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.
Grettacole
One of Boston's newest and most talked-about spas, Grettacole boasts a staff that is petite, blonde, and warm—and an impressive services-to-square-foot ratio. Need a pedicure, facial massage, haircut, and makeup application? With such one-stop shopping, you'll be there long enough for the friendly staff to order your lunch from a neighboring cafe. Tired of aestheticians who spend half the session out of the room? While your masque is drying, they'll massage your feet. The product range is impressive, but there's no hard sell. Another big plus: There are no downtown parking travails. 300 Boylston St., Atrium Mall, Chestnut Hill, MA .
Out of Town News
We here at Boston appreciate every newsstand—especially the ones that give our issues prime real estate. But our highest esteem is reserved for the venerable Out of Town News, which makes its home in an old subway kiosk at the sk8er-boi-and-grrrl heart of Harvard Square. The newsstand carries more than 450 titles—spanning Granta to German GQ—plus at least 15 international newspapers. And even though the staff doesn't hustle browsers out, we recommend buying several extra copies of the issue you're reading right now. Go ahead. Do it. The register's right over there. Zero Harvard Sq., Cambridge, MA 2138, .
Gregg D'Andrea
After teaching spinning at workout meccas like Equinox and Crunch, D'Andrea opened his own 5,000-square-foot fitness studio last year to cater to his considerable following. (He claims a 70 percent retention rate among his clients.) Free advice: "For weight training, dumbbells give far better results than machines. And forget weight belts. Last I heard, cavemen didn't wear weight belts, and they were in better shape than some of the people working out now." 55 Charles St., Needham, MA 2494, .
The Rosebud Diner
This old-school diner a short stroll from Davis Square features solid renditions of the usual short-order, comfort-food staples—meatloaf burgers, club sandwiches, and the like—and a nicely stocked bar offering comforting beverages. The service, while not fancy, is friendly—so much so you'll forgive your waitress for not knowing better when she insists that Rosebud in Citizen Kane (the diner's owner is a huge fan) is a woman. If you're hungry and a carnivore, go straight for the tasty barbecue combo, a filling sampler of ribs, chicken, and sausage. 381 Summer St., Davis Square, Somerville, MA rosebuddiner.com.
Redbones
This has become a crowded category, thanks to a rack of new barbecue joints around town and in the suburbs. But we're going back to basics. Redbones, the funky, down-home joint in Davis Square, is the granddaddy of Boston barbecue, thanks to its efficient waitstaff, not to mention the biggest helpings of chicken, ribs, pork, and fish you've ever seen. Fortifying side dishes include succotash, hushpuppies, collard greens, corn fritters, and our favorite: Redbones' signature black beans and dirty rice. The homey bar has 24 great beers on tap. 55 Chester Street, Somerville, MA redbones.com.
Jason Bond, Bondir
Bond showcases New England's bounty like no one else in town, dreaming up quirky-beautiful dishes that feature lesser-known flora, like calaminth, angelica root, and carrot-shaped Shunkyo radishes. And if Bond can blow us away working in a kitchen the size of a walk-in closet, we can't wait to see what he'll do when he opens the 2,800-square-foot outpost of Bondir in Concord—which will source items from his new Dracut farm plot—this fall. 279A Broadway, Cambridge, MA bondircambridge.com.
Hungry Mother
It's hard to find a place in Boston that better exemplifies the national shift toward casual fine dining than this Kendall Square darling, which serves its inspired, refined take on southern cuisine on polished wooden tables topped with mason-jar water glasses. Here you'll find the impeccable service, top-notch cocktail and wine choices, and outrageously good desserts (chocolate-espresso chess pie, strawberry-shortcake trifle) that you'd expect from a first-rate restaurant—all in an atmosphere that welcomes elbows on the table. 233 Cardinal Medeiros Ave., Cambridge, MA hungrymothercambridge.com.
Mary Chung
Canny gastronomes make it a habit to trail MIT's international students to the area's top home-style Asian, Middle Eastern, and Latin American spots. So when we heard that Mary Chung was a hit with the grad students, we immediately set out to investigate. Befitting its Szechwan focus, the menu at this friendly Central Square hole in the wall is heavy on the heat. Start with the zesty Yu Hsiang eggplant and the dan dan noodles with shredded chicken, and finish up with the less-spicy crispy duck, which comes off the bone tender and juicy. 464 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 2139, marychung.com.
Rendezvous
Thinking different can be risky in the restaurant world. Steve Johnson's Rendezvous has bucked every convention and still succeeded. His takeover of a defunct Burger King in Central Squar—not the most auspicious location—has bolstered the neighborhood's culinary credentials. And his food has pushed the boundaries of traditional Mediterranean to include the exotic flavors of North Africa: A starter of plump scallops is crusted with toasty coriander; the skate entrée is roasted Moroccan-style and served with fragrant Meyer lemon and brown butter. Sometimes, risk can bring delicious rewards. 502 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 2139, rendezvouscentralsquare.com.
Mimi's Chūka Diner
Chūka ryōri—the Japanese term for Chinese food—puts a distinct spin on familiar flavors like dim sum dumplings and stir-fried rice by switching up the seasonings and ingredients to suit Japanese tastes. Given that it’s a cuisine about collaboration, it makes sense that Boston’s version, Mimi’s Chūka Diner, fits in wherever it goes. The pop-up is in residence at Artifact Cider in Central Square, so we can attest to the bar-snack brilliance of porky wontons and vegan gyoza with a lacy bottom crust, dished up hot to order whenever the taproom is open. 438 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139, mimischukadiner.com.
State Park
While the digital populism of TouchTunes has mostly replaced analog selections, this excellent dive-bar homage in Kendall Square still showcases a killer CD jukebox. The 100-disc carousel’s album collection is a discerning throwback to High Fidelity–era soundtrack curation, including seminal releases from hip-hop legends (De La Soul, Eric B. & Rakim), alt-culture icons (Devo, Sonic Youth), and erstwhile Boston-rock greats (Helium, Jonathan Richman). It’s coin-operated, so bring cash — and leave us a seat. One Kendall Sq., Cambridge, MA statepark.is.
Coolidge Corner Theatre
Thirty-five years after 400 people encircled this Brookline movie house and effectively gave it a group hug, the Coolidge is just as revered for its 70mm film capabilities, midnight movies, and expert curation of new releases, international treasures, and filmmaker Q&As. Best of all, the 90-year-old nonprofit’s future is more secure than ever, thanks to a marathon fundraising drive and recently unveiled 14,000-square-foot expansion: 200 more seats, two new theaters, and a $1 million gift from the Trust Family Foundation for a permanent endowment. 290 Harvard St., Brookline, MA 02446, coolidge.org.
Area Four
The Hub’s abundance of prize-worthy pies continues to grow, but this year’s cornicione crown goes to a repeat winner. We credit the Area Four team’s obsessive attention to detail, starting with the tang, chew, and char of that crust, enough to make a dough aficionado’s knees wobble. And the toppings? Just your run-of-the-mill larder staples like hand-stretched mozzarella, Wellfleet clams, and a satiny mushroom sauce that is surely the reduction of some luxe French bisque. 264 East Berkeley St., South End, Boston, 857-317-4805; 500 Technology Sq., Kendall Square, Cambridge, 617-758-4444, areafour.com
Night Shift Brewing
You’ll find plenty of old-school Neapolitan and Sicilian slices in the neighboring North End, but if you’re craving Detroit-style pizza — a square-cut variety slowly starting to appear in Boston — you’ll need to stop by this young TD Garden–side brewery, which tapped a super-talented team of Eastern Standard alums to perfect its recipe. Locally milled high-gluten flour yields a wonderfully chewy, sheet-pan-deep pie built with sweet tomato sauce on top of salty, tangy cheese that reaches all the way to the caramelized edge — and don’t forget the crispy, heat-curled cups of dry-aged pepperoni. 1 Lovejoy Wharf, West End, MA 02114, nightshiftbrewing.com.