Lekker Home
You already know this South End boutique for its modern furnishings and home accessories. Now discover Lekker Home’s softer side, courtesy of a luxe linen collection with everything you need for a lifetime of pampering: Sasawashi scrub towels to keep your skin looking fresh, a super-soft Blacksaw throw for movie nights, and a crisp set of Area bed sheets to sink into later. 1313 Washington St., Boston, MA lekkerhome.com.
Dependable Cleaners
Maybe you sipped cabernet on your wedding day—and spilled. Maybe, three years later, your stained, crumpled gown is still gathering dust in your closed. Dependable Cleaners has seen worse. There's not an "oops" moment these pros can't handle, and with more than a dozen outlets in and around Boston, you won't have to drive far to complete this most essential errand. dependablecleaners.com.
Spa Harbor
Leisure now comes by appointment on the South Shore's tide-kissed coast, thanks to this two-year-old med-spa with a calming ambiance and clinically trained staff. Regulars love the wrinkle- and stress-reducing customized photofacials, hydrokinetic detoxifying treatments, and holistic deep tissue massages. Sink into a harbor-facing pedicure chair, and you'll see why this seaside spa blows the competition out of the water. 3 Mill Wharf Harbor, Scituate, MA 2066, beautytherapies.com.
The Pearl
Vibe-wise, the Pearl is less Madaket Beach than South Beach. And so, refreshingly, is the food. Chef-owner Seth Raynor skillfully melds the bounty of local waters with exotic flavors in dishes such as Hawaiian-style tuna poke and panko-crusted halibut with kaffir lime broth. The fun cocktails and mind-boggling assortment of sake flowing freely in the superchic bar means the wait for a table isn't entirely cruel. 12 Federal St., Nantucket, MA 2554, boardinghouse-pearl.com.
Davio's
We've long lamented the disappearance of the three-martini lunch. But if such a luxury were still to exist, it would go down at Davio's. Since relocating to its current perch in Park Square, Steve DiFillippo's institution of Italian dining has reclaimed a position of power. Well-heeled Back Bay business types shuffle in each afternoon, scarfing down generous portions of pasta with glasses of house-filtered water, on the rocks. 75 Arlington St., Boston, MA davios.com.
Barking Crab
With its red-and-yellow-striped tent and picnic tables, the Barking Crab looks like a German beer garden, but instead of sausage and pretzels, this year-round clam shack serves up buckets of crab claws and peel-and-eat shrimp along with plates of fried clams, calamari, and boiled lobster. The beer flows like water, making every night feel like Oktoberfest. 88 Sleeper St., Boston, MA barkingcrab.com.
Bond Restaurant & Lounge
Boston is often called the most British of American cities, so it's only natural that it offer plenty of afternoon tea options. Bond's daily Metropolitan Tea takes place under a soaring red ceiling and enormous chandeliers, making it feel like a swanky retreat. But the unusual teas, exquisite sandwiches, homemade scones, and attentive servers are what make this tea service tops. If you linger, you'll see the transformation from posh lounge to upscale watering hole. 250 Franlin St., Boston, MA 2110, bondboston.com.
Deep Ellum
Mention 'Allston/Brighton,' and the average Bostonian's nose hoists a few degrees skyward, as if avoiding the odor of a thousand musty futons. That's fine by locals, whose dual neighborhood's rep as a student slum keeps interlopers at bay; thus, the crowds remain fairly tolerable at this rare grownup watering hole, where the cocktails hail from yesteryear, the food from down south, and the tap list from a beer geek's fever dream. 477 Cambridge St., Allston, MA 2135, .
Tremont 647
In a neighborhood chock-full of great places to eat, Tremont 647 stands out as the community hangout for dinner, not to mention for its wacky come-dressed-in-your-pajamas Sunday brunch. Locals flock here in droves for chef Andy Husbands's menu of comfort food, from momós (Tibetan dumplings) and homemade tater tots to grilled skirt steak and garlic sausage pizza. 647 Tremont St., Boston, MA tremont647.com.
Flat Breads Cafe
At this clean, bright restaurant across from Boston College they've spent six years perfecting roll-up combinations with ingredients such as their own homemade roasted red-and-green-tomato-cilantro salsas, Haas avocados, premium breast-meat chicken salad. Specials include Asian, Mexican, deli, barbecue, and even seafood roll-up combos. And the frequent-eater program gets you one free wrap for every 10 you buy. 11 Commonwealth Ave., Newton, MA .
XV Beacon
Photograph by Bob O'Connor Once the big chains got wise to the fact that people like to stay in quirky, independent places when they travel, the term "boutique hotel" started to get watered down: Suddenly, any place with a Louis Ghost chair or free cookies in the lobby was branding itself with the B-word. Columbus Hospitality Group's 63-room XV Beacon hotel, however, is the real deal—a locally owned gem that's straight luxe, from the cashmere throws to the complimentary car service. 15 Beacon St., Boston, MA 2108, xvbeacon.com.
The Spa at Mandarin Oriental
Tucked deep within the hotel, the Spa at Mandarin Oriental is truly an urban retreat—not a peep of the noise from Boylston disturbs the tranquility. The dressing room, equipped with a whirlpool and crystal steam room (plus plush Frette robes, fresh fruit, and cucumber-infused water),is an experience in itself. But the services are what set the Mandarin apart: Many of the massages, facials, and body treatments are Eastern-inspired, though New England-sourced herbs are often incorporated. 776 Boylston St., Boston, MA 2199, mandarinoriental.com.
DoggieDay Pet Service
Whether you need your ferret cuddled or your cat walked, DoggieDay's caretakers are up to the challenge. You can trust them to watch and feed your pet while you're at work or on an extended vacation, or to make sure Fluffy gets his cardio—and your plants get watered—whenever you don't have time to take him out yourself. 400 Tremont St., Boston, MA doggieday.com.
Saus
A truly great fry is only as good as the stuff you dip it in. And while we love Heinz as much as the next guy, It's hard to top this ;frites shop's cheddar Duvel sauce, garlicky "Vampire Slayer' aioli, and truffle ketchup—merely a few of the condiments available. Order your cone of hand-cut, cooked-to-order spuds with a deep-fried egg on top, and write us a thank-you note later. 33 Union St., Boston, MA 2108, eatfrites.com.
Coppa
One of the biggest misconceptions about Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette's South End enoteca is that it's for hard-core meat eaters only. Sure, the restaurant was named after a cured cut of pig and boasts some of the best meatballs in the city, but it also serves beautiful marinated cauliflower with ricotta salata and crispy shallots, briny squid-ink pasta studded with lobster and olives, and cool glasses of bubbly Lambrusco. With this many options (let's not forget the fully loaded pizzas), it's a destination suitable for all. 253 Shawmut Ave., Boston, MA 2116, coppaboston.com.