Savenor's Market

Why settle for cow when you can have rattlesnake? The tiny, posh SAVENOR'S MARKET, which has locations in Harvard Square and at the foot of Beacon Hill, has a knowledgeable and helpful staff, quality produce, and a collection of cheeses — which is impressive for a store of its size — that rivals the Wine & Cheese Cask's down the street. Oh, and yes, there's no way of getting through a Savenor's blurb without mentioning the shop's selection of exotic meats. On hand, you'll find the kind of game you're not going to find at most big chains: venison, bear, rattlesnake, yak, wild boar, ostrich, and alligator. We were too chicken to try the gator, but we asked meat manager Vadim Akimenko what it tasted like (please don't say "chicken"): "It's got a fairly mild, slight fishy flavor to it; it doesn't taste like chicken, but it kind of does." Aaaaarrrgggh! Well, guess you'll have to try it yourself.

SAVENOR'S MARKET | 92 Kirkland Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge | 617.576.6328 | 160 Charles Street, Beacon Hill, Boston | 617.723.6328 | savenorsmarket.com