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Tony's Market
Rating Details »
Categories: Grocery, Ethnic Food, Meat Shops [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Roslindale Village, Roslindale4253 Washington St
(between Corinth St & Kittredge St)
Roslindale, MA 02131
(617) 323-7313
- Hours:
Tue-Wed. 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Thu-Sat. 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
9 reviews for Tony's Market
This guy is great. My mother-in-law was in town for Thanksgiving and wanted to make an old Cajun recipe and got the exact cuts of beef and chicken that she needed to make the stew and it turned out great.
This past weekend, we smoked a bunch of meats at my house and he convinced me that I needed pork butt and promptly cut up about 4 pounds of pork butt that were the goddamn shit! We smoked that in a smoker grill for about 7 hours and it was AWESOME!
I'll definitely come back.
Tony is an adorable old man who has owned his old-timey little shop for 50 years. He sells awesome meats and Italian products and, most importantly, grinds his own sausage. Now that I've tasted them, all other sausages are dead to me. The Italian hots are the best sausages I've ever had. And even though he is probably around 80, he's getting married! I heard some other customers teasing him about his big day! Congrats, Tony, and long live your store.
Tony's Market is the most important stop in my Saturday shop around Roslindale Village, which also includes Solera for wine, Fornax for bread, and Boston Cheese Cellar.
While calling ahead means I get precisely what I want and it's all ready when I arrive, most of the time I like to drop in and ask Tony what's good today - EVERYTHING! He'll ask me what I'm thinking of doing, how many people, etc., head to the meat case or walk-in and then to his butchering station in the back of the market. While he's carving, we chat about his business, his ballroom dancing, his girlfriend (now his wife), my job and family. After going there for several years, he knows what cuts I like but he'll often suggest something new.
His beef is only USDA Prime and you pay for it but you can't get this grade at the supermarket chains. His lamb, pork & chicken are also awesome quality and mostly comparable to supermarket pricing. He doesn't carry every cut - no ribs or pot roasts, for example. For holidays, he'll carry special items like prime rib roast for Christmas & New Year's and whole lambs for Greek Easter (and folks travel from some distances to buy these). I've even tried goat when a special order customer didn't pick up. Tony makes his own hot & sweet Italian sausages, and Greek sausage by request, but be warned his hots sell out fast every summer weekend. He also grinds his own hamburger, and will grind mixes for meatballs (beef with pork) and such. Some of the area businesses like Geoffrey's Cafe and Sophia's Grotto also buy meat & sausages from Tony.
Tony also carries good quality Italian pastas & tomato products, Italian coldcuts & cheeses.
All in all, because of Tony's Market, I don't buy meat at supermarkets any longer. Hope Tony doesn't retire any time soon!
Last time I was here I got the best fresh mozzarella I've ever had in my life, some great roasted red peppers and advice on where to go ballroom dancing.
Eh, these guys weren't so warm and friendly to me. They weren't unfriendly either, but I get the feeling they're a little more keen on brown haired straight people than gay leprechauns. I'm used to it, my family is the same way. There were some older guys talking to the guy I assume to be Tony when I stopped in to buy some mootsadell and pruhshoot, while he ground meat in front of everyone. So I guess they took precedence. Still, it was cool to see the meat being ground!
And the sausage I got here was top notch. I slow cooked a sauce that was a dead ringer for my Italian grandma's (I think I'm adopted). I could never find the right sausage, there's something particular about the stuff she uses. Maybe it's an ancient Italian secret. But now I have it! I'm all over this place for meats and the ingredients for my Italian dishes. The fresh mozzarella was great too, and none of it was any pricier than that crud at Stop & Shop. Go there, it will make you seem like a fantastic chef, but really it's just the magic of cooking with quality ingredients.
I know the man that owns Tony's and he is an absolute DOLL. Their meet is always very fresh and good quality. I recommend it to meat lovers anywhere :]
What a great guy! - and what a beautiful little market. This is the kind of place that makes city living worthwhile, and the Rosi Square neighborhood such a surprisingly civilized and comfortable part of Boston. Don't be shy about introducing yourself as a new customer - Tony is sincerely warm and friendly.
I agree with Katie's review that Tony's sausage is great - worth dropping in for by themselves (they freeze well too). He carries the basic cuts of meat, and he'll custom cut as well, although if you're looking for something big like a whole butterflied leg of lamb, it's essential to call ahead. His meats are very good quality.
As far as the standard Italian deli meats/cheeses (eg parmesan reggiano, proscuttio, linguica, etc) - I find they're always available. And if anything, he carries so many different choices of Italian dry/canned goods that it can feel intimidating at first. But it's all of superior quality and pretty darn close to supermarket prices
The store is not open on Sundays or Mondays (like many small businesses in Rosi Square... or Italy). But Tony's nephew is helping him out these days, so the stores hours have re-expanded a bit for the rest of the week. In particular, he's open on Saturdays for a decent chunk of time, which I find very useful during the summer when the Saturday morning open-air farmer's market in Rosi square is around. Some sausage from Tony's, some basil and a few heirloom tomatoes from the farmer's market, a loaf of fresh peasant bread from Fornax - the makings of a Tuscan feast!
Like a time capsule, this place is a gem. The elderly owner, who told me he goes ballroom dancing 4 nights a week (with different partners!), has been there 40+ years. He still makes his own sausage (I've seen him do it) and it is wonderful. Hot or sweet, it's worth a trip. He also has prosciutto, mozzarella, and some other meats, but if you want something besides sausage, call ahead and order it. For that matter, call about the sausage too. Sometimes he's out, or he's making it tomorrow, etc. You can get pasta, canned goods, and other Italian groceries here too, but the selection is limited. I get the feeling that people mostly go there for the sausage.
EVERYTHING I've bought here has been superior. I no longer can buy meat at the grocery store - it just doesn't have a taste.
Lamb, beef, chicken, cold cuts, even this man's american cheese gets rave reviews. Oh, and of course the sausage is REAL, if you've never had real sausage try some.
Brings back memories of Brooklyn NY Food 50 years ago. That is
quite something!
Living near this store is the highlight of Roslindale Square.
