Modeled After Neighborhood Butcher Shops in Lafayette, Evan’s Meat Market is an Authentic Taste of Louisiana in Dallas

Carnivores, rejoice. Dallas has a new butcher-shop concept: Evan’s Meat Market in The Shops of Highland Park. When you encounter a glorious cut of filet in the juiciest hues of blood red, your mind can’t help but wander to firing up your Viking grill and popping open a 2000 Lafite Rothschild for a decadent night in.

Owner Evan Meagher has fashioned his namesake business to resemble the neighborhood butcher shops he grew up around in Lafayette, Louisiana, but this isn’t your old-school storefront awash in white. Here, the butcher-block counters are lined with black subway tile, set off by sleek display cases, minimalist signage, and light wood flooring, designed by Wallace Johnson Studio in Dallas. Meagher’s goal is to make purchasing meat a less intimidating experience for customers. His team offers premium cuts while respecting the animal and its origin, educating customers, and sharing their labor of love in the process.

Head butcher and general manager Mike Lawson is a classically trained chef with 14 years of experience in professional kitchens and more than 25 years in the restaurant industry, with posts at Dallas eateries Sachet and Gemma and NYC’s Eleven Madison Park.

On our recent visit, we noticed most of the other customers were men. Perusing the offerings, their mouths dropped to the floor like a Looney Tunes cartoon. Evan’s Meat Market is true to its tagline: We’ve got serious beef. You’ll find Akaushi chuck roast and outside skirt and dry-aged export rib eye. If you’re craving something outside the realm of a steakhouse, other glorious offerings include whole chickens, andouille sausage, rack of lamb, and one thing that went home with us on our visit: picture-perfect house bacon.

Meagher pays homage to his Louisiana roots with po’boy sandwiches, including a mouthwatering chicken salad with sweet pickle. Fluffy French bread is sourced from Langlinais’ Baking Company, Meagher’s first employer as a teenager. There are also delicious readymade dishes and sides — broccoli and rice au gratin (a creamy mix of Louisiana medium grain rice with broccoli and Colby jack cheese) and pan-roasted sweet potatoes tossed with house seasoning and Texas honey — as well as frozen classic gumbo and beef bone broth with no additives.

In essence, Evan’s Meat Market strives to turn customers into weekly clients who come in to chat, get advice, and meat up.