Your Dream Bridal
Bridal-gown stylists deal with a cross-section of the touchiest subjects: our relationships with our bodies, our closest family members, and our money. Your Dream Bridal’s Malinda Macari expertly guides you through that emotional minefield, landing you and your perfect gown—handpicked from designers such as Jesus Peiro and Truvelle—securely on the other side. The icing on the cake? Macari insists on booking just one client at a time, so you and your squad get the boutique all to yourselves, ensuring that the experience is both meaningful and safe. 730 Boston Post Rd., Sudbury, MA 01776, yourdreambridal.com.
Daedalus
Just a couple blocks from the Harvard T stop, this spot draws long lines for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. But it's not just the comfort-food eats we adore. Daedalus is equipped to serve your every need: Two bars on two floors are packed during happy hour; the upstairs dining room is intimate enough for a romantic meal; and the rooftop deck is ideal for summer-evening cocktails. 112 South St #5, Boston, MA 2111, .
The Burren
When it comes to evaluating a neighborhood pub, there's only one criterion: You want to hang out there every day. For 14 years, the Burren has been meeting this requirement for hundreds of regulars. They don't return again and again for the standard Irish fare (bangers and mash, fish and chips), though this is as solid as it comes. They return because the back room features weekly music and comedy, because the bar isn't dominated by flat-screens, and because the lived-in comfort feels like home, only better. 247 Elm St., Somerville, MA 2144, burren.com.
River Gods
Central Square is one of Greater Boston's most eclectic neighborhoods, and no restaurant captures the area's unique vibe quite as well as River Gods. Small but not cramped, energetic without being earsplittingly loud, it's usually populated by a mix of students, yuppies, old-timers, and Che Guevara acolytes. On top of a great beer selection, there's a menu that should satisfy everyone from the pickiest vegans to the most carnivorous diners. 125 River St., Cambridge, MA 2139, rivergodsonline.com.
Temple Bar
A dark, cozy eatery well away from the heart of the square, Temple Bar is nothing like its raucous Dublin namesake (think Cancún goes to Ireland), a fact that suits its typical clientele just fine. Off-duty Harvard dons, hipster scholars, young families, and mellow girls'-night-out groups file in for the ever reliable Angus burgers and crisped-to-perfection rosemary frites, while bromances are conducted at the bar over pancetta mac 'n' cheese and truffled flatbreads. 1688 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 2138, templebarcambridge.com.
Area Four
Area Four Since opening in 2011, this all-purpose spot has become Kendall Square's community dining room, the place Cantabrigians gather to enjoy wood-fired pies and hearty salads. Feeling social? Ask to dine at one of the long communal tables. What to Order: The garlic knots; "Kitchen Sink" salad; puttanesca pizza. 500 Technology Sq., Cambridge, MA areafour.com.
East Coast Grill & Raw Bar
When spice-loving Cantabrigians need an endorphin rush, they flock to this loud, high-energy Inman Square favorite, where spicy seafood, barbecued meats, and international specialties meet their match over chef/owner Chris Schlesinger's grill. With fiery menu items like jerk duck leg "from hell" and chile-glazed jumbo shrimp and scallops, it's tough to tell which is more boisterous—the atmosphere or the food. 1271 Cambridge St., Cambridge, MA eastcoastgrill.net.
Park
Park Restaurant This well-decorated, approachable spot caters to the Harvard crowd with a stellar late-night menu and dining areas that have a scholarly feel—"The Classroom" space, for example, features lounge chairs and shelves filled with books. What to Order: The meat pie of the day; patty melt. 59 JFK St., Cambridge, MA parkcambridge.com.
Five Horses Tavern
This friendly gastropub is all about the beer—37 on tap, plus 130 bottles in the display fridge. The eclectic mix of snacks and larger plates (Kentucky-fried Cornish game hen, anyone?), meanwhile, are just as satisfying. What to Order: The "Pato Loco" confit-duck burrito; "The Showstopper" pulled-pork sandwich. 400 Highland Ave., Somerville, MA fivehorsestavern.com.
Area Four
Michael Leviton's Cambridge venture is many things to many people: a morning latte-and-breakfast-sandwich stop for local tech gurus; a de facto study hall for MIT students; a casual spot for friends to catch up over a crispy potato-and-pancetta pizza and a couple of glasses of wine. Despite the crowds, though, Area Four maintains a warm, neighborhoody vibe. 500 Technology Square, Cambridge, MA 2139, areafour.com.
East by Northeast
Known for applying his French training to Chinese cuisine, chef Phillip Tang makes his phenomenal noodles in house, and infuses his inventive menu with seasonal bites like pork-and-fiddlehead shumai and steamed hake with house-cured prosciutto. Yet East by Northeast remains an intimate, friendly place with rock-bottom prices, a pleasing culinary package that's rounded out by a fine brunch, a small but well-chosen wine and beer list, and special events like a recent lamb tasting menu. 1128 Cambridge St., Cambridge, MA 2139, exnecambridge.com.
Russell House Tavern
Photograph by Bob O'Connor Just as good for a boisterous brunch as it is for an evening gabfest over Moscow Mules, Russell House Tavern is an ideal spot for every social objective. There are late-night $1 oysters, a patio, a choice of two bars, and a welcoming basement dining room. Plus, the staff is remarkably child-friendly, even to infants. Oh, and the food? Executive chef Michael Scelfo offers the diverse menu you'd expect, from a sloppy pork-loin sandwich to a silky foie gras-Laphroaig terrine. 14 John F. Kennedy St., Cambridge, MA 2138, russellhousecambridge.com.
Tupelo
Photograph by Keller + Keller Down-home, classic southern food is what pulls locals through Tupelo's doors, and the rustic charm and hospitality are what keep them at the table—downing andouille-and-okra-flecked gumbo and plates of fried oysters. Oh, and those folks wandering in after 9 p.m. looking for crispy grits and locally produced brews? Ain't no thang; this is one joint where that kind of behavior is encouraged. 1193 Cambridge St., Cambridge, MA 2139, tupelo02139.com.
Tanjore
It's a good thing they make such a sweet mango lassi</em in this softly lit space just off Harvard Square. A cool yogurt drink is just what's needed after the unusual Indian dishes here, which can set afire even the most tolerant tongue. Named after a city in southern India, Tanjore is the third oldest of four restaurants run by Bombay-born Samir Majmudar, with a mouthwatering menu that covers the country's north and south regions. The dosas are melt-in-your mouth, made of rice and lentil flours and filled with potatoes, chicken, or lamb, then served with coconut chutney and sambhar. For the adventurous, konkan xacuti is a blend of coconut and tamarind curry, while the more traditional kashmir rogan josh, a lamb curry cooked with cloves and cardamom, practically dissolves on the tongue. Like to stick with the familiar? The tikka and tandoori are divine. But with reasonable prices and exceptional service, this is the place to test your limits. Just keep the mango lassi handy. 18 Eliot St., Cambridge, MA tanjoreharvardsq.com.
Bobby from Boston
For anyone who didn't have a crazy great-aunt who spent like a fiend, wore things once, and saved it all, owner Bobby Garnett has an unreal stockpile of immaculately kept vintage apparel and accessories. On a recent trip to the Oak Room-esque space, we found: train cases, military-issue messenger totes, college letter sweaters, marching band uniforms, '60s and '70s cocktail dresses, croc handbags, racks of denim jackets, and endless shelves of stadium hats—all at below-market prices. If by chance you don't find that thing you never knew you were looking for, Garnett also takes private appointments at his 5,000-square-foot storage warehouse in Lynn. 19 Thayer St., Boston, MA 2118, .