Here’s the antidote to big box stores and chain boutiques that pop up all over the country: the SoWa Open Market. The weekend art market welcomes artisans and food purveyors to hawk self-made stuff. To some degree, the vendors change each weekend, so it’s never the same experience twice. Whether they’re looking for one-off graphic tees or fresh-baked loaves of bread,...

Polcari’s Coffee is a blast from the past: 1932 to be exact. Glass jars line the shelves, filled with dried spices and loose tea leaves. Big barrels hold the coffee beans and other dry goods. Workers measure out portions on brass weighing scales and ring up the customers on an old-fashioned cash register. This charming specialty shop offers bulk teas, grains,...

For almost fifty years, the Salumeria Italiana has been importing the best of Italian food products. For example, salumi (cured meats), cheeses, olive oils and pasta line the walls of this little North End shop. An artisan in Modena, Italy produces the house specialty Rubio Aged Balsamic Vinegar. You can’t get it anywhere else! T: Haymarket/Orange or Haymarket/Green  

Front and center on Hanover Street, the Wine Bottega is hidden in plain sight. The North End wine shop is so tiny it’s easy to miss. But inside, its enticing bottles of “real” wine cram the shelves. By real wine, they mean natural wine without artificial ingredients or enhancers (which are more common than you think). The selection is impressive —...

You have to leave the main drag of the North End and duck down an alley to find this gem of a food store. But it’s worth the effort, because Bricco Salumeria contains more Italian goodness than you think can fit. For starters, meats and cheeses fill the counters, along with irresistible fresh pasta. There is plenty of prepared food; or stock...