Best Kept Secrets of NJ: Meat Market in Scotch Plains
Hey NJ,
I’m carving your path to the Best Kept Secrets of New Jersey, and this one takes serious meat lovers to John’s Meat Market in Scotch Plains.
In 1939, 21-year-old John Losavio opened his neighborhood meat market on Park Avenue.
Three generations and 71 years later, pop in the shop and you’ll meet the family!
(John’s grandson Vincent, Jr. and sons Nicholas and Vincent)
“He would always wear a tie and stress that his men always wear a tie,” Vincent says of his father, straightening his own. “He wanted to have the professional old-time look. That’s one of our trademarks.” John worked right until the end at the age of 87.
A look around the shop, and it FEELS like 1939. The original cash register and charge accounts are on display, along with loads of old photos.
“When our longtime customers see the pictures on the wall they say they feel like he’s still here,” Vincent says. “He really had personality and a lot of charm.”
Vincent also says today it is hard to find meat cutters who know the old-fashioned, authentic carving techniques.
“It is definitely an art,” he says. “It is hard to hire new people today because they don’t know how we want it,” he explains. “Our cuts do not have an ounce of fat.” As an observer, they sculpt steaks the way Michaelangelo might carve meat. Vincent adds that NONE of their meats have hormones or antibiotics.
Nicholas says the rib eye steaks are some of the best sellers. “We age them for two weeks,” he says. “They are like butter!”
They also make their own sausages and hot dogs, along with homemade soups, pot pies and marinated meats and kabobs ready for the grill!
The Best Kept Secret?
“My father never called it work,” Nicholas says. “He always told us, ‘We trim our meat, not our customers!’”
Happy shopping!
Alicia
John’s Meat Market
389 Park Avenue
Scotch Plains, NJ 07076-1155
(908) 322-7126
I’m carving your path to the Best Kept Secrets of New Jersey, and this one takes serious meat lovers to John’s Meat Market in Scotch Plains.
In 1939, 21-year-old John Losavio opened his neighborhood meat market on Park Avenue.
Three generations and 71 years later, pop in the shop and you’ll meet the family!
(John’s grandson Vincent, Jr. and sons Nicholas and Vincent)
“He would always wear a tie and stress that his men always wear a tie,” Vincent says of his father, straightening his own. “He wanted to have the professional old-time look. That’s one of our trademarks.” John worked right until the end at the age of 87.
A look around the shop, and it FEELS like 1939. The original cash register and charge accounts are on display, along with loads of old photos.
“When our longtime customers see the pictures on the wall they say they feel like he’s still here,” Vincent says. “He really had personality and a lot of charm.”
Vincent also says today it is hard to find meat cutters who know the old-fashioned, authentic carving techniques.
“It is definitely an art,” he says. “It is hard to hire new people today because they don’t know how we want it,” he explains. “Our cuts do not have an ounce of fat.” As an observer, they sculpt steaks the way Michaelangelo might carve meat. Vincent adds that NONE of their meats have hormones or antibiotics.
Nicholas says the rib eye steaks are some of the best sellers. “We age them for two weeks,” he says. “They are like butter!”
They also make their own sausages and hot dogs, along with homemade soups, pot pies and marinated meats and kabobs ready for the grill!
The Best Kept Secret?
“My father never called it work,” Nicholas says. “He always told us, ‘We trim our meat, not our customers!’”
Happy shopping!
Alicia
John’s Meat Market
389 Park Avenue
Scotch Plains, NJ 07076-1155
(908) 322-7126
This gem is for hardcore carnivores who love the old-time feel of a quality meat market.
His wife Marie gave up a singing career at Carnegie Hall so he could pursue his dream.
Since day 1, only the top chops make the cut.
“We sell prime meat, not just a prime cut,” Nicholas says, pointing at the blue USDA Prime stamp. “Anybody has a prime cut.”
The case is stocked full of beauties, perfectly cut and manicured, with not an ounce of fat.
“We cut the steaks here,” Vincent explains, adding that theirs is one of the last meat markets in the state that still sells hanging beef.
They grind all of their own fresh hamburger meat, which gets RAVE reviews from customers. “Nothing is pre-ground or prepackaged,” he says.
They only sell premium gold angus prime beef that is humanely raised, grass fed, and not exposed to chemicals.
Customer Karen London drove all the way from Whippany to pick up enough meat and poultry to fill her freezer.
“I usually get my meats shipped to my house because you can hardly find organic and natural meats in the supermarket,” she says. “You can’t get this stuff in the grocery store.”
She drove to Scotch Plains with her neighbor, Maryann Fischle.
“They have the best london broil here,” Fischle says. “It’s oyster cut, dry aged and marbled.”
(John Losavio with former Major Leaguer Bobby Thompson)