Ole Mexican Grill
In the quest for great Mexican, of which Boston has little (relative to, say, El Paso or San Diego), much recent praise has been heaped on the champions of 'authentic' cuisine, and on pre-Hispanic recipes like cuitlacoche crepes. But you know what? Sometimes we don't want to munch fried grasshoppers. Sometimes we want enchiladas with damn good rice and beans. And so we've rediscovered our love for Olé, where chef Erwin Ramos serves mole and pozole as authentic as any out there, but isn't too proud to serve chiles rellenos and shrimp tacos, too. (By the way: The latter, stuffed with pickled cabbage and gently fried camarones, are worth their weight in Spanish gold.) 11 Springfield St., Cambridge, MA 2139, olegrill.com.
Matt Murphy's
For those who think great Irish food is an oxymoron, we say, Get thee to Matt Murphy's. True, there's been a recent explosion of Celtic fare in Boston, but Matt Murphy's owns this category. The pub feels as authentic as a Guinness in Dublin, including mismatched tables and chairs, an itty-bitty bathroom squeezed into the back of the kitchen, and a display of rubber fisherman's boots. Of course, the beer selection is noteworthy (choice offerings: Franziskaner Weissbier, Bellhaven Scottish Ale), but the food is even better. The egg-salad sandwich with hand-cut smoked bacon is amazing, and so huge you need to split it with a date. And don't miss the crispy cod and chips, which comes wrapped in the Irish Times, the Irish sausage and beans, and the rich shepherds pie. 14 Harvard Street, Brookline, MA mattmurphyspub.com.
Burlington Mall
Who says malls are dead? Once a ho-hum suburban shopping center, this overhauled megaplex now stands out not only for its selection of upscale shops but also its destination-worthy dining and drinking spots: It’s home to the only Boston-area Parm (Contessa’s casual little sister); an outpost of Maine’s beloved Bennett’s Sandwich Shop; and Common Craft, a 9,000-square-foot space where you can sip bevvies from your favorite local distillers, brewers, and wine makers after browsing the wares at Anthropologie and Tory Burch. Toasting a new home purchase? A brick-and-mortar Joss & Main store, from local online home-goods purveyor Wayfair, is slated to move in this summer. 75 Middlesex Turnpike, Burlington, MA 1803, simon.com/mall/burlington-mall.
Matt Shearer
Nick Lavallee/Wicked Joyful This WBZ NewsRadio reporter has become so recognizable for his roving video stories — consistently clever, often amusing segments about colorful local characters and regional idiosyncrasies — that local toymaker Wicked Joyful (a.k.a. Nick Lavallee) immortalized the social creator as an action figure. Fitting, since Shearer did something low-key heroic in December when he orchestrated a recording-studio session for unhoused singer Ara Bolster, whom he’d encountered randomly on the street, and helped her release an original single on Bandcamp, where the song quickly earned her thousands of dollars. Bolster cried joyously, Dunkin’ recruited her to perform at Logan Airport with the Boston Pops, and a CBS Evening News segment took note. This dude really is that good. instagram.com/reportermatt.
Po Boy
Editor’s Note, July 1, 2 p.m.: After our 2016 Best of Boston issue was published in print and online, reports surfaced that Po Boy has closed, future unknown. Calls to the restaurant have gone unanswered.
It’s not just the Mardi Gras beads or the TV tuned to French Quarter street performers. Eric Cormier’s tiny, chatty Newtonville shop—with its three nicked booths and the scent of fried seafood hanging heavy in the air—feels like something ripped right out of Elysian Fields. More important, Cormier’s take on New Orleans’ ubiquitous sandwich, the po’ boy, is a faithful facsimile, a crusty baguette layered with tangy rémoulade and Captain Marden’s–sourced catfish and oysters. 67 Crafts St., Newton, MA 02458, .
Glen Cunningham, Baptiste Power Yoga Institute
In characteristic Baptiste Power Yoga fashion, the temperature during Glen Cunningham's methodical Vinyasa-style classes is set to a steamy 90 degrees (though the room feels much hotter). But the unique playfulness Cunningham brings to each rigorous session in the Boston studio has students smiling through even the most painful positions. Cunningham's gentle, yet powerful, presence is supported by three years of study in Anusara yoga, a technique that emphasizes graceful alignment principles and ancient Tantric philosophy. In other words, he knows from the intricacies of body positioning, and can speak to every student's strengths and differences. It's a fun and invigorating twist on the Baptiste Power Yoga style that has devotees lining up to stretch and sweat. 139 Columbus Ave., Boston, MA baronbaptiste.com/the-boston-studios.
Allston Beat
American men count on their counterparts in the Mother Country, Great Britain, to do two things: support the White House's military policies and show the rest of us how to dress. Here in Boston, guys who seek to effect the casual cool of The Naked Chef's Jamie Oliver (as opposed to, say, the dandyish look of Foreign Secretary Jack Straw) can browse the racks at Allston Beat, which turns in the best local imitation of a fashionable-but-affordable High Street boutique. This Newbury Street shop, once better known for peddling over-the-top clubwear, now stocks a more understated inventory that leans heavily towards jeans by Levis, G-Star, and Earl, retro-inspired button-downs by Ben Sherman, and Fred Perry warmups. The back of the store is devoted to shelves lined with old-school trainers (sorry—sneakers) that you're not likely to find at Foot Locker. 348 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
The Plough & Stars
A real pint of Guinness takes time to pour. So while you're waiting at the bar in this old Cambridge haunt, take a gander at the great menu (with standbys like steak and roasted fish, all under $10) or a soccer game broadcast from Europe. Or just kick back and listen to one of the surprisingly talented musical acts that show up nightly. The crowd—a mix of intellectuals and down-and-outers, young and old, casual drinkers and straight-up drunks—makes for good people watching. Not a Guinness fan? The bar serves 20 different beers and all the usual boozes. And if you're in the mood for a smoke, go ahead and light up (at least until October 1, when Cambridge bans smoking, too)—you're not in Boston anymore. 912 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA ploughandstars.com.
The Barking Crab
We're suckers for any patch of down-home coastal life dropped smack in the heart of downtown Boston. But, even if we weren't, the Barking Crab would still be the best catch in its category. Cheap, straightforward seafood—fragrant steamers, crab legs so big they're architectural structures, and cod that flakes in moist, white chunks—is the draw. Don't expect to write home about the service: This place is on island time. But, somehow, the meal, the kitschy breeze-blown fishing nets on the walls, the salty air, the creaky wooden floorboards, and the ice-cold beer evoke the kind of sunburned day that loosens our standards—and our belts—a little. And isn't that, after all, the very definition of clam shack chic? 88 Sleeper St., Boston, MA barkingcrab.com.
Merengue Restaurant & Catering
Merely stepping inside this Dominican restaurant's tropical-hued interior is enough to banish all thoughts of dreary New England weather. Tuck into a platter of tostones, and the illusion is complete. 160 Blue Hill Ave., Roxbury, MA 02125, merenguerestaurant.com.
Tony Maws, Craigie Street Bistrot
If ever there was a feel-good pill for these challenging times, chef Tony Maws's cooking at Craigie Street Bistrot is it. Troubles fall away as soon as you set foot in this subterranean restaurant and its cozy dining room, a warmly decorated space that oozes with "aw shucks, c'mon in" charm. (Maws's mother even works the door, making everyone feel instantly at home.) Former sous-chef to Ken Oringer at Clio, Maws has made Craigie Street a stage for showcasing his training in Boston and a previous stint in France. The menu, which features five appetizers, five entrées, and five desserts nightly, seduces diners with casual French country flavors: roasted breast of Muscovy duck, herb-crusted monkfish, marinated skirt steak, and classic crème caramel. Each dish perfectly captures the ingredients, all market fresh and seasonal. If you must choose only one reason to love Tony Maws and his little bistro, it's the price: The three-course prix fixe is only $29.99, a cost anyone can swallow. 5 Craigie Circle, Cambridge, MA craigieonmain.com.
Joyce Linehan's Living-Room Book Events
Punk-rock promoter turned political power player Joyce Linehan has had some famous houseguests in her day. In the ’90s, Courtney Love crashed at her place; in the late 2010s, Linehan convinced an obscure Harvard Law professor named Elizabeth Warren to run for Senate in her living room. And since 2017, that same enormous Dorchester living room has hosted the city’s coziest and most eclectic literary series. There are only two rules: No true crime, and every guest of honor gets his or her face memorialized on an ink stamp. Yes, Linehan’s tastes still veer rockwise, with visits from rockers-turned-authors Warren Zanes and Bill Janovitz. But she's hosted plenty of policy and politics, too, from Congressman Jamie Raskin and former Labor secretary Robert Reich to New Yorker staff writer Patrick Radden Keefe. Highlights from the past year include writer and playwright Nick Flynn, The Big Dig podcast host (and fellow Best of Boston winner) Ian Coss, and ex-Gawker labor reporter Hamilton Nolan. Dorchester, MA
Dine Out and Give Back
It's the perfect equation: Good food plus a great cause means everybody wins. The Place: Pammy's The Order: Chef Chris Willis’s artisanal breads (rustic Pugliese, please!), available for $20 a loaf. The Cause: Half the bread-loaf proceeds benefit a weekly-changing charity supporting BIPOC communities, like the American Civil Liberties Union. aclu.org The Place: Trina's Starlite Lounge The Order: Chill out during a socially distant summer with the frozen whiskey smash ($12). It gets a hit of crème de cacao alongside the standard lemon and mint. The Cause: Two bucks per drink—made with booze from a Black-female-run Tennessee distillery named for Nathan “Nearest” Green, an enslaved man who taught Jack Daniels whiskey making in the 1850s—goes to Black Lives Matter Boston. blacklivesmatterboston.org The Place: The Picnic Grove at Cambridge Crossing The Order: Take your pick! At this two-month-long al fresco pop-up, chef Will Gilson will preview multiple menu highlights from the Lexington, his restaurant/café/rooftop bar juggernaut that is slated to open in September. The Cause: A portion of all July and August proceeds goes to Lovin’ Spoonfuls, a food-rescue organization marking its 10th year of service. lovinspoonfulsinc.org
Curious George
Photo by Jesse Burke Anatomy of a Winner: We all shed tears when our favorite impetuous primate and his long-suffering companion, the man with the yellow hat, lost their Harvard Square home in 2011. Luckily, the world's only Curious George store reopened in the same location last year, with an expanded focus and a brand-new interior. Besides the original books by Margret and H. A. Rey, here are some of the things we love about the shop. 1. Stroller valet means there's nary a carriage in sight and more room for playing and browsing. 2. Small visitors can curl up with a book in the popular reading nook. 3. Stuffed versions of the iconic monkey range from eight to thirty-six inches. 4. Local playthings, like this "Pirates of Boston" puzzle from Marblehead's Mud Puddle Toys, are on offer. 5. Exclusive T-shirts emblazoned with the shop's namesake and friends are designed in-house. 6. Trying out the display toys—like these bright Crocodile Creek balls—is encouraged. One JFK St., Cambridge, MA thecuriousgeorgestore.com.
Uni
You won't find any California rolls at chef Ken Oringer's new sashimi bar, Uni. What you will find is the most unbelievably fresh raw fish this side of Tokyo, prepared in the most imaginative ways we've ever seen. We consider the fact that there are even any competitors in the sashimi category a giant leap forward for Boston, a town that until recently had few decent sushi restaurants, which is why this year we created an entirely new category to separate the brave (those who relish the delicate flavor of uncooked fish) from the beginners (those who prefer their fish in a maki roll). Oringer's menu at the intimate Uni varies depending on what has been flown in that day (sometimes live—Oringer loves to prepare his own fresh eel), which he serves straight up or in delicately balanced preparations like the decadent uni spoon, a mouthful of sea urchin, quail egg, osetra caviar, and chives, or the mirugai (giant clam) sashimi with wasabi leaves and red pickled onion. And with a creative drink menu (the subtly spicy "enter the dragon" is not to be missed) and extensive sake selection, we expect that Uni will continue making experts out of those beginners. At Clio, Eliot Hotel, 370 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA unisashimibar.com.