Joe's Butcher Shop and Fish Market

I'm not sure if they have a baker or candlestick maker, but the people of Carmel, Indiana have one heck of a butcher. In January of this year, Joe Lazzara dropped out of the corporate rat race to open this throw-back meat and fish shop, in Carmel's Arts and Design District. Joe enlisted the help of Fritz Albright, a butcher veteran who for 30 years had a successful shop near Fort Wayne.  Joe, his wife Kathy, and Fritz have done a great job mixing the traditional with the contemporary. Joe's is, without a doubt, the only place in central Indiana where you can get both a top-notch T-bone and sashimi-grade ahi tuna.

The Hungry Hoosier side of me feels a special simpatico sort of thing with Joe and company because many of their products are produced in Indiana. Their chicken, for instance, is raised in Northern Indiana on Amish and Mennonite farms, where the birds are fed special vegetable feeds without hormone or chemical additives and shipped fresh within the day after Joe orders it. The pork also comes from Northern Indiana farms. Joe also sells pre-breaded pork tenderloins that are ready to fry up. The beef is raised on natural farms in Nebraska. And the fish is shipped in fresh daily from the waters around Florida and Hawaii. On my visit I picked up a whole chicken($1.65 per pound), two tenderloins ($1.49 each), a chuck roast ($3.49 per pound), and a bone-in ribeye ($11.99 per pound).

I had the ribeye tonight and it was top-of-the-line. In fact, I can confidently say that it was the best non-steakhouse ribeye I have ever had. The only thing I did was to hit both sides with Kosher salt, fresh-cracked pepper, and garlic powder. Even though it took all the fatherly love I could muster, I shared the steak with the boys. Today may have been my first visit to Joe's but it will certainly not be the last.

Joe's is located at 111 West Main Street, #110 in Carmel and their phone number is 317-846-8877. They are open Monday - Friday 9 am to 7 pm, Saturday 8 am to 7 pm, and Sunday 11 am to 4 pm. They also have a website.

Comments

[Michelle]

Joe's is absolutely great. We pick up our meat there once a week. I've had pork chops, fresh chicken breasts, NY Stip and some of the best filet mingon ever from there. And not to mention excellent thick cut bacon. Highly recommended.

[Lorraine Ball]

My favorite item is definately the Amish Chicken breasts. Once you have tried them, you will never be content with grocery chicken again!

[Shelli]

Not only is the food fantastic, but the atmosphere and service is of high quality as well. You feel right at home.