Marcus Papadopoulo of Whole Beast Butchery won't just cut a steak for you. He'll tell you where the animal came from, what it ate, how long it lived and how to cook it. Everything but what the animal's name was. Papadopoulo's philosophy is simple: treat the meat with respect, know the animal and its origin, and only use produce of the highest quality. Bucking tradition, there are no meat cabinets to be found in the butchery; instead, its open plan encourages guests to interact and ask questions.

Whole Beast focuses on just that, using every element of the beast including Papadopoulo's favourite cut: tongue. If you're looking for a specific cut, Papadopoulo will retrieve the body of the beast and cut the meat in front of your eyes, instead of merely picking a pre-cut slice from a cabinet. He also dry ages his meat, which allows the enzymes to break down the muscle fibre and for an increase in naturally occurring bacteria. These both influence the flavour of the meat, bringing the cut to what Papadopoulo refers to as its "highest potential".

Whole Beast also makes and sells terrines, black pudding, pickles and, arguably, the best handmade pâté in Sydney.

Images: Kimberley Low.