Black Sage Butcher
Meat Your Maker
There are certain places in a small town that quietly become essential without people fully realizing it – and your local butcher shop is one of them. Not flashy, not trendy, but absolutely critical if you actually care about what ends up on your plate.
In Oliver, that place is Black Sage Butcher, conveniently located on Main Street in the heart of downtown.
Black Sage Butcher has been serving the community for the past seven years under owners Matt Leyes and Ravina Johal. What they’ve built isn’t just a butcher shop – it’s a go-to destination for quality meat, knowledgeable service, and products that consistently outperform anything you’ll find in a typical grocery store.
They carry all the staples – beef, chicken, pork, and lamb – but what sets them apart is the variety. Different cuts, house marinades, rotating sausage flavours made in-house, and a level of care that only comes from people who actually take pride in what they do.
I even took one of their sausage-making classes a couple of months ago, which helped me level up my own skills just in time for what I confidently called “Sheldon’s Super Bowl Sausage Spectacular.” The results? 12 different types of sausage and very satisfied guests
If you’ve never shopped at a butcher before, the biggest misconception is price. People assume “butcher shop” automatically means expensive. In reality, that’s not the case. Some specialty cuts might run a little higher depending on size, but overall pricing is very comparable to grocery stores – and in some cases even better. The difference is in the quality. Comparing butcher shop meat to grocery store meat is like comparing a freshly caught fish to a can of tuna. Nothing wrong with tuna – but it’s not even in the same conversation.
Everything sold here is AAA grade, the highest quality available, and their seafood is Ocean Wise certified, so sustainability and responsible sourcing are part of the package. That kind of attention to detail matters, especially for people who care about what they’re feeding themselves and their families.
Where Matt really separates himself is with the ready-made meals. Using both his butcher and chef background, he’s created a lineup of heat-and-serve options made entirely with fresh ingredients. These are the kinds of meals you can bring home, plate up, and confidently pass off as your own cooking if you’re trying to impress someone. Their Shepherd’s Pie is my personal favorite – and honestly, I couldn’t make it better myself.
When I asked Matt what a first-time customer should try, he didn’t hesitate: the Flat Iron steak. It’s one of those cuts that flew under the radar for years – often called the best steak nobody knew about. It’s incredibly tender, packed with flavor, and versatile across different cuisines.
While its popularity has grown thanks to food shows and online exposure (and prices have followed), it still offers great value compared to more well-known cuts. Throw it on the grill with a fresh chimichurri, and you’ve got something special.
On Ravina’s side, her top pick is the boneless chicken roasts – wrapped in bacon and stuffed with a variety of rotating flavors. I’ve worked my way through all of them, and they’re a perfect example of how to make chicken exciting again. Great value, big flavour, and a serious upgrade from the usual plain chicken breast routine.
Sheldon Herman photo
From fresh cuts and house-made sausages to seasoning salts, pâté, and even pizza, Black Sage Butcher has built something that caters to both serious food lovers and everyday home cooks. And that’s the key – this isn’t just about selling meat. It’s about having a skilled, passionate team that understands their craft and wants to help you get the most out of it.
Because the reality is, finding a butcher shop is one thing. Finding a good one is another. But finding one where the people behind the counter genuinely care about what they’re doing – that’s medium rare (pun intended).
So the next time you’re planning to fire up the barbecue, cook a Sunday roast, or just need an easy, high-quality meal during the week, stop in and see Matt and Ravina at Black Sage Butcher, located at 6234 Main Street, Oliver, BC.
They’ll point you in the right direction – and when you do, tell them Sheldon sent you. Open Tuesday to Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., tel: 778-439-2350.
Sheldon Herman is the author of the multi award-winning, international best-selling book “The Tortured Traveller: How I Survived the Worst Vacation Ever,” and has eaten his way through over 60 countries. This review was written independently and without compensation. Have a restaurant you’d like featured? Email [email protected].
