He worked at meat markets for nearly two decades before his dream of having his own butcher shop came to life. And while the words “organic” and “grass-fed” are considered symbols of prestige when it comes to meat, Mr. Gatzonis, like his father, believes that flavorful and tender cuts can be had without these labels. Advertisement Continue reading the main storyThe elder Mr. Gatzonis died in 1995, but photographs of him, as well as his 70-year-old meat cleaver, all mounted on the walls, still set a welcoming tone. As if on cue, Josip Lacmanovic, an electrician, and his wife, Ruzica, who live in Astoria and are from Croatia, walked in. “My standing joke with John and the rest of the guys for the last decade has been whether Croatians or Greeks eat more meat,” Mr. Lacmanovic said.

Source: New York Times April 26, 2017 12:00 UTC