Brookline Liquor Mart
There are plenty of great wine stores in Boston, but what keeps Brookline one step ahead of the pack are its serious French wines—particularly Burgundies and Rhones. BLM has been bringing in Guigal's great Rhones for more than a generation, and the result is a selection that is extraordinarily broad and deep. Bargain hunters can look for finds in BLM's basement and close-out bins, and special at its Saturday tastings. And for the real oenophile cum computer geek, its e-mail newsletter, with Roger Ormon's informative tasting notes, keeps you abreast of a wide range of special offerings, as does its Web site at www.blmwine.com. 1354 Commonwealth Ave., Allston, MA .
Maria's Pastry Shop
Yes, we love the biscotti (and the heavenly hazelnut meringues) at Biscotti's, made by a strapping soccer-playing lad from Salerno (95 Salem Street, Boston, 617-227-8365). But on North End pastry expeditions, we head to Maria's Pastry Shop, where Maria Merola continues to turn out her addictive, chocolate-drenched spice cookies; crunchy, shell-shaped sfogliatelle and extravagant lobster tails; soft, nearly fat-free anisette cookies; big, wheel-shapped taralli; and, of course, cannoli filled to order. Some North End traditions won't change, come hell or Big Dig derricks. 46 Cross St., Boston, MA .
Pomodoro
On any given night you can find crowds gathered on the sidewalk outside this cramped, noisy, hole-in-the-wall North Ender, jostling for the chance to dive into some of the freshest homestyle Italian cooking in Boston. Pomodoro is not fancy; it's cash only, and offers only two wine choices, house red and white. But it is damn good. Our advice: While you wait for a table, nibble from a plate of crisp, lightly fried calamari with tomato sauce, and save room for pastas, seafood, and veal dishes that sing with simple bold flavors. Ever-present properietor Siobhan Carew makes this place a gem. 319 Hanover Street, Boston, MA .
T.T. the Bear's Place
Boston has no shortage of excellent small music venues, but T.T.'s just keeps edging out the competition. Perhaps it's because former Clash guitarist Mick Jones chose this Central Square nook to showcase his new group last April. Or because it features a healthy mix of worthy local bands and visiting punk veterans like New Model Army and Jesse Malin. Or because some weekends DJ Chris Ewen busts out our favorite '80s New Wave classics. Whatever. It's cramped, it's sticky, it's totally authentic—and it's unbeatable. 10 Brookline St., Cambridge, MA 2139, ttthebears.com.
DJ Bruno
Sometimes a little 'YMCA' is all it takes to get the party started. Other times, it's enough to send it packing. With two decades of experience, DJ Bruno knows what to spin when, and where. His far-reaching musical arsenal gets clubbers going nightly—devotees never miss his Sunday R&B-meets-house-meets-soul party at Boston Rocks, or his upbeat hip-hop and reggae beats on Thursdays at Caprice. Request the Village People, if you must; he'll have your hands up in no time. MA djbruno.com.
Cyprian Keyes Golf Club
When Mark Twain called golf a good walk spoiled, he'd never walked Cyprian Keyes. Built just two years ago with a sensitive eye to the ecosystem, this Central Mass sprawl of wetlands and high pines feels like a private club, from the well-maintained fairways and greens to the cushy clubhouse and steep fees ($52 weekends). It's a tough course, but utterly fair to those playing the front tees: 6, 844 yards form the back tees, 5, 079 from the reds. At only 40 minutes from Boston, you'll wish you could take out a membership. Boylston, MA
Dirt Merchants
At a time when well-deserving Boston bands are being dropped by major labels left and right, Dirt Merchants is about to have a second major label release on Sony's Epic. Winners of the 1994 WBCN Rock 'n' Roll Rumble, this quintet is fronted by vocalist/guitarist Maria Christopher, whose sweet and sultry voice caught the attention of Entertainment Weekly and Billboardmagazines. Last year, Sony/Epic rereleased the band's first CD, Scarified,which has been compared to such disparate bands as Sonic Youth, the Cowboy Junkies, and Pink Floyd.
Yankee Trader Seafoods
The aquatic critters sold here are fresh enough to bite back. Also highly recommended: The Davis Square Fish Market & Sea Grill at 27 Holland St. in Sommerville, more a lunch counter than a real market, serves a big variety of seafood (spawn and cusk are on the menu in season) prepared any way you request it. A tomato or grapefruit juice cocktail, a mixed salad cut up to order, vegetables, and potatoes come on dinners. Freddie the Fish, a combination fish market and restaurant in Day Square, East Boston, also cooks up plentiful portions of surf food at low prices and boasts a small selection of good wine and beer as well. 100 Front St., Scituate Harbor, MA .
Trina's Starlite Lounge
Hipsters, locals, and industry folk mingle at this Inman hangout, where stiff drinks and retro vibes accompany seriously good late-night eats, cranked out by the kitchen staff till midnight on weekends. The crisp tots with rosemary-garlic aioli pair well with a Green Goblin (a neon mezcal-based tipple), as does the beefy Starlite chili with a side of cornbread—a butter-soaked masterpiece so good, you might as well order an extra slice to take home for breakfast. Correction, June 26, 11 a.m.: In the July issue of Boston, we misstated how late Trina's serves (midnight). We regret the error. 3 Beacon St., Somerville, MA 02143, trinastarlitelounge.com.
Ames Street Deli
Editor's Note, July 13, 1 p.m.: Ames Street—which merged with its neighbor Study for a combined concept called "Study at Ames" in late June, after press time for our Best of Boston issue—closed July 12.
After creating a top-tier nightlife enclave at Somerville’s Backbar, Sam Treadway and team are now schooling the country’s smartest city in cocktail-making. Here, they offer an ever-changing matrix organized by liquor, breaking down off-center sips (purple-cabbage gin, anyone?) to make even foreign flavors feel approachable. 73 Ames St., Cambridge, MA 02142, amesstreetdeli.com.
Row and Ride
Indoor cycling studios are so 2014. These days, it's all about group rowing classes, and now New England has its very first dedicated rowing studio right here on the South Shore. Launched by Kerry Connolly, a longtime news anchor for CBS Boston, Row and Ride offers group rowing and stadium-style cycling classes for a new spin (ahem) on the latest fitness trends. The squeaky clean facility also has a fully stocked locker room with showers to rinse off after sweating it out in class. 200 Webster St., Hanover, MA 02339, rowandride.com.
Steel & Rye
All of Milton (and a good chunk of Boston) flock to chef Chris Parsons's sprawling fiefdom in a former car showroom and ambulance garage. They come for creative craft cocktails and local beer on draft. They come for the rustic-meets-sophisticated ambiance. Most of all, they come for Parsons's whimsical, honest-to-goodness American fare—spaghetti with green garlic, broccoli rabe, bacon, and a poached egg; grilled smoked-chicken flatbread with homemade ricotta; and a juicy Niman Ranch burger on brioche, presented with a side of house pickles and potato chips in an adorable metal box. 95 Eliot St., Milton, MA 02186, steelandrye.com.
Keytar Bear
Boston has a long, rapturous history of genius buskers, from Susan Dietrich Schneider, the infamous "Space Lady" of the ’80s, to such future stars as Tracy Chapman, Mary Lou Lord, and Amanda Palmer. But none has so captured the soul of the city as Keytar Bear, our unofficial musical mascot. Yes, our funky spirit animal—the furry king of costume-core—has been twice attacked by thugs. But he's now back in action, appearing with Guster in January and welcoming the Fenway faithful with slinky grooves on Opening Day.
The Official Rock Song of Massachusetts
One, two, three, four, five, six! That’s not only the opening countdown of Natick native Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers’ 1976 classic “Roadrunner,” it’s also the number of times state lawmakers have tried to pass legislation making Richman’s ode to Route 128 night-driving “the official rock song of the Commonwealth.” Ten years since former Boston Mayor Marty Walsh introduced the first fail bills in 2013, Natick Representative David Linsky filed another one in February. Maybe the sixth time is the charm? Radio on!
Airi Jewelry & Gallery
We all have go-to ensembles, the ones we pull from the closet at least once a week because they make us feel good. But when you need just a little something extra to make yours special enough for [insert occasion here], a pair of statement earrings goes a long way. Enter the wearable art from Boston-based Airi. Crafted from stainless steel and tarnish-resistant brass, founder Maya Alia’s geometric wired pieces — we especially love the golden arches and the floral-shaped “ear jackets” — make even the simplest outfit look chic. shopairi.com.