M. Moen & Sons on the Pavement: what to buy and when to go

M. Moen & Sons is a butcher and deli, not a restaurant. There are no tables and no menu, so there is nothing to book. You walk in, point at what you want and take it home. The shop is at 24 The Pavement, SW4 0JA, in the Old Town, overlooking Clapham Common and a short walk from Clapham Common tube.

What it is

A long-established family butcher selling free-range and organic meat, plus deli foods. The range covers beef, lamb, pork, poultry and homemade sausages. Time Out describes a grand Victorian-tiled space, and says the shop cures its own bacon. It also sells herbs and in-season veg, so you can put most of a dinner together in one stop. The deli side runs to sandwiches, snacks and pastries, according to All In London.

The family business dates to 1971, when Maurice Moen founded it. It is now run by his son Garry (some sources spell it Gary). Time Out notes it has come a long way from its South Norwood roots, and the family describes Clapham as their home.

What to buy

Start with the meat that most people walk past. Palate says ageing beef ribs on display in the shop front and at the back counter are a key part of the business, since most customers still go for sirloin, ribeye and fillet. The same piece calls acorn-fed Iberico pork loin chops the speciality product.

• Iberico pork loin chops: the one Palate singles out as the shop’s speciality.
• Ageing beef ribs: look for them in the display, and ask what is hanging.
• Sweetbreads and liver: for anyone wanting to cook something less usual.
• Pig’s trotters: available if you call ahead, so do not turn up expecting them.
• Homemade sausages and the shop’s own cured bacon: the easy weekend wins.
• Iberico ham and Wagyu: the shop’s directory entry cites Spanish black-hoof Iberico ham cured for 36 months, and Kobe beef. Yelp’s profile mentions Australian Wagyu, and reviewers there praise the Wagyu and the free-range burgers with herbs.

There are seasonal extras too. Palate mentions gull’s eggs in April, along with spring chanterelles and morels. It also says the shop takes in foodstuffs from small producers.

If you are building a picnic for the Common, Foodism’s Clapham guide suggests popping in for fresh focaccia, local tomatoes, cones of chorizo and slices of Sainte-Maure de Touraine goat’s cheese. It describes the shop as wonderfully British, with meat hanging from the ceilings and rows of cheese.

When to go

The shop is open six days a week and closed on Sundays. Saturday closing is 5pm. Weekday closing times vary between listings, anywhere from 5pm to 6.30pm, and Christmas has special hours. If you are making a special trip, phone 020 7622 1624 first to confirm that day’s hours and that the cut you want is in.

Going earlier in the day gives you the widest choice at the counter, which is simple common sense rather than anything the shop has said. For anything out of the ordinary, such as trotters, ring ahead.

Prices and ordering

Yelp rates the shop £££, the top of its price scale, which fits premium free-range, organic and imported meat. Ask for prices at the counter or by phone, because the cost depends on the cut. Orders can be placed by phone on 020 7622 1624 or by email to email@moen.co.uk. The shop’s own site is at moen.co.uk.

It also supplies restaurants, and private chefs recommend it, which says something about the quality of the meat on the counter. Yelp’s profile says the focus is quality ahead of labels such as organic, local or grass-fed.

For after

You are on the Pavement with the Common right across the road, so the easy plan is to collect your order and take a walk. If you have picked up bread, cheese and chorizo, the Common is the obvious place to eat it. Time Out places the shop moments from Clapham Common tube, so the way home is simple too, with a heavy bag of meat.

The short version

• Where: 24 The Pavement, Clapham Old Town, SW4 0JA.
• What: family butcher and deli, free-range and organic.
• Order: Iberico pork loin chops, ageing beef ribs, homemade sausages, own-cured bacon.
• Booking: none needed. Phone 020 7622 1624 for special orders and to check hours.
• Closed: Sundays.

For more on what the shop stocks and how it describes itself, see Time Out’s listing.