Lionette's Market is the Market for The Garden of Eden restaurant (which is located close to Lionette's). They have a full service deli with prepared salads, vegetables, meats and select entrees. They stock a small amount of fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as gourmet dry and canned foods. They have a great selection of natural, as well as foreign brands- and both look amazing! The tiny market is "airplane-free", a new concept of eco-ethical trade to us. All of the young cheeses are from New England. The only European cheeses are old enough to ride on a boat. Preserved items are all locally made. He knows his 100 purveyors by first name. But it's immediately obvious that Jamey's true love is meat. A chalkboard at the door advertises "Today's Fats", including house-rendered Lard, Duck Fat, and Vegetable Shortening. Jamey buys a half cow a week and a whole pig, grass-fed from Vermont. He makes all his own sausage and cures the bacon and steams the ham and takes up 1/3 of his deli counter to proudly display the side of bacon. Though small, Lionette's Market is definitly worth a visit! You are guaranteed to find something yummy to put in your tummy!

Ak's Take-Out and Delivery is one of Mission Hill's hidden gems. While Ak's food wouldn't exactly fall into the gourmet category, they offer a huge array of pizza, subs, salads, and more that are kind to your tastebuds and your wallet. The pizza - the crust is thick and chewy, although the toppings, as with the calzones, are plentiful. The best part of these calzones are the size. They may seem a little expensive, but that is because the large is literally a giant pizza folded in half. They are massive and can last up to 3 days in leftovers due to volume. Their large subs start at about six dollars, while their large pizzas start at eight dollars. Ak's also has some excellent dinner packages that are, like their other fare, generously portioned and inexpensive. This is a great choice for any college student with a limited budget but a bottomless stomach, as their prices are much cheaper than their competitors and their portions are more than generous. The only downside to Ak's fantastic and fast delivery service is their minimum delivery of ten dollars, as well as an additional $1.50 charge for delivery. Ak's is open every day from 11 AM to Midnight. However, beware: There is no seating at the actual restaurant, so you'd do well to stick to takeout!

The SOWA Open Market, an open-air venue for artists, craftsmen, collectioners, farmstands and other vendors makes its seasonal debut each year in May. It opens in tandem with the SoWa Art Walk. Check out HERE for the lowdown. The large parking lot at 500 Harrison hosts the event each Sunday (in non-frigid months). Click HERE for the SOWA blog called Market Blogger.

Food Market.

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Located in the geographic center of Boston, Roxbury is a diverse neighborhood full of rich culture and tradition. With nearly 60,000 residents, it is also the third largest neighborhood in Boston after Dorchester and Allston/Brighton. Founded in 1630 only a few days after Boston, Roxbury was first home to Puritan settlers from England. Slavery in Massachusetts brought Africans to Roxbury as early as 1638, and the first interracial marriage was recorded in the 1690s. In the early 1800s, waves of German and Irish immigrants looking for work in the breweries and factories further diversified the area. In the early 1900s, the Jewish and Black communities began moving from Beacon Hill and the South End into Roxbury as their populations grew through immigration and Southern migration respectively. Destruction caused by urban renewal, the tensions of the Civil Rights Era, and decades of neglect from absentee landlordism, arson, and redlining resulted in economic disinvestment and increased crime. However, since the late 1980s, local community development organizations have been reclaiming and revitalizing neglected areas. As such, Roxbury has been experiencing a cultural, arts, and economic renaissance. New businesses have sprouted up around Dudley Square and Grove Hall, new housing has been built in formerly vacant lots, artists have grown in number across the neighborhood, and information about and appreciation of Roxbury's long history has become more widespread. The City of Boston also purchased the Ferdinand Building in 2006 and is restoring it with plans to move city offices to Dudley Square. Today's Roxbury is a great place to explore! No matter what month you visit, you are almost guaranteed to find some sort of cultural event happening. Some of the major events are the Roxbury Film Festival, Roxbury Open Studios, and the Caribbean Carnival. Residents and visitors can also take guided tours of the neighborhood with Discover Roxbury. Roxbury is also home to the Franklin Park, the location of the Franklin Park Zoo and home to animals from all around the world, including gorillas, giraffes, zebras, lions, penguins, and a large assortment of birds. It is a must see for any Bostonian. Along with the zoo, you will find a golf course, and hiking and biking trails. If you are looking for a variety of cuisines, look no further than Roxbury! No matter what kind of food you are in the mood for, you are guaranteed to find some really tasty places to grab a bite -- places like The Savant Project, Merengue Restaurant, New York Pizza, Haley House Cafe, Stash's Grill, and Mississippi's.

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