C Lidgate

Butcher

About us :

David Lidgate is the fourth generation of his family to run this 150 year old business, based at Lidgate's Butchers inHolland Park, W11. He and his son Danny personally select organic and grass-fed beef, lamb and pork from selected free range and organic farms and estates, including Highgrove – home farm of the H.R.H. The Prince of Wales, Gatcombe Park – home of H.R.H. The Princess Royal and Judith Freane.  We also stock organic chicken from small farms in the West Country and East Anglia.
Specialities include a wide range of home-made sausages, National and International award winning pies made to order in ceramic dishes, an extensive selection of cheeses carefully matured in perfect condition and organic and free range poultry and game.  He insists on the very best breeds, farmed with consideration and reared on natural grass-fed diets supplemented with traditional winter-feed.  This is free of all animal protein, growth promoters, hormones and antibiotics (unless prescribed by a vet).  He believes that feed affects nutritional values as well as safety and is therefore a major consideration for adults and children alike. 

All the products we make here are from our own meat including our sausages, pies and hams.  All are made by hand on the premises daily in small batches – we make no concessions to mass production.

We have won the National Pie Championship. Pies, sausages and home made products particularly contributed to our win of the Best in Britain Award at the latest European Championship – Concours Nationaux Professionnels 2007.  We have also recently won 9 Gold medals at the Smithfield Awards. Both our sausages and pies were major medal winners at the April 2007 Foodex Exhibition with our new Cumberland & Wild Garlic sausage being particularly successful. Our pies are made daily on the premises – 3 to 16 portions and we can very often make large pies while customers wait – within 15 minutes.

All the awards that we have recently won:

Recent Awards

European Champions 2009

Great Taste Gold Medal 2008

European Champions 2008

Smithfield Gold Medal 2008

European Champions 2007

British Turkey Butcher Of The Year 2007

Great Taste Gold Medal 2007

Concours Nationaux Professionals 2007 European Champion

Smithfield Gold Medal 2007

Guild  Of Q Butchers Barbecue Competition Gold Medal 2006


Our organic chickens are reared with care – they are free to roam in open unfenced fields and  take themselves back into their houses at night!  Our Thanksgiving and Christmas turkeys include those uniquely reared in natural woodlands.  They feed on natural grain and oats with  woodland flora and fauna supplemented with wild blackberries, earthworms!, their favourite - natural nettles and a sprinkling of wild chestnuts.   A healthy and ‘happy’ turkey is the result.  

Our lamb comes from the West Country and Berkshire Downs in the Spring and gradually moves north until we have the new season heather fed organic Autumn lamb from the Shetland Islands.

Our beef benefits from 5 generations of experience. Beef suppliers include Judith Freane, The Soil Association Beef Champion and selected farmers from the Highlands of Scotland.

Our main assets are our experience and what we learn from our customers.

Some comments in the national press:

Henrietta Green, Daily Mail
"The Rolls Royce of turkeys, the Free Range Bronze came out tops for flavour and texture. It looked sensational – golden brown with nicely crisp skin and well formed breast."

Egon Ronay
“I have yet to buy anything from Lidgate – my favourite haunt for meat – which is not of exceptional quality due to sources he has used for decades, His staff’s patience matches their skill and the bonus is an unusually wide selection of excellent kept cheeses.”

Nigella Lawson
“I think for Christmas lunch it has to be turkey, furthermore, this turkey has to be a bronze. The Kelly Bronze is the best bird you can buy, a good turkey reared well, is what makes all the difference.”

Oliver Peyton, Restaurateur
“For the best rare-breed beef or lamb go to Lidgate’s. Its real quality.”