiwis, plums, pomegranate seeds and roll

Salty

• Rustic bakery bites, olive oil and sel gris
• Potter’s cranberry hazelnut crisps
• Marcona almonds with lemon- pepper seasoning
• Whole cashews lightly salted
• Cornichons, extra fine
• Castelvetrano olives