Barons Court Butcher Shop, Turkeys From £108: HG Walter

HG Walter, at 51 Palliser Road, London W14 9EB, is a family butcher shop across the road from Barons Court Tube station, open Monday to Friday from 9am to 6pm and Saturday from 9am to 5pm, and closed on Sunday. If you are looking for a butcher shop near me in West Kensington or Fulham for the holidays, note two dates: Thanksgiving collections can be booked from 20 to 28 November, and Christmas orders close at 9am on 14 December.

Peter Heanen established the business in 1972, and it has grown from a neighbourhood counter into a supplier for hundreds of restaurants. The shop names two of them on its About page: the Michelin-starred River Café, a short distance away by the Thames in Hammersmith, and Kricket, the Indian small-plates group. Buying at the Palliser Road counter means buying from the same chillers that stock those kitchens.

The detail that sets the shop apart is its ageing room. Beef is dry-aged for a minimum of 28 days and up to 90 days in a custom-built Himalayan salt room, which draws moisture from the meat and concentrates its flavour. Ask at the counter which joints are at which age before you choose.

The location could hardly be simpler. The shop's own directions say it is across the road from Barons Court station, which is served by the District and Piccadilly lines, so you can step off a train from Heathrow or central London and be at the counter in a minute. The phone number is 020 7385 6466, and the team also answers email at hello@hgwalter.com for order questions.

Palliser Road runs alongside the Queen's Club grounds, and the Tube is the easiest way to come, especially if you are collecting a large bird. Bring a sturdy bag: a 6kg turkey is heavy on the platform stairs.

The Christmas Free Range Bronze Turkeys are reared by Goodman's Geese, a family-run farm in the Worcestershire countryside, and grown slowly for around 24 weeks. Prices are set by weight: 4kg, which feeds six to eight, is £108; 5kg is £132; 6kg is £156; 7kg is £165; 8kg is £187; 9kg is £209; and 10kg is £231. Note that the separate Thanksgiving listing describes its free-range turkeys as coming from Appledore.

For American Thanksgiving, you can book collection from the Barons Court shop between 20 and 28 November, with local delivery on the same dates and national courier delivery from 20 to 27 November. For Christmas, the shop accepts orders up to 9am on 14 December. Payment is taken in full at least 72 hours before the scheduled delivery date, and no separate deposit is listed.

One rule catches people out. You must collect on the day you booked, because the shop cannot store orders after their collection date and will dispose of them. Shop collections are free with a minimum order of £15, while delivery between 19 and 24 December carries a flat fee of £12.50 and a £40 minimum. Set a phone reminder for your slot.

The Turkey Crown on the Bone is the smart choice for a smaller table, at £122 for 3kg, £152 for 4kg and £177 for 5kg. A Free Range Christmas Goose costs £119 for 4kg, and the Three Bird Roast of turkey, duck and pheasant is £215. For the sides, a 454g pack of handmade Pigs in Blankets, about 15 pieces, is £10.95.

Beef is the shop's strength. The Handmade Beef Wellington with Red Wine Jus costs £52.95 for two and £99.50 for four, and it is the easiest dinner-party main in the shop. A Beef Sirloin Steak on the Bone is £20.50 for 500g or £41 for 1kg. An honest call: for Christmas Day itself, skip the Three Bird Roast at £215. It is impressive, but a 4kg Bronze turkey at £108 feeds just as many people, and the leftovers are far more useful.

HG Walter runs evening beef butchery classes at the Barons Court shop, priced at £195. The next listed session is on Wednesday 18 November 2026, starting at 6:30pm and finishing at 9:30pm, and it is a good way to learn how to break down a sirloin before you cook one at Christmas. Book online or at the counter.

Holiday trading changes in December. Sunday 20 December has a short 9am to 3pm session, and on Christmas Eve the shutters go up at 7am and come down at 1pm. The shop then stays shut from 25 to 28 December and on 1 January. If you can, choose a collection slot on 21, 22 or 23 December rather than the short Christmas Eve session, so a late train does not cost you your bird.

From the shop, walk south past the Queen's Club, the historic tennis and rackets club whose grass courts host a famous June tournament, and on to North End Road, where the street market sells fruit, vegetables and flowers. It is the place to pick up sprouts, parsnips and chestnuts to go with your turkey without a separate supermarket trip.

Heading west, Margravine Cemetery is a quiet Victorian burial ground with tree-lined paths that link Barons Court to Hammersmith. On the far side, the Thames riverside at Hammersmith has pubs and the walk towards the River Café. It is a good half-day loop, but do it before you collect: raw meat and a long riverside stroll do not mix.

Address: HG Walter, 51 Palliser Road, Barons Court, London W14 9EB. Phone: 020 7385 6466. Hours: Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm, Saturday 9am to 5pm, Sunday closed. Nearest Tube: Barons Court, District and Piccadilly lines, across the road. Thanksgiving collection: 20 to 28 November. Christmas order deadline: 9am on 14 December. Christmas Eve: 7am to 1pm; closed 25 to 28 December.

Prices quoted come from the shop's website in October 2026: Bronze turkey £108 for 4kg to £231 for 10kg, turkey crown £122 to £177, goose £119 for 4kg, Three Bird Roast £215, Pigs in Blankets £10.95, Beef Wellington £52.95 and £99.50, sirloin on the bone £20.50 for 500g, and the butchery class £195. The Karpo APP can point you to a riverside pub in Hammersmith for after your shop.