Red Fire Farm
From collard greens to juicy strawberries, Red Fire Farm’s certified-organic CSA shares overflow with the freshness and vibrancy of a New England summer. Grown by Ryan Voiland, who began tilling the soil of Montague with his parents in middle school, the produce is shipped to 10 pickup spots in Boston, so you never have to leave the concrete jungle to connect with the land. MA redfirefarm.com.
Crescent Ridge Dairy
Made from premium hormone- and antibiotic-free milk, the generous scoops at 50-plus-year-old Crescent Ridge are as thick and luscious as ever. And now that the Sharon-based ice cream maker has an operation in Boston Public Market, we can get our fix of cake batter, orange-pineapple, and salted-caramel chocolate-pretzel without leaving the city. 100 Hanover St., Boston, MA crescentridgedairybar.com.
The Smoke Shop
Pitmaster Andy Husbands has fired up three Boston-area locations of his stylish, citified barbecue joint in just three years—and we still can’t get enough of his tender brisket and signature spicy-agave wings. Husbands’s smoky meats pair wonderfully with pit beans, pimiento mac ’n’ cheese, and other rib-sticking sides—not to mention selections from a miles-deep whiskey list that spans outposts. One Kendall Sq., Cambridge, MA thesmokeshopbbq.com.
Orinoco
Orinoco has churned out irresistible arepas and empanadas for nearly 10 years—the only difference is that now you can enjoy the restaurant's slow-cooked baby-back ribs with guava barbecue sauce, juicy adobo-criollo chicken with malanga gnocchi, and gut-busting plates of shredded beef, rice, beans, and plantains in three neighborhoods. Whether you're in Boston, Cambridge, or Brookline, there's a killer empanada within walking distance. (Multiple locations.) 477 Shawmut Ave., Boston, MA 02118, orinocokitchen.com.
Life Alive
A new Boston staffer—a meat-loving New York transplant—recently ran into the office, excited after "discovering" Life Alive. It was then that we realized how lucky we are to have had this organic café long before the whole grain-bowl-kombucha-juice-bar thing got trendy. Just try "The Adventurer," a mash-up of corn, beets, cruciferous veggies, cheddar, and sesame-ginger sauce over quinoa and rice and see for yourself. 765 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139, lifealive.com.
Qingdao Garden
Boston reps several styles of Chinese cuisine well—we have fiery Sichuan specialists, Taiwanese soup-dumpling pros, and temples to luxurious Cantonese seafood in Chinatown. For the floury, dumpling-heavy cuisine of the north, we head straight to Qingdao. There you'll find plates of fragrant cumin-laced lamb, crispy pan-fried leek-stuffed pies, and, most important, a massive roster of house-made dumplings in varieties like pork-and-leek and vegetarian string bean. 2382 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138, qingdaogarden.com.
Erbaluce
With its dim lighting, convenient Bay Village locale, and peerless carbonara pasta, Erbaluce has been a destination for occasion Italian dining since it opened in 2008. Perhaps less appreciated, however, is chef Charles Draghi's separate, weeknight-friendly bar menu, where saucy boar meatballs topped with plumes of herbs, and thick prosciutto-and-fontina paninis pair well with an endless flow of lambrusco by the glass. *** Erbaluce is located at 69 Church St. Boston MA 02116 in Bay Village near the Park Plaza. 69 Church St., Boston, MA 02116, erbaluce-boston.com.
Stellabella Toys
So often, toy shopping is an experience in extremes: You’re either wading in aisle-to-aisle plastic packaging or browsing precious baubles curated to please parents’ aesthetics, not kids’. Stellabella, however, has found the sweet spot at its four Boston-area stores. Its stacking cups are environmentally friendly but also fun for your growing infant, and the baby dolls are soft, cuddly, and ethnically diverse. Also find German-made tricycles, sturdy play kitchens and firehouses, and Legos galore. 1360 Cambridge St., Cambridge; and other locations, stellabellatoys.com.
Hudson
You might say Hudson has New England roots and California tips. That's the product of the decor vision of owner-designer Jill Goldberg, whose store is an ecumenical palette of vintage, modern, romantic, and tribal. There are soft, sweet sofas by Shabby Chic; stately Oly chairs and ottomans; and art deco-accented lamps from Worlds Away. It's an aesthetic that can make any Boston home kinder, gentler, and full-on cozier. 312 Shawmut Ave., Boston, MA hudsonboston.com.
Streetcar Wine & Beer
Streetcar might not be the biggest shop in Boston, but that actually works to your advantage: Owner Michael Dupuy selects every bottle from the finest, most conscientious producers, which translates to absolutely zero fluff on the shelves (there simply isn’t room for it). Choose from a diverse range of price points and varietals, most from great local importers like Mise, Oz Wine Company, and Adonna Imports, as well as an unprecedented range of sherries, vermouths, digestifs, and natural wines. 488 Centre St., Jamaica Plain, MA 2130, streetcarwines.com.
Julie Erickson, Endurance Pilates and Yoga
With 20 exercise and teaching certifications, Julie Erickson certainly has the cred. But education alone doesn’t make a great trainer. Erickson’s technique is very hands-on—she’ll tell you exactly what parts you’re strengthening and why while she works with you in her Arlington studio. Erickson has also selflessly donated her time and energy to help victims of the Boston Marathon bombings regain their strength. 446 Massachusetts Ave., Arlington, MA 2474, endurancepilatesandyoga.com.
Inn at St. Botolph
The fanny pack and walking shoes may mark you as a tourist, but your digs definitely won’t. Tucked away in the Back Bay, this brownstone inn blends in with its neighbors, keeping your tourist status our little secret. Small and intimate, the property’s suites feature copper fireplaces and signature bow-front windows, creating a quintessential Boston experience. 99 St. Botolph St., Boston, MA 2116, innatstbotolph.com.
David Ives
The president of WGBH will do anything to solicit a buck for Channel 2; luckily for his audience, he's got a class act. At a Boston Pops fundraising special last spring, Ives took on Gilbert and Sullivan, singing innumerable verses of "I Am the Very Model of a Public TV President" to the tune of "Modern Major General"; it was a high point in the history of panhandling. MA
Parish Cafe
It's hard to compete with a sandwich joint that's tapping into the culinary genius of just about every megachef in Boston. Among the delicacies on the roster of almost two dozen sandwiches: Chris Schlesinger's smoked ham and cheese with mango chutney, Lydia Shire's lobster salad sandwich, and Michael Shlow's rare sirloin with caramelized onions and horseradish cream. The only real problem here is figuring out which one to order. 361 Boylston Street, Boston, MA parishcafe.com.
Cutty's
After 40 years of Best of Boston, it takes a lot to shock us. But if you told us that we would eat a sandwich that doesn't even have meat—Cutty's eggplant spuckie, a ciabatta roll filled with mozzarella, olive-carrot salad, and, of course, roasted eggplant—and that it'd be one of the best sandwiches we've ever eaten, we'd be shocked. Guess what? We were shocked. Also great: the sandwiches that actually have meat (go Saturday for the special pork). 284 Washington St., Brookline, MA cuttyfoods.com.