Stars
Push through the porthole-windowed door, and you'll swear you've walked into the design equivalent of that old "Sprockets" routine from Saturday Night Live. Everything here is in ridiculous conflict: Stately black tiles cover the floor and lower half of the walls, while bright and modernistic yellow paint finishes the job. The mirror above the starkly modern circular water basin (it really is a basin) is wedged into the corner, breaking your reflection into a surreal, fun-house. And the aural struggle between the television in the corner and the radio speaker in the ceiling is kind of funny: imagine Marvin Gaye doing play-by-play for a Red Sox game. But as men's rooms go, this one wins for being as conversation-inducing as that aforementioned German talk-show skit. 393 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA .
The Nautilus
Four years in, the Nautilus still has the hottest tables in town—no surprise given the trifecta of talented folks behind it. Chef Liam Mackey combines local seafood with Asian and Latin flavors in inspired small plates such as tempura oyster tacos wrapped in nori, while wine director Stephen Bowler curates a deep, Wine Spectator–lauded list that includes rare reserve vinos by the glass. And Culinary Institute of America–trained bar manager Clinton Terry draws on his background to craft mouthwatering cocktails featuring herbs, spices, and foams. Come summer, only day-of reservations are accepted—hurry, phone lines open at 1 p.m. 12 Cambridge St., Nantucket, MA 02554, nautilusnantucket.com.
Out of Town News
Big-city newsstands have mostly gone the way of afternoon dailies, but there are a couple of exceptions. Out of Town News gets the nod this year for four reasons. First, it's bigger than fellow standard-setter Copley Square News, and the extra real estate means it offers even more newspapers and magazines from all over the world. Second, it's a national historic landmark, meaning it's in little danger of disappearing. Third, it's right in Harvard Square, where the people-watching is first rate. And last, because Nini's Corner, directly across Massachusetts Avenue, is a pretty good newsstand itself—a boon to anyone too lazy to cross the street to find a magazine. Zero Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA .
Café Fleuri
Before it reopened after renovations and started serving only dinner, Aujourd'hui at the Four Seasons had a seemingly unshakable hold on the title of best power breakfast. Now that honor has been decisively usurped by Café Fleuri—a sunny, cushy space at the Langham Hotel where every weekday morning the elite now meet to eat. Financiers, lawyers, politicos, and every bigwig in between file in to carve up the universe while they're carving up their fruit-covered waffles and Maine lobster and soft scrambled eggs. Breakfast of champions, indeed. 250 Franklin St., Boston, MA boston.langhamhotels.com/restaurants/best_boston_restaurants.htm.
Au Soleil Catering
Turning out memorable meals in private homes—which often means tight quarters and picky palates—is a task that could sap any chef's muse. No surprise the catering arm of the vaunted L'Espalier/Sel de la Terre group is more than up to the challenge. Planning a small fete, we laid out the hurdles: seafood allergies, vegan diets, decorating don'ts. Au Soleil fired back with scads of ideas, including using petits fours as favors and dressing the table with bouquets of our favorite blooms. From intimate dinners to 600-person galas, this event-maker handles every gathering with aplomb. 148 Hampden St., Boston, MA 2119, ausoleilcatering.com.
Abe & Louie's
There aren't a lot of culinary bells and whistles on the menu at Abe & Louie's, which is just fine. This is, after all, a steakhouse. And on that front, chef Bill Bramlette delivers. He sticks to USDA prime cuts that are aged four or five weeks to succulent perfection. Choices run the gamut, from New York sirloin to bone-in filets and 24-ounce porterhouses. And unlike some kitchens we won't name, when you order your meat medium-rare, that's what you get. On the beverage end, a lusty list of wines, heavy on red grape varietals, provides the perfect match. 793 Boylston St., Boston, MA abeandlouies.com.
L'Espalier
Putting his own stamp on fusion fare, chef Frank McClelland has managed to combine the best of French culinary techniques with local New England ingredients to stunning effect. McClelland's legendary degustation menus are worth the splurge: When we get a hankering for pot au feu, tapenade, or petits fours, we head to Gloucester Street. Did we mention the cheese tasting—oh la la. Simply put, L'Espalier is where Bostonians turn when the meal just has to go perfectly. 774 Boylston St, Boston, MA lespalier.com.
Ember
When this hypnotically arty restaurant-bar designed and owned by a local architect made its debut four years ago, it not only lent zing to the South Shore dining scene, but also beckoned Cape-bound cosmopolites with its expertly shaken martinis, mod leather furnishings, and moody firelight. The arrival of new executive chef George Willette last fall boosted the culinary substance—e.g., tuna tataki, lobster and goat cheese pizza—to match Ember's abundant style, making this nightspot a white-hot proposition, indeed. 459 Plain St. (Rte. 139), Marshfield, MA 2050, .
Sports Club/LA
Buff, Lycraclad CEOs ogle the quads of passing yoga addicts; yoga addicts ogle the finely tuned glutes of venture capitalists; interior designers swap tall tales of ankle twists by the pool; and male and female models struggle to understand their StairMaster readouts. Boston has never seen a fitness club like this—largely because it's as much urban country club and schmoozefest as gym. In this top-dollar, luxury-ridden setting meld two of humanity's greatest aphrodisiacs: money and sweat. Pound for pound, this four-star spectacle has the most muscle in town. 2 Avery St., Boston, MA boston.sportsclubla.com.
George Wright Golf Club
This Donald Ross-designed course is tucked deep in the heart of Hyde Park. Once you're there, you'll find a challenging Depression-era par-70 layout that calls for patience: The two par fives are reachable in two shots only for the longer hitters, while the par fours vary from the very long (the 450-yard #10) to the very short (the 313-yard #2). Holes 8 through 10 can make or break a good round. Expect a good test of all facets of your game, in addition to some considerable time waiting to tee off. This is city golf, after all. 420 West St., Hyde Park, MA .
The Sunset Grill & Tap
True medical fact: If you sat down at the bar at Sunset and drank only four ounces of each beer in stock, you'd die a horribly painful death, probably by exploding. But if you're willing to take a more sober excursion through the world of malted, fermented beverages, the Sunset is your place. Silverback Gorilla Black Coffee Ale? Got it. Hacker-Pschorr Dunkel? You bet. All told, the Sunset boasts nearly 600 beers, including 111 on tap and three beer engines for those cask-conditioned ales. 130 Brighton Ave., Allston, MA .
Boston Calling
The Killers. Paramore. Eminem. This year Boston Calling welcomed some of its biggest names to date. It also finally settled into its new digs at the Harvard Athletic Complex after a few growing pains in 2017. The sprawling grounds gave the fest the chance to add a third venue for even more concerts as well as ample open space for seriously upgraded food options, from the Smoke Shop’s barbecue-brisket sammies to Area Four’s garlic knots. And for those in need of a break from rocking out in the sun? An indoor comedy venue offering a rotating array of top-notch performers and soothing AC. MA bostoncalling.com.
Honeycomb Creamery
Former Union Square Donuts kitchen manager Kristen Rummel and her husband, Rory Hanlon, started churning up batches of ice cream for deliveries and pop-ups in 2015. Now their new Cambridge brick-and-mortar dishes out even more of those sweet, fluffy scoops, made with milk and cream from Mapleline Farm in Hadley. Seasonal flavors like Meyer lemon-ginger and cookie-laden alfajores make it tough to choose just one, which is why we usually opt for Honeycomb's ice cream flight—a four-flavor assortment sprinkled with waffle-cone chips. 1702 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138, honeycombcreamery.com.
Bliss Home
If happiness is platinum-rimmed white porcelain from northern Italy, then joy is a set of four ultrasuede coasters in seven different color combinations. Together, they represent the half-modern, half-classic nature of Bliss, a home-goods emporium that incorporates everything from chaise longues (made in Milan) to stainless steel—lined doggy bowls. Bliss earns the nod for best bridal registry not only because of the unusual and international flavor of its stock, but also for its accommodating employees, who are more than happy to educate the bride (and clueless grooms) about the difference between Waterford and Wedgwood. 121 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
Phoenix Landing
Discussions of Boston’s Irish pubs typically involve squirrely notions of authenticity. The problem is, no such thing exists, and most attempts ring about as true as some "Ireland-land" simulacrum at Epcot. So this year we decided to give the nod instead to the best pub, period, which just so happens to be Irish (a subtle but important distinction). The Phoenix Landing is like four bars in one: You can go for a quiet afternoon pint alone, brunch with the family, crack-of-dawn soccer broadcasts, or nighttime dancing to some of the best DJ talent around. 512 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 2139, phoenixlandingbar.com.