Bayside’s best butcher: Black Rock Village Meats, Char Char Char, Parkdale

An in-house chef and frankfurts “to die for” helped make this Bayside butcher a community favourite. See who else impressed.

Mick Blackburn with wife Sue and fellow butcher Joe Moran.

Black Rock butcher Mick Blackburn has only been in business in Bayside for 15 months.

But that hasn’t stopped him becoming one of the city’s most popular butchers.

Black Rock Village Meats tied with Char Char Char in Parkdale for the title of Bayside’s best butcher as voted by Leader readers.

Mr Blackburn said despite being a newcomer the locals had quickly embraced his business.

“I really do feel like I’ve been here forever,” he said.

He and wife Sue sold their Mont Albert butcher’s shop and relocated to Black Rock last year.

They opened their new venture in August 2019 with the aim of providing quality local meat and house-made smallgoods.

“We sell lamb from Gippsland, free range St Bernards pork and Hazeldene’s free range chicken,” Mr Blackburn said.

The business is also known for its ready made meals including pies, lasagnes and moussaka.

“We have our own chef come in four days a week to make those,” he said.

“They are really popular, especially our salmon patties; they’re packed with salmon, not padded out with potato.

“And our small goods are also first class. Our Viennese frankfurts are to die for.”

Black Rock Village Meats is at 25 Bluff Rd, Black Rock

Char Char Char can be found at 258A Como Pde West, Parkdale.