The Back Eddy
There's simply no better place to take in a sunset than the deck of the Eddy—preferably with a PBR or a 'gansett in hand, and a bowl of smoky clam chowder or the signature stuffed clams on the table. And when the blues are running in Nantucket Sound, you can forget about ordering anything else. Everything is freshly sourced and cooked with minimum pretension, making the meals here the stuff of vacation memories. 1 Bridge Rd., Westport, MA 2790, thebackeddy.com.
Towne Stove and Spirits
Photograph by Scott M. Lacey If Towne isn't a pickup bar, then everybody must have something stuck in their teeth. Why else would so many people be looking at so many others? Put simply, for a classy place, there's lots of eye-#*&$ing going on here. And with three bars spread across two levels, there's plenty of possibility. If one room's not working for you, there's always another. And if that doesn't pan out, well, the cocktail list is great, too. 900 Boylston St., Boston, MA 2115, towneboston.com.
Lexington Farmers' Market
This ever-expanding outdoor market now includes more than 30 food vendors selling everything from produce, meat, and fish to cheese, bread, pastry, gelato, and local honey (not to mention a couple dozen artisans hawking handmade jewelry, pottery, and the like). There are also occasional classes on topics like raising your own chickens, and an outreach program that teaches schoolkids about eating local and cooking with fresh ingredients. Lexington, MA 2421,
Michael's Deli
If you're looking for deli atmosphere, head to Rubin's—it's like a time machine, taking you back to an era when the term 'hot tongue' had nothing to do with Lady Gaga. But for pure beefy deliciousness smushed between slices of rye, there's no topping Michael's in Coolidge Corner. It's small, it ain't fancy, and there's barely anywhere to sit. But just try to tell us, with sauerkraut and Russian dressing dripping down your chin, that it's not the best corned beef sandwich in town. 256 Harvard St., Brookline, MA 2446, michaelsdelibrookline.com.
Ten Tables
Talk about spreading the love. This year the team at Ten Tables expanded across the Charles, giving Hub cuddlers the choice of intimacy (the tiny J.P. original) or intrigue (the new Cambridge location, full of cozy dark nooks). Both locations feature upscale comfort dishes, like house-made pasta and skillet roasted Giannone chicken, for under $25. Chef David Punch also does a nightly $45 prix fixe, ostensibly for customers with other things on their minds than menu decisions. 597 Centre St., Jamaica Plain, MA 2130, tentables.net.
Gaslight
Among the numerous suitors vying for our affections in this category, it's the South End phenom Gaslight that's romanced us best. The booming brasserie gets the vintage Parisian accents exactly right, and serves up skillfully swizzled cocktails and well-executed bistro fare (classics like choucroute garni and onion soup gratiné, plus stunning fruits de mer platters) at a price guaranteed to bring out the bon vivant in any Bostonian. 560 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA 2118, gaslight560.com.
Chocolee Chocolates
With her jewel-like bonbons (exhibits A and B: dark chocolate filled with white chocolate and Chambord, and wafer-thin Viennese almond bark), Lee Napoli has brought a new level of artistry to Boston's confectionery scene. It's not just that the flavors are fresh as can be; Napoli's creations look gorgeous, too. Stop by the South End shop on a weekend morning for a trio of fried-to-order beignets oozing, naturally, with warm, luscious chocolate. 23 Dartmouth St., Boston, MA 2116, chocoleechocolates.com.
Sintra
Suburban folk looking for a city-style meal will find all they crave at Sintra. The design is stylishly minimalist; the crowd full of gastronomic adventurers who've come for chef Brian Jenkins's sophisticated blend of Portuguese and Spanish cuisines—fisherman's stew with orange, fennel, and potatoes or barbecue lamb with creamy goat cheese polenta. The only reminder you're out of town: easy (and free) parking. 906 Washington St., Braintree, MA 2184, sintrarestaurant.com.
Muqueca
The fact that every Boston Brazilian joint has earned its fame doling out all-you-can-eat portions of meat left us wondering: How do those girls in Rio look so hot in their thongs? Then we discovered Muqueca, where even our most carnivorous friends fell for the single servings of spicy dishes, including the traditional seafood stew for which the restaurant is named. It's so good we guarantee you'll bring back your very lean booty for more. 1008 Cambridge St., Cambridge, MA 2139, muquecarestaurant.com.
Carmen
Okay, so one of Carmen's chefs, Merwin Casey, hails from Ireland. But he cooks Italian better than many of his North End neighbors. Casey tweaks standard dishes just enough to make them exciting again. Witness his porcini-stuffed crespelle topped with a proper Bolognese and the perfect seared halibut splashed with salsa verde. That means delicious green sauce in English—and Irish. 33 North Square, Boston, MA carmenboston.com.
The Baseball Tavern
A reverential silence descends on this spartan tap room whenever the Sox play. The patrons and bartenders alike are true fans, and their passions are readily apparent on the slew of television sets aimed at every nook and corner. If you don't have a ticket for a home game, this is the closest you can get to Fenway (literally—the ballpark is across the street). Little wonder it's also become a regular stop for visiting players. This loyalist stronghold wears its lack of pretense on a Red Sox sleeve. 1306 Boylston St., Boston, MA thebaseballtavern.com.
Total Performance Sports
Pro athletes, cops, Harvard professors, and grandmas join this hard-core Everett gym to get stronger, faster, and better. With three levels filled with Olympic weight-lifting platforms, boxing bags, and kettlebells, the intensity can be intimidating at first—this isn't a chichi club stacked with classes—but if you're looking for results, you'll find them here. 68 Vine St., Everett, MA 2149, totalperformancesports.com.
I.D. Salon
We stumbled into this much-buzzed-about salon as the worst of our possible client selves—no appointment, unwashed hair under a ballcap, jittery with caffeine—and were frankly blown away. They graciously squeezed us in but never rushed things, first consulting, then checking and rechecking our cut so we'd look better than we had any right to. We walked in as the Hopeless Mess, but walked out the Devoted Fan. 241 Washington Street, Wellesley, MA 2481, .
AZ Studio
In the market for dramatic highlights? A sprightly pixie look? Long auburn layers? Head (sorry—couldn't help ourselves!) over to AZ Studio for ultrapersonalized service. The salon also has a fully stocked beauty boutique that sells Kiehl's straightening lotions, Shu Uemura makeup, and pretty much every other product you could ever need to stay utterly gorgeous seven days a week. Derby Street Shoppes, Hingham, MA 2043, azstudio-derby.com.
Hot Locks
The Hot Locks staff knows hair—the salon's been at the mane game for nearly 20 years. Well-trained by co-owner Sonny Rapozo, the seven stylists deliver flattering cuts, natural color, and enticing extras like scalp massages and deep conditioning treatments (and after a week at the beach, who doesn't need one of those?). Go in for the works or a basic blowout that will leave your locks looking, well, hot. 580-B North Falmouth Highway (Rte. 28A), North Falmouth, MA 2556, hotlockssalon.com.