It’s tailgaiting season, which means prime time behind the grill. The best meat delivery services can bring restaurant-quality cuts directly to your door.
After evaluating several services based on their shipping methods, selection, quality, and sustainability, Snake River Farms stands out for its exceptional range of gourmet seafood and meats, supplying everything from the best ham to bulk BBQ cuts.
Our top picks for meat delivery services
Best overall: Snake River Farms
Best for gifting: Omaha Steaks
Best subscription: ButcherBox
Best variety: Porter Road
Best for staples: Rastelli’s
Best dry-aged: Pat LaFrieda Meats
Best pork: Campo Grande
Best for wagyu: Pursuit Farms
Best overall
Snake River Farms serves up an astounding menu of quality meats and seafood like American Wagyu, Kurobota pork, Texas barbecue, and now Sea to Table-supplied seafood.
Snake River Farms is a one-stop shop. Our testers found SNP was everything we wanted in the best meat delivery service: a well-rounded selection of premium and basic cuts a step or two above our local butchers. Snake River Farms offers several premium grades of meat, including American wagyu and Kurobota pork. We also chose Snake River Farms as our top place to order the best ham online.
The seafood is also stellar. Snake River Farms offers a selection of flash-frozen, fully traceable seafood down to the specific landing location and catch method used.
There’s a $49 order minimum. Snake River Farms is best for stocking up on multiple cuts, since shipping is a flat $10 fee (unless you’re a subscriber). Everything from this meat delivery service arrives frozen in plant-based styrofoam with ample dry ice and tucked inside a reflective-tape-lined tote bag for extra puncture protection. Our box was still comfortably cold when it arrived.
Read our full Snake River Farms review.
Best for gifting
Omaha Steaks is a classic for a reason. Its broad and reliable selection make it a great choice for gifting, and nearly all gift packages ship free.
There’s something to please every meat-eater. Though its name references “steaks,” and its strength is certainly beef, you can shop for your entire dinner here, down to seasonings and specialty desserts. For true indulgence, you can shop huge King Cuts and Custom Cuts. Your order of individually packaged cuts will arrive frozen in an insulated box.
The steaks make a classic and reliable gift. While the other services are better for personal use, Omaha Steaks is the best for gifting. It offers special gift baskets and various combo boxes to give to friends and family. Nearly all of its gift boxes ship free.
The site runs frequent sales. You can often save more than 50% and stock up on top-quality meat. If you shop the site frequently, join the free rewards program to earn points on purchases and referrals.
Read our full Omaha Steaks review.
Best subscription
ButcherBox is the best option for those looking for a subscription service of beef, pork, poultry, and seafood basics that they can curate to suit their palates and consumption.
ButcherBox is great for those who eat a lot of meat. We named this subscription service the best for feeding families and large groups. Whether planning dinner for the month or hosting a barbecue, you’ll have delicious, quality meat.
There are four different subscription plans. Your choices include curated or custom boxes in standard or large sizes. Curated boxes contain 8 to 11 pounds of meat in the standard box and 16 to 22 pounds in the large, while the standard custom box includes 9 to 14 pounds and 18 to 26 pounds in the large.
It offers a lot of flexibility. You can change your box assortment, size, and delivery frequency before your next invoice date. Plus, ButcherBox offers a collection of recipes to help you make the most of your premium meats.
Read our full ButcherBox review.
Best variety
Porter Road has all the meat you need from breakfast to dinner, including dry-aged steaks, pork chops, dry-aged ground beef, bacon, country sausage, and unusual cuts not typically found at your grocery store butcher.
Porter Road offers many underrated and hard-to-find cuts. You’ll find cuts like beef bacon, osso buco, and picanha steak, which typically aren’t found in most supermarkets. Of course, there are staples like ground beef and tri-tip, allowing you to mix and match the ultimate shopping basket of meat. The site caters to those of us craving an in-person shopping experience with the convenience of the best meat delivery service.
Everything comes well packaged and fresh. Most items arrive ready-to-cook, not frozen. Our box was stuffed with ample ice packs, making it safe to be left on your doorstep before you get home.
The site provides extensive meat education. On each product page, you can learn what part of the animal the cut comes from and the best way to cook it. If you have specific preferences, you can filter by cooking time and gear to find the most appropriate cuts.
Check out our full Porter Road review.
Best for staples
A plethora of classic cuts and prepared options make Rastelli’s an ideal service for those who want quality meat with minimal prep required.
Rastelli’s feels a bit like an online Whole Foods meat counter. You’ll find a variety of classic cuts alongside pre-prepped options like beef Wellington or Parmesan-breaded pork chops. The meat is certified free from antibiotics, steroids, and hormones, and the seafood is wild-caught or sustainably raised. We also ranked Rastelli’s as one of the best seafood delivery services.
Keep in mind that it all ships frozen. Everything we’ve received from Rastelli’s has been frozen solid with the brand’s ice packs and nowhere near thawing upon arrival. Our reporters tested the brand’s packaging by storing it in the freezer for years without any trouble or spoilage. Rastelli’s is an ideal brand for freezer staples at reasonable prices.
Read our full Rastelli’s meat delivery review.
Best dry-aged
You can order food from famous NYC meat purveyor Pat LaFrieda through the online service Goldbelly.
Pat LaFrieda supplies some of the world’s best restaurants. From one of the premier dry-aging facilities in the world, Pat LaFrieda Meats caters to fabled restaurants like Minetta Tavern and the Union Square Cafe with some of the best-tasting beef available to humanity. Through Goldbelly, you can have it shipped to your home, too.
The dry-aging is unlike others we’ve tried. Depending on whom you ask, you might find more “traceable” or “sustainable” options, but this USDA-certified meat is handled, aged, and freshly shipped with meticulous attention. Nothing I’ve sampled has offered the rich nuttiness of the dry-aged ribeyes and tomahawks you’ll get from LaFrieda. Just remember that while this meat is vacuum-sealed, it exclusively ships fresh, and you’ll want to place it in your refrigerator as soon as you receive it.
Best pork
Pork fans, especially those who’ve sampled Iberico ham, will rejoice at the availability of not just an entire Iberico leg but several cuts from this heirloom, pasture-raised variety available straight from Spain.
Campo Grande is for true pork lovers. Based in the United States but rooted in Spain, the brand is a Spanish-owned importer of free-range, heirloom-breed Iberico pork from small Spanish farms. The brand primarily works in pork and boxed assortments of muscle cuts, but you can also opt for the bona fide decadence of an entire ham.
We like the Pork Sampler Box. It includes a rib roast and a few different steaks. While there aren’t many other options, it speaks to the brand’s dedication to its near-sole purpose: bringing Spanish Iberico pork to the US. You’ll also find beef and the occasional poultry package, but those aren’t always in stock, and the pork is where the brand shines. Other brands put high-end pork on this list, but none carry Iberico pork or full legs of jamon.
Best for wagyu
Pursuit Farms imports some of the finest Japanese Wagyu in the world and ships it to you fresh at a flat rate. You’ll pay dearly, but you won’t find richer, tastier Wagyu.
It’s hard to beat wagyu when it comes to quality beef. Wagyu is a breed of cattle known for its high fat content and elaborate marbling. Pursuit Farms specializes in importing and shipping Japanese wagyu at a flat rate (two-day air). The Japanese Hokkaido snow beef and shichiri from Hida prefecture are some of the best examples of wagyu in the world — Pursuit Farms will ship it all right to your door.
There’s more than just wagyu. You can also order American and Australian wagyu, grass-fed beef, and lamb from the purveyor, available in small packages and bulk. Specialty items will cost a pretty penny — up to A5 grade with some of the most thorough marbling you’ll find anywhere — though maybe not as much as you’d expect if you’re familiar with Japanese wagyu. Everything arrives fresh, not frozen, and ready to eat.
What to look for in a meat delivery service
Offerings: There’s a wide variety across the online meat delivery spectrum, and where you shop depends on your specific needs. Some stores prioritize organic and free-range meat, while others focus on variety, and others specialize in subscriptions, bulk (primals), or seasonal offerings. You’re not likely to find Japanese-raised wagyu from the same retailer selling American bison or elk, so it’s best to shop around.
Price: The cost of an online meat order is based on the cut, breed, and quantity of meat. We’ve recommended more basic, staple-focused offerings and decadent luxuries for all budgets. A good rule of thumb is that specialty breeds and cuts or more responsibly raised options will cost more than a basic supermarket steak.
Packaging: Before ordering, check if the product is fresh and ready to eat or frozen to be thawed at your leisure. This affects how you prepare the meat and how it is packaged. Some brands focus more on providing plant-based styrofoam, recipe booklets and handling instructions, and dry ice versus freezer packs.
Shipping: Some of the best meat delivery services offer next-day delivery, and others offer two to three-day delivery. It largely depends on your location and whether you’re ordering fresh or frozen products. For all perishables, schedule your deliveries when you know someone will be home.
Meat delivery service FAQs
Why should I use a meat delivery service?
Shopping in bulk for “value packs” or “primal cuts” will often save you a lot when ordering through direct-to-consumer online meat purveyors. For smaller orders, the best meat delivery services are more expensive than going to your local grocery store, but are often cheaper than your local butcher.
Should I order fresh or frozen meat?
Order fresh meat if you plan to eat it immediately or within a few days of delivery. Order frozen meat if you want to stock up and plan to thaw it before cooking it.
What are the benefits of using a meat delivery service?
Ordering online from one of the best meat delivery services opens up a world of options with no extra effort on your part. For instance, you won’t likely find Hokkaido snow beef from Japan at your local butcher’s shop or grocery store. It’s also a great way to order in bulk, saving you a lot of money.
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