Brown Sugar Café
Spicy, sour, salty, and sweet: In Thailand, the perfect meal offers all four tastes. And with its extensive menu, Brown Sugar Café furnishes plenty of options for creating the consummate Thai dinner. Now that a second, larger location on Commonwealth Avenue has joined the charming original spot in the Fenway, the options have doubled. Specialties are all over the map, from comforting dishes for fire-averse tongues (such as the pineapple fried rice, flaky and aromatic steamed ginger bass, and sweet tamarind duck) to more incendiary plates of chili scallops with bamboo shoots and scallions. Try the stir-fried beer with macadamia nuts, and wash it down with a Singha beer. 1033 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA brownsugarcafe.com.
Bia Bistro
That contented sigh that comes with shucking off the 9-to-5 suit in favor of jeans and a tee? It's the same one you might hear any night at this four-year-old bistro, as diners relax into its placid charms. Dusky red walls and buttery candlelight set the scene for chef Brian Houlihan's contemporary versions of European comfort-food classics, like duck confit with poached figs, steak au poivre, and tarte Tatin. Figure in a modest but irreproachable wine list, and a night at Bia goes down easy in every sense. 25 N. Main St., Cohasset Village, MA 2025, biabistro.com.
Perfect 10 Unisex Salon
The name says it all: Catering to all hair types and textures, this small but mighty team of stylists score the highest marks for their gorgeous weaves, silk presses, locs, and braids. And that’s not the only way in which they’re giving Bostonians a boost: The salon was recently the only small business in Massachusetts to be awarded a HartBeat of Main Street grant from Main Street America, thanks in part to owner (and mother of four) Kanessa Alexander’s efforts to give back to the community. Now that’s what we call beautiful. 1896 Centre St., West Roxbury, MA 02132, perfect10hairsalon.com.
Idle Hands Craft Ales
Since Idle Hands arrived early into the Boston area’s craft-brewery explosion in 2011, times have certainly changed: Plenty of other makers have joined the game, and you can now find a juicy, locally made IPA on every corner. But founder Chris Tkach continues to set the pace by adding trendier brews, such as the Kill Your Idles sour beer series, to a lineup distinguished by exemplary European styles. His flagship hop bomb Four Seam, meanwhile, is still one of the best hazy IPAs around. 89 Commercial St., Malden, MA 02148, idlehandscraftales.com/site.
The Eliot Hotel
If you want blinking neon welcome signs, uninspiring neutral furnishings, and tasteless room service in an anonymous structure, don't come here. The four-star Eliot is an intimate and cozy home away from home (we should all live so well) with a decidedly European flair. Its beautifully furnished one- and two-bedroom suites, featuring living rooms and private pantries, are the perfect respire following a day exploring the Back Bay or simply as an urban retreat with your honey. And right downstairs is the nationally acclaimed restaurant Clio. 370 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA .
Fred Donovan and John Dewar
The John Dewar & Company operation has been in business only since October, but already its commercial clients include Front Street, the Hermitage, and Jason's. The Dewar company also encourages retail business at its 753 Beacon St., Newton, address. According to Fred Donovan, the vice-president and chief meat cutter of the store, "We're not trying for the strong sell. We just want to satisfy the customer. We don't care if they come in for one hot dog or four ounces of hamburger. We treat all our customers the same." John Dewar & Company, .
Tim's Bar & Grill
No two ways about it: Tim's is a dive. Not a dressed-down yuppie hot spot marketing itself as "casual" and "unpretentious," but an honest-to-goodness greasy spoon. But where else would you find the low-priced burgers in the city? Tim's are so enormous—a full pound of beef for four bucks—they make your jaw ache. They're the kind of burgers that, with each bite, send pink juice running down your arms. The kind where your napkin is in tatters after five minutes. And Tim's is the kind of place where when you ask for medium-rare, it comes medium rare. 329 Columbus Ave., Boston, MA .
Crane Beach
The white sand goes on forever—or at least for four-and-a-half miles. This North Shore strip has the dunes, the best-blended concession stands, the most peaceful ambience—all in a preserved marshland setting that makes the parking fee ($9 to $15—half price after 3 p.m. every day) worth it. Besides, proceeds go to the Trustees of Reservations to protect historic homes in the area. If the greenheads are getting nippy, as they can in August, head uphill and tour the grounds of the historic Crane estate, and make a pit stop for fried clams at Woodman's around the corner. Argilla Rd., Ipswich, MA .
New England Mobile Book Fair
The up-and-comer in this category is the nearly four-year-old Newtonville Books, but while that otherwise admirable small shop considers its lack of organization quaint and quirky, we just think it's confusing. The system at our pick, the family-owned New England Mobile Book Fair, also doesn't seem at first to make a lot of sense (the books are shelved by publisher) but turns out to be a piece of cake. Plus the relevance for books among the customers and knowledgeable staff is palpable, new hardcovers are discounted 20 to 30 percent, and you can spend contented hours in the endless warehouse-style stacks. 82-84 Needham St., Newton, MA nebookfair.com.
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.
The Foundry
The city of Cambridge transformed this former factory into a gorgeous, multipurpose creative hive with the explicit goal of offering accessible space to artists and artisans in a city that, more often than not, prices them out. Among the Foundry’s public amenities are reservable conference rooms; four makerspaces offering workshops for fi ber arts, woodwork, and more; a demonstration kitchen; a dance studio; and a 115-seat black-box theater. Not artistically inclined? No problem — you’ll also find Zumba classes, gallery shows, and guitar festivals, all open to the public. 101 Rogers St., Cambridge, MA 02142, cambridgefoundry.org.
Uni
Why go to Japan for sushi when Uni sushi chef Tsuyoshi “Take” Takeishi can bring the freshest Japanese fish straight to you? Pull up one of four barstools reserved every Thursday night at Uni for the new Edomae-style omakase tasting experience, and across 20 courses and two hours, Takeishi will prepare and serve you exceptional seasonal bites, stopping only to show you on his tablet some of the unfamiliar seafood — striped beakfish, broadbanded thornyhead, purple sea urchin from Nagasaki — that makes every bite worth swooning over. 370A Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 02115, uni-boston.com.
Silver Whisk Bake Shop
You personalize so many elements of your wedding day—why have a basic cake? Silver Whisk Bake Shop works with each couple to create a confection unique to their style, with two constants: understated elegance and surprising flavors (think: matcha and lychee). And while COVID-19 temporarily puts a pause on parties, the Stoneham bakery has been staying busy delivering wedding-cake tasting boxes and packaged petit fours—jewel-like sponges coated in Swiss-meringue buttercream and sealed with chocolate that are a perfect taste of sweeter times to come. silverwhiskbakeshop.com.
Bristol Lounge
Like early 19th-century vintage and all the glamor it entails, the Bristol Lounge is back. Actually, like the classic pearls and impeccably cut suits you'll find around its tables, the Bristol never really went away. But after losing this category last year to the Harvest, the Four Seasons' lounge and its burger have reclaimed their places in our hearts, and the reason why is simple: sweet beef that fills your mouth with so much flavor it's almost surreal. Toppings—from the thick and fruity slice of ripe tomato the specialty mustards and perfectly toasted bun—are first rate. Service is prompt and polite, and the setting is pure suave sophistication. Four Seasons Hotel, 200 Boylston St., Boston, MA fourseasons.com/boston/dining/the_bristol_lounge.
Casa Romero
A good rule of thumb for determining whether or not a restaurant serves authentic Mexican cuisine is to scan its menu for ceviche, pozole, flan, and café de olla. Casa Romero, tucked into a tiny Back Bay alleyway, has all four, as well as nicely executed traditional main courses such as enchiladas, verde or poblano; chicken mole; and tenderloin of pork marinated in orange and smoked chipotle peppers. The margaritas are tasty; the service is, well, serviceable enough; and the atmosphere, mellow and intimate. Hit Casa Romero during summer and you can dine in its lovely courtyard. 30 Gloucester St., Boston, MA casaromero.com.