Boston Travel Forum

Hi,
Can you tell me if there are any affordable (not fancy like Whole Foods) grocery stores or Wal-mart/K-mart type department stores within walking distance to the basketball arena and Faneuil Hall (we have groups staying near both places) to buy breakfast foods/snacks and odds and ends should we need it?

Thanks,
kali

ps It still seems very, very cooooooold there! :) It's 78 here in Hawaii today and it's overcast and cool compared to normal.

If you don't like Whole Foods, then the answer is nada.

Rosely's Grocery Store located on 120 Washington Street is about 5 blocks away near the State metro station.

Phone: (617) 265-5961

Hope this helps-
Large Chain Supermarkets- Shaws Supermarket, 65 Huntington St, Boston 617-262-4688
DeLuca's Market, 239 Newbury St 617-262-5990
Those sre the two largest in downtown Boston.
Also:
Trader Joes (2 locs) 899 Boylston St, Boston 617-262-6505 and further away 1309 Beacon St. Brookline (no tel sorry) (may need membership for larger discount pricing on food shopping)
For something unusual- try the 88 Supermarket on 50 Herald St - It's an Asian Food supermarket right across from Chinatown- just the sights inside are worth a stop, from all sorts of live foods to unusual snacks and bizarre food stuffs. No large supermarkets near TD Banknorth-not without a subway ride.

A few corrections of other posts: Rosely's is in Dorchester - nowhere near BankNorth Garden or State Street Station - and certainly not five blocks away from either. And, in case you missed it, all the listings shown for large grocery stores require a subway ride. The only one within walking distance is the Whole Foods on Cambridge Street, which is not listed and is the one the poster said they DIDN'T want.

*****Correction friend- Newbury St supermarket is a 5 minute walk away from Quincy Mkt, and the mkt on Huntington is about a 15 min walk from Fan Hall, unless you have trouble walking on 2 legs. :)

ANYwhere in Boston can be reached via subway, the poster asked for someplace within walking distance and my listings are.

ALSO- department stores aplenty on Newbury St. and Huntington Ave- dare I mention Copley Square? or the MALL at Copley? MACY's department store and many others at that mall. ;) eik. Maybe some postee's will think you need a subway to get there too?

While I agree you can walk to most any area of the city, when folks are talking within walking distance of a supermarket, they usually mean carrying bags of "stuff". That certainly changes my definition of walkable. By the way, I don't want to get into an argument or anything, but there is absolutely no way that Newbury Street is a 5 minute walk from Fanueil Hall or that the Shaw's in the Pru is a 15 minute walk.

Thanks for you input everyone... Okay, so, not wanting to insult anyone or anything...but I've heard that in some cities, it's not "cool" or safe to shop at Wal-mart. That is not the case here in Hawaii, but when my neice was in Virginia for college she said that it was literally not safe to go to Wal-mart and that "normal" people shopped at Target. With that said, is there a Walmart, K-mart, Target, or the like near (either walking distance or a SHORT T-ride away)?

We get into Boston in the early evening and what we would like to do is get some snacks and breakfast foods, and if necessary, warmer or rain gear. We don't want to go far since it'll be our first steps in the city and it'll be getting dark (or be dark already once we get out of the airport). One group is staying next to TD Banknorth Garden (north station)and one group is near Faneuil Hall (near State station I think).

Thanks again for the tips...

kali

Kali,

Cool or not, there are no Kmarts or Walmarts or Targets in the Downtown Area. The closest urban mall with a Target is south of the city and you'd have to take a Red Line Subway (Andrew) to get there. You can pick up reasonably priced rain gear IF you really need it in Downtown Crossing in either TJ Maxx or Marshall's. Breakfast snacks are available at convenience stores all over the city. I know they are much more pricey than a Walmart, but by the time you factor in the $4 round-trip subway fare each in (that would be at least $8 for two people), you're not going to save anything searching to buy your snacks in a KMart or Walmart.

AlanM

Thanks Alan,
There's a Food Basket market on Congress Street between cross streets New Chardon and Subury. Is that walking distance (less than 1/2 mile-I have a 6 yr old in tow)from the Fleet center? Are there any family type restaurants (affordable and not a rowdy bar atmosphere) near the fleet center?

I know the Foodbasket sounds like a big super market, but it's actually a little convenience store. It certainly is close to the the Garden, so you can go there if you like. You're only a 10 minute walk from Quincy Market, which has a huge historic food court and lots of casual restaurants. And on the way, near the Holocaust Memorial, is a strip of Irish pubs that you can enjoy as well.

AlanSM

You know, I forgot to even mention the Haymarket, which is an outdoor bizarre selling fruits and vegetables. Talk about snack opportunities. It's open Fridays and Saturdays and is a very short walk from the hotel. It's just next to Quincy Market.