Stores & Markets in Kenmore

Though the eponymous Johnny Tiranno no longer runs Johnny’s Meats, his legacy lives on in the specialty shop’s italian sausage recipes. Mike, Johnny’s stepson and the current owner, still makes the links and patties with his stepfather’s special blend of high-quality meat, imported cheeses, and spices, which first delighted palates in 1946. The meat supplier stocks more than sausages, however. The display cases also house juicy steaks, chicken cutlets, lamb, and seafood, mostly imported from the Midwest. For something to complement these high-quality meats, customers can browse assorted side dishes, such as twice-baked potatoes, verdant salads, and cheeses.

At 8 in the morning, early crowds arrive at Lancaster Market to browse the tables of more than 40 vendors selling locally grown produce, handmade gourmet foods, and organic meats. Some stop at Kornerstone Coffee for a steamy cup before they leisurely browse bundles of flowers, flats of vegetables, and trays of seasonal fruits. Others head directly to their favorite stands: Hens Honey Bee Farm, Chateau Buffalo winery, Hanzlian's Sausage. The smell of kettle corn and pancakes scents the air, tempting these die-hard shoppers to linger in the open-air market. Since the farmers' market is open most weekends in the summer and early fall, it serves as both a dependable drop-in shopping center and a town mingling place. Demonstrations, such as how to can strawberry-pineapple marmalade and how to butcher a raspberry, educate anyone who sticks around.