Colonial Shoe Repair
Favorite boots need a little TLC? These experts can quickly reheel, resole, or reinforce your kicks—sometimes even on the same day. They’re also honest enough to let you know when it’s time to retire them altogether. 101 Summer St., Boston, MA colonialshoerepair.com.
Quad Bikes
Searching for the right bike mechanic is like searching for the right doctor: You want someone trustworthy, friendly, and not looking to gouge you. For 15-plus years, this basement shop on Harvard’s Radcliffe Quad has been doing work so affordably, and so well, that it’s become an open secret among cyclists. 51 Shepard St., Cambridge, MA quadbikes.org.
Maria's Pastry Shop
Three generations of Merola women have commandeered the shop since 1982, churning out delicate, Old World–inspired cannolis with freshly fried shells and creamy, barely sweetened ricotta. They’re the lodestars against which we’d judge any baked outside the Boot. 46 Cross St., Boston, MA mariaspastry.com.
Rhythm 'n Wraps
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE: Fried chicken. WHAT IT REALLY IS: Shredded jackfruit that’s remixed into a patty, breaded, and fried. WHY TO GET IT: Between the zingy pickled red onions and cilantro aioli, the flavor is as bright as the bouncy hip-hop music playing overhead. 1096 Commonwealth Ave., Allston, MA 02134, rhythmnwraps.com.
Tip Tap Room
Photograph by Trevor Reid Yes, we visited the legendary NewBridge Café, and, yes, the tips lived up to the hype. But bite for bite, the Tip Tap Room took the crown, with perfectly charred, tender beef accented by zingy horseradish potatoes, sliced cherry peppers, and bordelaise. 138 Cambridge St., Boston, MA 02114, thetiptaproom.com.
Bottega Fiorentina
This cozy deli's been slinging authentic Florentine cuisine for more than two decades, long before the fast-casual trend. Made-to-order pastas cooked with fresh ingredients (try the linguine amatriciana) make it the best lunch spot on the C Line. 313B Harvard St., Brookline, MA 02446, bottegabrookline.com.
Rimowa
Made of aluminum or lightweight poly-carbonate, the stylish suitcases from this German luggage maker, which opened its first shop in Boston last year, are built to stand up to turbulence, tight connections, and the TSA—and look good while doing it. 12 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02116, rimowa.com.
Beacon Hill Bistro
Hill dwellers flock to this chic little bistro for its cozy atmosphere and inspired French cooking. And while the long, narrow dining room is packed most nights for dinner, weekend brunch is the real draw, with mouthwatering fruit-topped pancakes and fluffy omelets—perfect accompaniments to coffee and the morning paper. 19-25 Charles St., Boston, MA beaconhillhotel.com/bistro-hours.
TenderCrop Farm
It's one of the few established businesses in rural Newbury, but you'll find it easily; just look for all the cars parked near the 17th-century bran. Inside find farm-fresh berries and vegetables, local honey, and rafters of dried flowers, then ogle the buffalo and llamas outside. 108 High Rd. (Route 1A), Newbury, MA tendercropfarm.com.
John Tarr Store
Come on, did those Ralph Lauren boots really keep you warm last winter? Is that Donna Karan raincoat really waterpoof? Serious New England weather demands serious clothing, and here it is: fisherman-tested yellow slickers, construction-worker wool-lined jackets, and hats that keep out the sun and the rain. 49 Main St., Rockport, MA .
Brock and Company
Forgoing the high rents of gallery space, private dealers use their expertise to match up high-stakes buyers and sellers discreetly. Mark L. Brock is a gem; he will happily source a long-sought treasure, or get the best price on that ancestral portrait you're looking to unload. brockandco.com/index.html.
Punch Bar
Points off for being a dark cavern in the corner of one of the city's ugliest hotels (the Back Bay Sheraton). But the cushy chairs and cozy nooks lend a decadent air to the art of cigaring. The selection is immense— 100 by our last count— and the bar staff is adept at guiding even novices to a satisfying stogie. Sheraton Boston Hotel & Towers, 39 Dalton St., Boston, MA .
Club Passim
This legendary folk club/coffeehouse was nearly forced to shut its doors, but now a new-and-improved Club Passim is open under new management. And it now has a 4 a.m. license, so look here for after-hours food and fun. 47 Palmer St., Cambridge, MA .
Period Furniture Hardware
The densely packed display racks at this Beacon Hill cubbyhole offer one-stop shopping for rarefied brass, chrome, porcelain, and glass—knobs, pulls, hooks, hangers, rods, and other trimmings that can bring an Edwardian touch to the powder room or a Federal finish to the bedroom. 123 Charles St., Boston, MA periodfurniturehardware.com.
Interlocks
The stylists at Interlocks don't just cut your hair. They teach you how to maintain the style, and which products to use to keep your tresses looking salon-perfect long after you've left the chair. And with an adjacent full spa, this is a one-stop shop for hair, nail, and body needs. 58 Merrimac St., Newburyport, MA interlockssalon.com.