Bardo's Bar Pizza
WHAT’S THE VIBE? This pizza slinger from the family behind Lombardo’s, a hugely popular function facility in Randolph, brings bar pies to Boston by way of a kitchen inside Southie’s Castle Island Brewing Co., an industrial-cool taproom with a picnic-table-filled patio. TASTING NOTES: The cracker-like crusts are super-thin and super-crisped, with “laced” (translation: oven-blackened) cheese edges. We love the sweet-sour sting of the pickle-topped pizza, a genius notion that probably sounds peculiar to anyone raised north of Route 24. 10 Old Colony Ave., Boston, MA 02127, bardospizza.com.
Coquette
Location, location, location is key to a hotel restaurant, and Coquette’s captive audience inside the Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport and the neighboring convention center means its sexy bar buzzes with out-of-towners on business. The ooh-la-la flavors in its coastal French- and Spanish-inspired cuisine, meanwhile—borek spring rolls stuffed with spiced chicken and Gruyère, for instance—make it a draw for cool-hunt- ing foodies and fans of its similarly scene-y (and singles-friendly) downtown sibling, Yvonne’s. Plus, if sparks fly at the bar, there are a thousand rooms upstairs. 450 Summer St., Boston, MA 02210, frenchcoquette.com.
Crescent Ridge
It’s no secret that ice cream tastes better when enjoyed on a working farm. Luckily, Crescent Ridge’s Boston Public Market outpost has mini plush cows (placed in a corral on green turf) that are worthy stand-ins for the rural vibes found at its Sharon headquarters, along with ice cream that’s fresh, creamy, and chock-full of mix-ins — from Campfire S’mores to Cherry Ridge Ripple. As for serving size, don’t be fooled: Even the smallest “tiny tot” cup is hefty enough to satisfy any hungry adult. Downtown and Sharon, crescentridge.com.
Glamour Cosmetics
There’s a difference between what makeup looks good in person and what appears best on camera. Thankfully, Garineh Ashjian has mastered the art of balancing the two. In the years that she’s been working with Boston brides, Ashjian has been lauded not only for her skill with cosmetics but also for her calming and upbeat demeanor. She listens carefully to her clients, with the goal of making them look like the best version of themselves — because no bride wants to be unrecognizable on one of the most important days of her life. glamourcosmeticsoffical.com.
Strega by Nick Varano
Even celebrities need to eat when they’re in Boston, and nobody — we mean nobody — packs ’em in like North End restaurateur Nick Varano. Want to catch a glimpse of Ed Sheeran, Mariah Carey, or Pedro Martínez? To say nothing of Celtics super-fan Donnie Wahlberg or the Celtics themselves, including Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum? There’s literally only one place to go. (Stargazing tip: Book a table before or after TD Garden events, especially when a VIP is in town.) 379 Hanover St., Boston, MA 02113, stregabynickvarano.com.
Hook + Line
This new arrival from restaurateur Tom Schlesinger-Guidelli is a sprawling temple to New England seafood (with an adjacent market) that buoys our hopes for a Seaport that’s more Boston than not. Wood-grilled fish dishes are the star of the show here, but don’t miss local classics like lobster rolls and fried Ipswich clams. 10 Fan Pier, Boston, MA 02210, hookandlinebos.com.
Jeremy Ogusky
You get a CSA box from your local farm and you’re on a first-name basis with your butcher, but what about the plates and bowls you set the table with every day? A worthy addition to any Boston cabinet, potter Jeremy Ogusky’s durable, unpretentious pieces can be purchased on Etsy; biannual open-studio days at his J.P. workspace, meanwhile, welcome all to come learn the art of pottery. claycrocks.com.
Lovells Island
Get your sea legs ready: Reaching this hidden-gem hike requires two boat rides, first on the Georges Island ferry, then on a tiny boat that runs (for free) to Lovells. What a payoff you’ll get, though: a glimpse of Boston Light and the city skyline, a chance to explore the ruins of a deactivated military fort, and solitude in the fresh ocean air. You can trace the outer edges of the quiet island in just over an hour, but you’ll likely find yourself lingering for much, much longer. Boston, MA bostonharborislands.org.
Krakow Witkin Gallery
A stalwart in Boston since 1959, the gallery managed to not just survive but thrive this past year thanks to live and online shows that brought legends and locals together. See: works from modern-art icon Josef Albers, contemporary star Jenny Holzer, and Mike Glier, whose paintings are inspired by birdsong in the Public Garden. The gallery even hosted its annual AIDS Benefit Auction around the holidays virtually, with all proceeds going to the Dimock Center’s pediatric and family programs 10 Newbury St., Back Bay, MA 02116, krakowwitkingallery.com.
<em>Black Soap</em> by SuperSmashBroz
Roxbury natives Muyi Fre$co and Noma Nomz live by the mantra “get your vibes right” — and that’s exactly what the DJ/producer duo have accomplished with their latest project, which celebrates the diversity of the city with feel-good rhythms and soulful Caribbean melodies infused with mesmeric Afrobeats. Cameos from other Boston artists are the proverbial cherry on top. supersmashbroz.com.
Ten Percent Happier
If the thought of contorting your body into yoga sleep pose or sitting still for extended periods of time seems anything but relaxing, do yourself a favor and download Ten Percent Happier, the Boston-based spinoff of journalist Dan Harris’s self-help book. Dubbed a “meditation app for fidgety skeptics,” the program helps newbies and Zen masters alike regularly practice mindfulness with 500-plus guided sessions. And with plenty of shorter clips, it ensures you can get in the right headspace just about anywhere (really). tenpercent.com.
Interlocks
Interlocks owner Ginny Eramo's Newburyport salon is known for producing trendy men's styles, vibrant color for graying locks, and expert extensions. That's because Interlocks has a strong pull on talented Newbury Street stylists, who, when they split Boston, tend to end up here. Good for those suburbanites who once had to schlep into the city for a good cut. 58 Merrimac St., Newburyport, MA 01950, interlockssalon.com.
Dew Luxe
An Hermès scarf for $350? A Burberry trench for $500? This isn't the end-of-season sale at Barneys, just the everyday deals found at Michaela Bavis's twee luxury consignment shop in South Boston. The sleek repository of new and lightly used high-end designer pieces includes suits, cocktail dresses, handbags, and heels from the likes of Chanel, Valentino, and Louboutin. Don't skip over the accessories display case, either; those oversize Bulgari sunglasses might finally be within your grasp. 36 A St., South Boston, MA 02127, dewluxe.com.
Grace McGinley, Marc Harris
Grace McGinley's talents are rare indeed—so rare that those blessed with scarlet locks seek out her prowess with the fussiest of hues. McGinley splits her time between the two Boston Marc Harris locations, where she fires up the clarets, coppers, rubies, and crimsons with, ahem, tremendous grace. (Multiple locations.) 115 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02116, salonmarcharris.com.
Trillium Brewing Company
Sam Adams and Harpoon used to be the lone faces of craft beer in Boston, but times change. The most exciting brews in town now emanate from this minute waterfront mecca, which carries a range of wild ales, barrel-aged stouts, cold-brew-spiked porters, and hop-forward IPAs, most named after streets in the Fort Point neighborhood. Up next? A 16,000-square-foot facility in Canton that will allow them to produce upward of 10,000 barrels per year. 369 Congress St., Boston, MA 02210, trilliumbrewing.com.