The Best Butchers in Totnes and the South Hams
Good meat in the South Hams is rarely more than a field away from the counter, which is part of why Totnes and its surrounding villages still support so many independent butchers. The shops here know the farms by name, hang their beef long enough to develop proper flavour, and quietly outwork the supermarkets on quality every day of the week. For visitors planning a self-catered cottage break, or locals looking to upgrade Sunday lunch, here are the meat counters worth seeking out.
AW Luscombe, Totnes High Street
Luscombe has been trading in Totnes since 1788, which makes it one of the oldest continuously operating butchers in Devon. The shop sits roughly halfway up the High Street, with a tiled frontage that has barely changed in living memory. Inside, the focus is on traditional cuts, native breeds, and pies made on the premises. Their dry-aged South Devon beef and outdoor-reared pork are the cabinet stars, and the team will happily talk through cooking times for whatever you carry away. Generations of locals have ordered their Christmas turkey here.
Oliver’s Butchers and Pie Makers, Totnes
A little further down the same street, Oliver’s has built a serious reputation for big, thick-cut steaks and properly hung beef. Everything is sourced from a tight circle of South Hams farms with high welfare standards, and the pies, particularly the steak and gravy, are good enough that Wright Brothers in London now stocks them. Pop in early on a Saturday and the queue moves fast, with regulars collecting weekend joints alongside holidaymakers buying chops for the barbecue. The team make their own sausages on site, with a rotating range that uses local herbs.
Ben’s Farm Shop, Staverton
Ben’s sits on the Riverford estate at Wash Barn between Buckfastleigh and Staverton, run by the Watson family who pioneered organic farming in this valley. The butchery counter is the heart of the shop, working with grass-fed beef and lamb from neighbouring farms plus rare-breed pork that has spent its life outdoors. Staff will cut to order, and the deli alongside means you can leave with a full Sunday lunch in one bag. There is a sister shop in Totnes itself if you prefer the High Street. The provenance information at the counter is unusually detailed, often down to the specific farm and field, which is exactly the kind of transparency that supermarket shoppers rarely encounter.
Why farm-shop butchery matters here
The South Hams climate suits slow-growing cattle and sheep, and farms tend to be small enough that the butcher really does know the farmer. Ask any of these counters where today’s beef comes from, and you will get a postcode rather than a vague region.
Ashby’s of Salcombe and Kingsbridge
Established in 1986, Ashby’s has grown into something close to a small Devon food empire, with a butchery, food hall, and the Blue Whale Café at its Salcombe site on the road in from Malborough. The meat counter sources locally and the team are happy to butterfly a leg of lamb or French-trim a rack while you wait. Their Kingsbridge branch is smaller but stocks the same quality, plus a strong selection of South Devon cheeses and bakery alongside. The Salcombe site is well worth the drive even from Totnes, particularly if you can combine it with a coast walk or a stop at one of the nearby beaches.
Aune Valley Meat, Modbury
Aune Valley is a working farm with its own butchery and a small café attached, found on the lanes above Modbury. Beef, lamb, and pork all come from the family’s own livestock, which means traceability you can almost touch. The shop has won repeated regional awards, and the sausages and burgers are the kind that change minds about what these usually feeble supermarket staples should taste like. The café serves their own meat in cooked form, which is the easiest way to taste the quality before deciding what to take home.
Lidstones, Kingsbridge
Lidstones is the kind of butcher that quietly anchors a market town. Found on Fore Street in Kingsbridge, it has been supplying the South Hams for decades, working closely with farms within a short drive. Expect proper service over a marble counter, weekend specials chalked on the board, and dry-aged beef that holiday cottages around Salcombe queue up for in summer. They also handle game season well, with pheasant, partridge, and venison from local shoots appearing through autumn and winter.
What to ask for in season
Late spring brings new-season South Devon lamb, which is worth seeking out for its grassy, almost herbal flavour. Autumn pushes towards game, with local pheasant and venison appearing on slate boards as the weather turns. Each butcher above carries something distinctive at these moments, so it is worth visiting more than one if you are putting on a feast.
How to make the most of a butcher visit
The best advice for visitors used to supermarket aisles is simple: talk to the person behind the counter. These butchers know their stock, they know their farmers, and they enjoy helping people cook well. Tell them how many you are feeding, the budget, the cooker setup back at the cottage, and they will steer you to the right cut and tell you what to do with it. That conversation is half the reason these shops survive while chains close, and it is exactly what makes a holiday meal worth remembering. Bring a cool bag if you have a long drive ahead, and most counters will wrap things properly for transport.
For most visitors, the easiest route is to start in Totnes itself, where Luscombe, Oliver’s, and Ben’s sit within walking distance. From there, Ashby’s, Aune Valley, and Lidstones make a worthwhile food-focused loop through the South Hams, ideally paired with a stop for cheese or cider along the way. Take a Tuesday or Wednesday for the freshest weekly stocks, since most counters take their main delivery on Mondays and prep through the week toward weekend trade.