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Our story begins on a romantic street in Paris, nearby the Notre Dame Cathedral. Tony, a chef, and Kristina, a graphic designer, strolled along happily in love. Suddenly, after spotting some random roosters in a building, the couple discovered the most interesting butcher/charcuterie shop they had ever encountered, with meat dangling from the ceiling. Locals clamored to order cuts of meat from the butcher and the most delicious charcuterie; there was something special about that French shop that resonated with the couple. A chance meeting on that street with roosters spurred a dream into reality when Tony and Kristina Page opened Rooster Street Butcher.
Lancaster County is the essence of foodie culture, with people who still love to can their own fruits and vegetables and numerous butcher shops throughout the area. By offering meats that are pasture-raised, hormone-free, and sans antibiotics from small, local farms, Rooster Street also provides a space that gives customers the chance talk to the butchers, receive tips and, most importantly, allow transparency. Tony and Kristina say, “[We] wanted to remind people that healthy meat and simple ingredients can be transcendent, found locally, and are worth sharing with others. That we all should take the time to slow down, enjoy the moment, and appreciate quality products.”
Growing up in York and Lancaster County, the Pages are definitely locals. Tony attended Yorktowne Business Institute and School of Culinary Arts, while Kristina got her BFA in communication design from Kutztown University. However, while neither owned a business before, both had experience working with the food service industry.
The Pages first opened as Rooster Street Provisions in Elizabethtown in 2012 but started looking for a better spot for their expansion. The space previously occupied by Antique Jewelry & Clock Works on South Cedar Street in Lititz became their new home. A seating area for food service and a glass wall gives customers a chance to see what is going on in the curing room.
Rooster Street Butcher specializes in handcrafted charcuterie, and headcheese is one of their most popular items at the shop. Souse is a variety of headcheese that uses pickled meat from unused animal parts (usually pork) such as the head, tongue, and heart. Whole-animal utilization, or nose-to-tail, is a movement throughout the food industry, and Tony and Kristina have embraced this philosophy.
The shop and BYOB dining are open in Lititz Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. through lunch and dinner, with brunch on Saturday from 8 a.m. till 2 p.m. They also have a Lancaster Central Market location open market hours Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday. At the Lititz location, you snack on a charcuterie board, sip soups like tomato bisque and graze on gourmet local salads. Or go for the gusto with sandwiches like the triple decker grilled cheese or the famous bacon burger. For brunch, try Rooster Street’s version of steak and eggs with herb and parmesan fries and truffle pan sauce or the chorizo hash if you like it hot. Just don’t miss the perfectly chewy chocolate bread pudding for dessert.
Both the store and market stand sell fresh-cut meats to take home and cook—from unique bacons and sausages to chops, loins, and more.
Rooster Street has a motto that states, “A happy pig makes for a tasty pig.”
Rooster Street Butcher
11 South Cedar St., Lititz, PA
Lancaster Central Market, 23 N. Market St., Lancaster, PA
717-625-0405 / roosterst.com
