Eastern Standard
At this spacious, boisterous Kenmore Square brasserie, groups can reserve a round table, slide into a cushy leather booth, or pull together a few tall tables at the bar to enjoy a casual feast. Brisk service, a well-stocked raw bar, and a varied menu filled with small plates that range from salt cod fritters to fried calamari makes for easy sharing—whether you're with simpatico diners or fussy friends who don't share your enlightened palate. 528 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 2215, easternstandardboston.com.
Santarpio's Pizza
Long before the neighborhood became known for high-end loft conversions and favorable price-per-square-foot ratios, Santarpio's was making superlative pizza in East Boston. Now in its fourth generation in the pie-slinging business, the Santarpio clan continues to draw pilgrims from across the area to its no-frills, out-of-the-way, cash-only restaurant, beloved for its homemade sausage links, fresh-tasting sauce, gooey cheese, and reliably crunchy crusts. 111-113 Chelsea St., East Boston, MA santarpiospizza.com.
Rialto
How does the Rialto keep getting better? By growing itself is the only serious restaurant in the Square; by being so comfortable and discreet yet lively, both in the main restaurant and the super welcoming bar; and by paring away the Spanish, southern French, and Italian curios that once seemed essential to hold diners' attention (and still do at other restaurants) so that what's left is food you want to eat. The duo of chef Jody Adams and impresario-inspirer Michela Larson is rock-solid. The Charles Hotel, 1 Bennett St., Cambridge, MA .
Brattle Theatre
Fundraising is still under way to save this beloved Harvard Square institution from the pernicious encroachments of Netflix and TiVo, and the outcome remains uncertain. All the more reason to buy tickets for the Brattle's screenings of foreign gems, art-house premieres, tributes to Golden Age Hollywood, and annual Bugs Bunny Film Festival. Skip the DVD for once, and watch Casablanca the way it was meant to be seen: on the big (independent) screen. 40 Brattle St., Cambridge, MA 2138, brattlefilm.org.
T.T. the Bear's Place
Even after 25 years in business, you can't do much better than T.T.'s, where the music is always good, you can get as close to the bands as you want, and even the most self-congratulatory Central Square hipster checks his attitude at the door. The sound quality sometimes leaves a bit to be desired, but that just gives the place something to work on for the next quarter century. 10 Brookline St., Cambridge, MA ttthebears.com.
India Quality
The rooftop Citgo sign isn’t the only Kenmore Square landmark that deserves recognition as a citywide icon. Since opening in a wilder, weirder neighborhood back in ’83, India Quality has outlasted both the punk clubs down the block and most other Indian spots in the city, thanks to the richest chicken tikka masala, brightest lamb vindaloo, and most sopping-sweet gulab jamon milk balls around. 484 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 02215, indiaquality.com.
Museum of Science
Courtesy of the Museum of Science Dinos may no longer roam the earth, but you can still spot a few in Boston — specifically, inside the Museum of Science, which houses both models and 65-million-year-old fossils that promise to captivate imaginations young and old. It’s just one of the many awesome exhibits and shows that make it worth setting aside a full day for a visit here — and now that the museum is gearing up for a major renovation and reinvention of 10,000 square feet of space, we can’t wait to see what educational fun the future holds. One Science Park, Boston, MA 02114, mos.org.
La Fábrica Central
Long the local torchbearers of Caribbean cuisine, Hector and Nivia Piña (the owners of Merengue, Vejigantes, and Doña Habana) have spread those rays of hot tropical sunshine across the river. Their new Central Square venture serves up a freewheeling mezcla of Puerto Rican, Cuban, and Dominican flavors—think garlicky tostones, savory cubanitos, and showstopping rum-flamed rice dishes delivered to your table en fuego—in a lively atmosphere that includes both a jazz lounge and a nightclub. Need a little liquid courage before you hit the dance floor? Peruse the ample drink menu, which features a deep bench of high-end rums. 450 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139, lafabricacentral.com.
Stellabella Toys
You've got years to share the benefit of your lessons learned with the next generation (video-game mastery is not a marketable skill; Elvis Costello is always better with the Attractions). For now, let your kids figure things out by doing what they do best: namely, play. Stellabella is stacked to the rafters with toys to nurture any emerging interest, e.g., Rokenbok construction sets for wannabe hardhats, Alex collage kits and sparkly PlayFoam for crafts lovers, Andean flutes for folk musicians in the making. The Inman Square flagship also offers play groups, so tots can connect not just with their interests, but with each other, too. 1360 Cambridge St., Cambridge, MA 2139, stellabellatoys.com.
Barneys New York
Whatever your particular fetish—prim Lanvin flats, foot-high Louboutins—Barney's indulgent 3,200-square-foot shoe space is the ultimate playground. (In the year since it opened, we've officially kicked our persistent online footwear-buying habit.) Did we mention sizes are rarely unavailable here? On those few occasions when you can't immediately find your desired style, chances are that it exists somewhere in the Barneys universe, and a helpful associate will be able to track down said pair long before withdrawal sets it. Copley Place, Boston, MA barneys.com.
Brattle Theatre
You can catch an Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu flick at any multiplex nowadays, but you won't see Boston Underground Film Festival highlights or a repertory series of World War II movies—or, for that matter, a weeklong Muppets marathon—anywhere else but the Brattle. The Harvard Square institution has been screening foreign, art house, and classic films for over 50 years, but it's much more than a sleepy civic treasure: It's holy ground for Boston's cineastes, budding film auteurs, and anyone who just likes to watch Casablanca on the big screen. 40 Brattle St., Cambridge, MA brattlefilm.org.
Louis Boston
Photograph by Bob O'Connor When Debi Greenberg moved Louis from the Back Bay to Fan Pier, skeptics said her chic clientele wouldn't follow. They did. They come for blazers, sleek bags, and statement jewelry from Marni, Proenza Schouler, and Balenciaga, but also to discover rising style stars from around the world, expertly vetted by Greenberg (British wunderkind Thomas Tait is a recent addition). And for those of us who can't make daily trips to the waterfront, Louis now has a 200-square-foot accessories store inside the Mandarin Oriental. 60 Northern Ave., Boston, MA 2110, louisboston.com.
Bobby from Boston
If you like vintage-inspired menswear from Ben Sherman and Rogues Gallery, you'll love Bobby from Boston, a time capsule of a boutique owned by world traveler Bobby Garnett. He specializes in filling his expansive South End space with collegiate sweaters, stadium hats, well-worn denim jackets, army surplus coats, and other goods you wish your grandpa had kept around. The reasonable prices suggest another era, too. Want more? Garnett also takes private appointments at his 5,000-square-foot storage warehouse in Lynn. 19 Thayer St., Boston, MA 2118, .
The Dance Complex
From Capoeira to calypso, belly dance to ballet, the Dance Complex's unparalleled diversity of classes is as far-flung in origin as are its 60 instructors. Founded as a nonprofit artist-run organization, its grass-roots approach to dance training attracts the expertise of prima ballerinas and flamenco artists alike. Classes, which operate out of six studios in a historic Central Square building, are sometimes complemented by live music or drums. Traditionalists won't be disappointed, but the inclusive atmosphere and affordable, drop-in classes may just also compel you to find out what the heck Bachata is about. 536 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA dancecomplex.org.
Schumacher Landscaping
Schumacher has been the grad Poo-Bah of flora for the past 31 years, and is largely responsible for bringing a healthy dose of green to Boston's asphalt avenues. Its creative ingenuity can be appreciated throughout the city at the Fraser Courtyard in the Museum of Fine Arts, the Snell Library Plaza at Northeastern University, and Post Office Square Par. But don't be intimidated if your yard is more like a foot. These doctors of the green thumb are equally adept at smaller residential projects— say, planting pansies around the porch, installing sod over that crabgrass, or mowing your lawn when you just don't feel like it. 17 Electric Ave., Brighton, MA .