More Than Wagyu: The Family Behind Palm Beach Meats

At Palm Beach Meats, the most meaningful stories aren’t only found in the butcher case or on the menu. They live in the long days when Eric and Meghan San Pedro worked to build the business with their young son, Benny, beside them.

Benny grew up alongside Palm Beach Meats, watching his parents transform determination and a shared passion into a business with locations in West Palm Beach and Orlando. That same sense of belonging now extends to the people who help them run it. Eric tells every new employee that they aren’t simply joining a team; they are becoming part of the Palm Beach Meats family.

“What we built here is beyond what we ever imagined,” Eric shared. “We wanted to create a space where people could just be family. When people come in, they’re entering our home.”

Today, Palm Beach Meats is known for making some of the world’s finest Wagyu feel welcoming and approachable. But its story began with one unforgettable taste.

An Unforgettable First Taste

Growing up, Eric’s family didn’t go to steakhouses.

“My father believed it didn’t take a Michelin chef to cook a steak,” Eric shared.

Instead, his family would choose a quality cut of meat and prepare it at home. That simple philosophy stayed with him.

Years later, Eric and Meghan tasted Wagyu at a wedding without knowing what it was. They only knew it was unlike any steak they had experienced before, and they wanted to understand why.

In 2018, after Benny was born, Eric began searching for high-quality Wagyu as a gift for Meghan’s first Mother’s Day. He quickly discovered how difficult it was to find locally.

What began as curiosity became a passion, and that search planted the seed for Palm Beach Meats.

Built Together

Their plans began taking shape just as the pandemic brought the world to a standstill. With a young son at home and an uncertain future ahead, Eric and Meghan had every reason to wait. Instead, they decided to move forward together.

Eric sourced fresh, never-frozen Wagyu from the airport, picked it up himself and traveled from around the state to personally delivering orders to customers’ homes.

They figured it out as they went, building relationships with customers and local chefs along the way.

“It happened by accident,” Eric said.

What began as a way to connect people with exceptional Wagyu continued to grow. A year later, the San Pedros opened their brick-and-mortar location on Dixie Highway in West Palm Beach.

The work required long days and late nights, with Benny sometimes falling asleep in the back while his parents finished what needed to be done. Palm Beach Meats wasn’t simply a business Eric and Meghan were building. It became part of their family’s life.

Ask Eric what Palm Beach Meats is, and he won’t describe it as simply a restaurant or butcher shop. He’ll tell you it’s a concept—one built around exceptional Wagyu, community and making everyone who walks through the door feel like family.

Understanding the Story Behind the Wagyu

For Eric and Meghan, serving exceptional Wagyu means knowing more than its grade or marbling. They want to understand the land it comes from, the people who raise it and the care behind every cut.

That commitment took the San Pedro family to Saitama Prefecture, Japan, home of the Hasegawa family and their multigenerational farm. The family raises Bushu Wagyu, often called Samurai Beef, with knowledge and traditions passed down through generations.

Eric and Megan didn’t travel there simply to tour the farm. They stayed with the Hasegawa family, helped feed the cattle and experienced the daily rhythm of life alongside them.

By sharing meals, caring for the cattle and spending time together, the San Pedros saw that exceptional Wagyu begins long before it reaches a butcher case. It begins with patience, respect for nature and a deep responsibility to the animals and the land.

They returned to Florida with more than knowledge. They carried home a personal connection to the Hasegawa family and an even greater responsibility to honor their work.

At Palm Beach Meats, every cut carries the story of the place, people and traditions that made it possible.

Making Exceptional Wagyu Approachable

Wagyu is often associated with exclusive restaurants and expensive meals, but Eric and Meghan wanted more people to have the opportunity to experience it.

Guests can select a premium cut from the butcher case or discover Wagyu through a familiar dish, including the popular Wagyu burger or cheesesteak.

“We want people to open their minds and try something different,” Eric shared.

The team thoughtfully uses different cuts of meat, wasting as little as possible and creating ways for guests to experience Wagyu at a range of price points. Whether someone is a longtime Wagyu enthusiast or trying it for the first time, the experience is meant to feel exciting, welcoming and never intimidating.

That commitment to thoughtful sourcing extends beyond the butcher case. Palm Beach Meats also carries a wide selection of locally sourced foods and artisan products, giving guests another way to discover and support small businesses from the surrounding community.

A Place Where Everyone Belongs

Palm Beach Meats may be known for exceptional Wagyu, but Eric and Meghan measure its success by the people gathered around its tables.

Eric has welcomed guests from vastly different backgrounds, from some of the wealthiest people in the world to hardworking people stopping in after a long shift.

“Everyone is welcome,” he shared.

One memory captures that spirit perfectly: Benny playing UNO with an NFL player, completely unaware of who was sitting across from him. In that moment, titles and backgrounds didn’t matter. They were simply two people sharing a game.

It is exactly the kind of place Eric and Meghan hoped to create, one where people from every walk of life can gather, share a meal and feel at home.

Palm Beach Meats wasn’t built overnight. It was built through long hours, personal deliveries and nights when Benny fell asleep in the back while his parents continued working.

From its beginnings during the pandemic to two locations and recognition from the MICHELIN Guide, the business has grown beyond what the San Pedros imagined. Yet its heart remains unchanged.

I came to Palm Beach Meats to hear the story behind the Wagyu, but I left remembering the family behind it. Eric, Meghan and Benny welcomed me as if I had known them for years, and that same feeling is waiting for everyone who walks through their door. – Jessica Pierce

Jessica Pierce

Palm Beach, FL

Jessica Pierce is a writer and content creator for The Palm Beaches, inspired by the coastal culture, natural beauty, and vibrant lifestyle of Palm Beach County. A local for 25 years, she brings an insider’s perspective to the region’s beaches, waterways, and signature Palm Beach style. Guided by her love of photography, nature, the water, and the community she knows by heart, Jessica crafts elevated stories that capture the true spirit of the place she calls home.

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