Mouth-watering meat without the eye-watering prices: Picanha is carving its place as the Beaches' new go-to for carnivores.

There's a new reason to make a detour through Brookvale, and it's one you can sink your teeth into. Picanha is bringing a fresh approach to the local butcher shop: quality cuts, generous quantities, homemade gourmet sausages and marinated meats, all at wholesale prices. And that's before we get to the delicatessen. Smallgoods, cheeses, antipasto and more, all under one roof.

WHOLESALE PRICES WITH RETAIL CONVENIENCE

The idea is refreshingly simple: buy great meat at prices that make sense.

Rather than being limited to the smaller quantities and heftier price tags you might associate with a traditional butcher, Picanha gives customers the opportunity to shop more like a restaurant or caterer. That means larger cuts, bulk quantities and wholesale pricing, while still having the convenience of a local shop where you can drop in and choose exactly what you need.

The man behind it is no newcomer to meat. Picanha founder Andre Felicio also founded Braza Churrascaria, the Brazilian barbecue house he opened in 2007 and still runs in Darling Harbour. Nearly two decades of serving authentic Brazilian churrasco in Sydney has given him a clear understanding of what makes great meat, and Picanha is where that experience comes to life in a retail setting.

"Supermarkets do not have the option of you choosing a whole piece of Beef, Lamb or Pork and having a qualified butcher cut it for you, the way you want it," he says. "We certainly offer the best quality for the best price."

The model is particularly appealing for households that regularly cook meat, families feeding a crowd, or anyone who knows that buying in bulk can make a significant difference to the weekly grocery bill. Stock up the freezer, plan a few meals ahead and have quality cuts ready whenever the barbecue gets fired up.

For anyone who has ever wandered into a butcher and questioned what to do with an unfamiliar cut, there's another benefit to shopping somewhere like Picanha: advice. Ask what a particular cut is best suited to, how much you need, or how to cook it, and you can make a more informed choice than simply grabbing whatever is pre-packaged in the supermarket fridge. Better yet, buy a slab at Picanha, and the on-site butcher can cut it just the way you need.

"Supermarkets do not have the option of you choosing a whole piece of Beef, Lamb or Pork and having a qualified butcher cut it for you, the way you want it."

Andre Felicio

KNOW YOUR CUTS

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The name gives away one of the store's inspirations. Picanha is the Brazilian name for a particularly prized cut of beef called the Rump Cap, known for its distinctive fat cap and rich flavour. It's a staple of Brazilian barbecue culture and the kind of cut that rewards simple cooking: heat, good seasoning and not much else.

There's a lot more to Picanha than picanha.

From everyday family favourites to cuts worth saving for a special occasion, Picanha's range is designed to give customers plenty of choice. And because the store operates with a wholesale mentality, there's an opportunity to buy exactly the quantity that suits your household, whether that means a couple of steaks or enough meat to feed the extended family.

Then there's the work that happens behind the counter. The gourmet sausages are made in-house, and the meats come marinated and ready for the grill, the kind of shortcut that turns a Tuesday night into something better than it had any right to be. It's the part a supermarket can't replicate: someone on-site who actually made what you're buying.

One stop, whole party

Bulk cuts trimmed to order, a deli counter worth building a grazing board around, and enough Brazilian flavour to make the backyard barbecue an event. Picanha doesn't just sell you the meat, it sells you the whole weekend.

MORE THAN MEAT

The 'Deli' in the name is important, too. Picanha is designed to be more than somewhere you pick up a steak on the way home. The store stocks everything you need to enjoy a meaty meal, from the sauces and rubs you'll use to prepare it, to the cheese and gourmet groceries you'll eat alongside it and the drink that will wash it down.

The marinades are Picanha's own, made to recipes you're unlikely to find on a supermarket shelf. It's a conviction that goes back to Felicio's Braza days: get the marinade right and the barbecue takes care of itself. Get one going and you'll have the neighbours over the fence asking what you've done differently.

"What inspired me to combine our Meat House with a Delicatessen is simply my love for cured meats: Prosciutto, Mortadella, Salami. And my love for cheeses, made locally and around the world. Let's not forget the Antipastos, which we'll be making some very interesting mixtures and recipes for in-house," promises Andre.

If that's still not enough incentive to swing by the store, did we mention there's coffee? Picanha's coffee & espresso cafeteria comes complete with baked goods, sandwiches, juices and plenty of tables where you can sit and ponder before you buy. Pork for dinner? Or chicken? Chewing on a churro might help you decide.

SHOP IN STORE OR ORDER ONLINE

Getting your hands on premium meat is already ridiculously easy at Picanha Meat House & Deli, where everything you need is all in one place right here on the Beaches.

However, if Brookvale's a bit outside your radius, picanha.com.au is certainly within reach. All it takes is a few clicks and an abundance of quality meat will be delivered to your door in temperature-controlled boxes.

Hidden In Plain Sight

The logo is the meat!

The fat cap gives the cut its flavour

There's a rump cap in the logo, if you know where to look. "PICANHA" in red is the meat. The gold band curving beneath it, where "Meat House & Deli" sits, is the fat cap that gives the cut its flavour.

Visit us in-store for a full stomach and a wallet that's still breathing. Picanha awaits.

Picanha Meat House & Deli | 8/12 Green St, Brookvale | (02) 9939 6550 | picanha.com.au

Photography: Ben Symons Photography