August 10, 2007

Meat and Greet

Avedano’s Holly Park Market

There are two kinds of meat markets. One you avoid like mad cow disease (unless you’re feeling really lonely). The other is an old-fashioned resource for making dinner.

Avedano’s Holly Park Market, the latest addition to Bernal Heights, falls into the latter category. It originally opened in 1901 as Cicero’s Meats, and co-owners Tia Harrison, Angela Wilson, and Melanie Eismann have kept the original flooring and tiles along with salvaged stamps and photos displayed throughout the store.

A 1950s glass case brims with fresh meat (lamb, beef, sausages) and fish (salmon, shrimp, you name it). Panini, seasonal soups, and Yucatan-style tacos rotate on the daily changing menu. Cooks on the go snap up prepared salads, side dishes, fresh pasta, individually packaged slices of lasagna, and a well-edited selection of local produce.

They also stock exotic spices, baby food pureed from fresh veggies, and chunky cookies from Harrison’s own Lucky Cooky Company.

Suddenly, dinner for one doesn’t sound so bad.

Avedano’s Holly Park Market, 235 Cortland Avenue, between Bocana and Bonview Streets (415-285-6328 or avedanos.com).