VICTOR CHURCHILL SYDNEY
Our original home in Woollahra, where 150 years of butchery heritage continue behind the iconic copper façade. A celebration of craftsmanship, provenance and exceptional produce, Victor Churchill Sydney brings together generations of tradition with a contemporary expression of the art of butchery.
Anthony Bourdain calls it ‘The most beautiful butcher shop in the world.’ And he’s not alone. This bespoke space – winner of an international Retail Design Award in New York – is about far more than what meets the eye. Behind the bronzed sausage door handles, mirrored cabinets and glass fronted dry-ageing room with a backlit wall of Himalayan salt bricks, is that which ultimately defines Victor Churchill: tradition and family history.
- Butchery
- Masterclasses
- Charcuterie
- Events
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Mon — Fri9am to 6pm
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Sat8am to 6pm
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Sun9am to 5pm
Generations of butchery expertise meet an extraordinary selection of the finest produce, thoughtfully sourced and expertly prepared for you to enjoy at home.
From premium Australian beef, lamb, pork and poultry to house-made charcuterie, artisan cheeses, exquisite pâtisserie and a carefully curated selection of gourmet provisions, every offering reflects our dedication to quality, provenance and craftsmanship.
Whether preparing an intimate dinner, entertaining guests or seeking something exceptional for your table, discover the art of fine food at Victor Churchill Sydney.
As you grasp the bronzed sausage door handle and enter 'the world's most beautiful butcher shop,' you will embark on an evening where quality, theatre, luxury, and learning come together.
Each of our masterclasses begins with a glass of wine and a chef-prepared light supper, setting the stage for a unique experience guided by our industry-leading team of experts. Whether you are a passionate beginner or a seasoned expert, our masterclasses are tailored to suit every skill level.
Mark a special occasion by giving someone a truly memorable experience. With a range of classes to suit all levels, a Victor Churchill butchery or cooking class voucher is a unique gift.
Class vouchers are available for purchase online.
This class covers the different breeds of cattle used in Australian beef production, the different farming methods and the art of ageing beef. Students are shown the basic cuts from each area of the animal, with the hands on component of the class focusing on the middle of the carcase (rump and loin).
Roll up your sleeves and prepare two lamb roasts - lamb loin- deboning, trimming and rolling as well as the deboning and butterflying of the full leg. They’re yours to take home to enjoy, along with new knife skills. Learn about the seasonal changes to lamb in Australia and how to distinguish between New Season, milk fed lambs, later-season lamb, hogget and mutton. Watch as our butchers break down a side of lamb, and take you through where all the different cuts come from.
Want to know how to cook the perfect steak, the secret to braising or ever wondered how to achieve perfect light and crunchy pork crackling without overcooking the meat? You’ll discover these and many other meat cookery techniques in a 3-hour demonstration class followed by a light meal of all the expertly prepared dishes created throughout the class.
The floor-to-ceiling glass walled cool room is a stunning feature that blends form with functionality. Speciality cuts of meat slowly pass by, hung from a custom designed cog gear and metal chain rack with larger carcase meat cuts ageing behind, all backed by the floor-to-ceiling Himalayan salt brick wall. This wall, built out of salt bricks imported from The Himalayas in Pakistan, acts as a natural air purifier and reduces air humidity, thus helping the meats dry-ageing process.
The charcuterie counter displays many of the world’s top quality cured, artisanal meats such as Jamon Iberico de Bellota, Prosciutto and Chorizo sliced with legendary Dutch Berkel meat slicers alongside a specially imported French Labesse Giraudon rotisserie for poultry and game birds. The museum quality antique Berkel floor-standing slicer, restored in Europe is displayed nearby.
It stands as Australia’s oldest continually run butcher shop, dating back to the Churchill family, who founded it in 1876 and after which the store draws half its name. The other half belongs to Victor Puharich, a fourth generation butcher who emigrated to Australia from Croatia in the 1970s. Valuing family, hard-work and honesty above all else, Victor dedicated his life to mastering his craft. In 1996, this dedication culminated in the creation of Vic’s Premium Quality Meat and a business partnership with his son Anthony that continues today.
In that venture, Anthony forged close working partnerships with Australia's best producers, developing a true understanding of the methods involved in farming some of the best meat in the world; necessary for anyone with ambitions of opening a butcher store of unprecedented quality. His vision was realised in 2009 when he launched Victor Churchill Fine Family Butcher, as a gift to his father. Anthony not only drew on global influences and inspirations to create this unique store, but infused them with passion, family, and the celebration of food.
Victor Churchill may have started from humble beginnings but it has evolved into an immersive experience in which every detail has been carefully curated. There is theatre, luxury and indulgence but above all there is dedication. Dedication to the craft of butchery.
Along tree-lined Queen St, the front façade features a see-through double glazed refrigerated vitrine allowing customers to view an ever-changing array of hanging meat and poultry – all displayed on stunning custom copper and glass shelving, with produce featured in an illuminated ice display.
Each aspect of a Victor Churchill visit is designed to be more than just a trip to the butcher. It’s an experience – one that takes shopping far from the realms of the ordinary. In the 2009 store re-design, Michael McCann and the Dreamtime Australia Design team drew inspiration from classic European butcher shops and the very best of haute couture design. Historically, Victor Churchill has been a key feature of Queen Street’s quaint, village-style boutique shopping experience. Discover the special features that earned the store ‘Best of the Year’ award at New York’s International Interior Design Awards in 2010.
Rich timber wall panelling, timber beamed ceiling and an Italian Calacatta marble slab floor immediately give a sense of true quality. The floor has been sliced into mosaic tiles and re-laid in book-matched slab form with a marble wall coving – an Australian-first installation created by boutique stonemasons Gitani Stone. The ceiling and counter fronts feature hand-carved copper fretwork by Di Emme Creative Solutions. The interior celebrates the essence and honesty of the original store in a number of ways. A glass wall acts as a stage for butchers to display their wares, offering inspiration and theatre as each piece of meat is delicately prepared. Behind them, the store’s original sandstone wall has been preserved and acts a tribute to the location’s storied lineage.
