Buk Kyung
Homestyle hospitality is the draw at this Union Square mainstay, with gratis accompaniments like crunchy daikon, spicy kimchi, and pickled cucumbers complementing huge platters of ddukbokki, tender kalbi, and bibimbap. The restaurant also serves up Chinese-influenced house specialties (Buk Kyung means “Beijing” in Korean) not found at most other local spots, including jajangmyeon, chewy noodles coated in a thick and savory sauce. 9A Union Square, Somerville, MA 02143, bukkyungrestaurant.com.
Karen Akunowicz, Myers + Chang
From left: Karen Akunowicz, Katie Gilarde, Todd Maul, Meghan Thompson, and Tiffani Faison. / Photograph by Jason Grow, styling by Laura Dillon/Team As a fan favorite on Top Chef and a two-time James Beard Award finalist, Myers + Chang’s executive chef doesn’t exactly fly under the radar. In fact, her trademark shock of pink hair represents a fierceness when it comes to bold, pan-Asian soul food. Soon, Akunowicz will get an even brighter spotlight when partners Christopher Myers and Joanne Chang set her creative talents loose on a new multiculti concept debuting this fall in Kendall Square. 1145 Washington St., Boston, MA 02118, myersandchang.com.
Forklift
Mediterranean, Asian, classic American—this Union Square caterer will happily hop from cuisine to cuisine for your wedding spread, incorporating vegan and gluten-free menus with ease. Chefs Dennis Tourse and Jamie Rogers are tight with local farmers, which translates to personalized menus featuring natively sourced ingredients whenever possible. Top requests include avocado beggars' purses and fava-bean crostini with wild mushrooms. 5 Sanborn Ct., Somerville, MA 02143, forkliftcatering.com.
Spoke
Fledgling wine aficionados, take heed: Laid-back Davis Square newcomer Spoke gamely removes the terror from the terroir, with servers who gently hold your hand through the ordering process. Of course, a glass of Ligurian pigato is only as good as the fregola risotto or fried quail and waffles it's paired with, which, thanks to chef (and No. 9 Park alum) John daSilva, are pretty darned terrific. 89 Holland St., Somerville, MA 2144, spokewinebar.com.
Rialto
It’s hardly a secret that Jody Adams’s Cambridge institution has mastered high-end Italian fare. But the strength of the vast, separate bar menu—with bites like duck-pâté bruschetta and pan-roasted broccoli, and larger plates like rigatoni Bolognese—might be the biggest secret in Harvard Square. Swing by on Mondays between 5:30 and 7 p.m., when oysters are a buck a shuck. One Bennett St., Cambridge, MA 2138, rialto- restaurant.com.
Twisted Village
Largely, and proudly, devoid of the latest by Miley Cyrus, Lil Wayne, and their mainstream compatriots, this Harvard Square basement shop is ideal for seekers of Japanese guitar noise, old Dick Dale surf tunes, and free-jazz and psychedelia. Most important, visitors get the experience of digging into the crates and taking a chance on an obscure gem (an increasingly rare thrill for music mavens and neophytes alike). 12B Eliot St., Cambridge, MA 2138, .
Barneys New York
You have nothing to wear to the Best of Boston party, which is tomorrow. Hustle your Manolos over to Copley's new superstore, where clothing designers both ultrafamous (Marc Jacobs) and ascendant (Jovovich-Hawk) merge with bags, jewelry, and 3,700 square feet of shoes. What's more, an in-house concierge will offer opinions, fetch you lunch, and even arrange your ride home. (The hot date you'll have to get on your own.) 100 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 2116, barneys.com.
Sugar Daddy's Smoke Shop
Mention any substance other than tobacco in this cluttered Kenmore Square hole-in-the-wall and you'll find yourself escorted to the sidewalk. The staff is just that dedicated to staying within the boundaries of the law. However, they're equally dedicated to selling what is inarguably New England's most impressive collection of smoking glassware. Even nonsmokers can appreciate the artistry behind a delicate hand-blown water pipe, intricately swirled with more than 20 hues of blue. It's nothing short of arresting. 472 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA sugardaddys-boston.com.
Blue Shirt Cafe
You feel healthier just reading the menu at this colorful Davis Square corner spot, which boasts healing elixirs like Cold Fighter and Bee Strong, squeezed-to-order fruit and veggie juices, and sorbet and frozen-yogurt blended treats that are neither ice-clogged nor syrupy-sweet. A frothy "remedy" of wheatgrass, mint, pineapple, and pear leaves a lingering sense of refreshment and revival, while fruitier options such as the Hawaiian Song smoothie can help take the heat out of the sultriest of summer days. 424 Highland Ave, Somerville, MA 2144, .
Bosse Sports
Founded by South African tennis pro D. J. Bosse, this club dominates the local high-end fitness circuit. The 160,000-square-foot complex offers all the usual equipment, plus classes, tennis courts, a golf range, a pool, and a rock wall. Add in a spa, a café, and services from auto detailing to personal chefs, and the competition is toast. 141 Boston Post Rd., Sudbury, MA 1776, bossesports.com.
B & R Artisan Bread
Seeing as how first impressions are everything, a restaurant's bread-basket is serious business. Boston's finest eateries, including T. W. Food and Troquet, order their loaves from Sel de la Terre alum Michael Rhoads, who bakes crisp baguettes, hulking sourdoughs, and authentic ryes in his two-year-old Framingham shop. City-dwellers, meanwhile, can fight over B&R's pain levain at Cambridge's Formaggio Kitchen or the Union Square farmers' market. 151 Cochituate Road, Framingham, MA 1701, brartisanbread.com.
Poor Little Rich Girl
The lure of this Davis Square boutique begins even before you cross the threshold, with hypercolorful window displays full of irresistible outfits. No bait and switch here, as you'll discover even more choice threads inside. Seasonally appropriate selections, a wide range of styles, and bargain prices are sure to keep your shopping spirits light and your wallet heavy. (By the way, Poor Little Rich Girl isn't so little anymore: Last year it expanded to brighter and far less squished—but equally convenient—digs.) 255 Elm St., Somerville, MA shoppoorlittlerichgirl.com.
The Enormous Room
While college kids and out-of-towners wait in line downtown for their overpriced martinis and bland playlists, hipsters hit Central Square for a much more appealing kind of scene. The Enormous Room is actually anything but: long, narrow, and brick-walled, full of couches and pillows. It's reminiscent of a harem (the last harem we visited, anyway), only with tasty food and DJs spinning some of the best music in town, from new wave to hip-hop to IDM. Get there early, or prepare to cool your heels outside awhile. 567 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA enormous.tv.
Dickson Brothers True Value
This Harvard Square institution is 50 years old, and thankfully still has creaky floors, ancient fluorescent lights, and friendly handy types who'll steer you to that can of paint, snow shovel, or faucet aerator. Good thing, because with aisles stacked high with mugs, frying pans, and camping supplies, you'll eventually realize you're better off just asking for help 26 Brattle St., Cambridge, MA 2138, .
Casablanca
Chef Ana Sortun's North African/Mediterranean fare has revitalized this Harvard Square standby, but her version of one of the great American classics—the hamburger—is particularly winning. It's not on the menu, so you have to ask for it (which, we think, elevates it to a wonderfully pedestrian kind of chic), but Sortun's version has a charred, crusty exterior encasing a thick juicy patty of the tastiest beef around. Accompanied by first-rate fries. 40 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA .