Deep Ellum
Mention 'Allston/Brighton,' and the average Bostonian's nose hoists a few degrees skyward, as if avoiding the odor of a thousand musty futons. That's fine by locals, whose dual neighborhood's rep as a student slum keeps interlopers at bay; thus, the crowds remain fairly tolerable at this rare grownup watering hole, where the cocktails hail from yesteryear, the food from down south, and the tap list from a beer geek's fever dream. 477 Cambridge St., Allston, MA 2135, .
George Wright Golf Course
Who says seaside plots and posh resorts are the only locations worthy of a fairway? Tucked into a residential George Wright is an undersung hero. It offers a fun, fair test with lots of elevation changes, and there might not be finer back-to-back holes in the state than the 9th and 10th. Though the course is well worn—it was built in the 1930s as a Works Progress Administration project—the city has increased its financial commitment over the past 10 years, resulting in better conditions than ever before. 420 West St., Hyde Park, MA 2136, .
Eli's Pub
Eli's is the rare watering hole that is not too cheesy, too pretentious, or too pricey. Tucked off the main room of the Barker Tavern, this candlelit nook has a gleaming mahogany bar that serves a jovial but civilized crowd. It also serves such scrumptious food as crab cakes with roasted yellow pepper coulis and duck breast with orange honey—hoisin sauce. 21 Barker Rd., Scituate, MA barkertavern.com/pub.html.
MarketStreet Lynnfield
Don’t call it a mall—MarketStreet Lynnfield is open-air shopping—but do call it super convenient. Some 80 businesses include national faves as well as small-batch offerings such as Polkadog Bakery and the beauty spot Mane & Mani; restaurants like Otto Pizza and Temazcal Tequila Cantina; and entertainment in the form of Kings bowling. There’s even a nine-hole golf course and—if you truly enjoy shopping till you drop—180 on-site apartments. marketstreetlynnfield.com.
The Field
In Ireland, a pub is just a simple bar, not a junkyard of faux-Irish flourishes like County Cork mile markers or an imported floor. Behind the quaint red exterior of this Central Square spot is an unpretentious watering hole filled with friendly folks from students to punk rockers. Music from the corners, a ratty pool table, and comfy benches make it a great nightcap or Saturday afternoon haven. As for the most authentic measure of any Irish pub: The Guinness is positively soulful. 20 Prospect St., Cambridge, MA thefieldpub.com.
Backbar
This is the year of the cocktail bar, and the city's top new spots are anchored by considerable talent. There's Scott Marshall shaking and stirring at the Hawthorne, and Misty Kalkofen assembling mezcal-spiked drinks at Brick & Mortar. When it comes to making the most of a watering hole, though, we have to hand it to Sam Treadway, who has transformed Backbar's tiny, raw Union Square space into a game-changing operation—all with a broad smile and even broader range of cocktail smarts. 9 Sanborn Court, Somerville, MA 2143, backbarunion.com.
Brenden Crocker's Wild Horse Café
When people start gathering outside a bar before 5 o'clock, it's a sign of either a really choice watering hole or really thirsty locals. Not seeing Beverly as much of a hard-core tippler's town, we bet it's the former when it comes to Brenden Crocker's—half cushy restaurant (good for date dinners and quiet conversation), half relaxed pub (good for face-melting martinis and general bibulous bonhomie). Combined with nimble service, it makes for a night out that's worth queuing up for. 392 Cabot St., Beverly, MA 1915, brendanbehanpub.com.
Granite Links Golf Club
The views of the Boston skyline make this Quincy course stand out, but Granite Links is much more than a pretty picture. The private course offers an astounding 27 holes of golf for members and the public, and includes a large, lighted practice range that stays open late. After a grueling round with your buddies, the on-site restaurant is a welcome respite, with a fun-loving crowd and a range of food and drink options. 100 Quarry Lane, Quincy, MA 2186, granitelinksgolfclub.com.
North End Fabrics
<p>It's hard to find a decent fabric store these days. The dwindling number of people who sew their own clothes has caused many textile shops to close, and most of those that remain are either large chains with uninspired inventories or discounters selling remnants, irregular goods, and closeouts.</p> <p>In this wasteland, North End Fabrics, at 31 Harrison Avenue, is an oasis for the home sewer. The small shop on the edge of Chinatown stocks a sumptuous and well-edited assortment of high-fashion textiles including Liberty of London cottons, the beautiful silklike polyester of John Kaldor, handerchief linens, wool suiting, silk jacquards, and tropical-weight wool challises. It even has the dubious honor of carrying New England's largest inventory of fake furs. All these goodies are tucked into barebones quarters, which on Saturday afternoons can set off an epidemic of claustrophobia among the customers. But the hard-core home sewers who flock there don't seem to mind. "I have this theory about fabric stores," says owner Ellen Bick. "It seems as if a kind of reverse ambience is best. Not that you want it to be grungy, but the more it looks like a mill store or a factory, the better the serious sewer likes it."</p> <p>Just how popular North End Fabrics is with serious sewers is demonstrated by its clientele, which includes aspiring fashion designers (Boston designer David Josef shopped there during his start-up years), photo stylists, costume designer, and well-dressed professional women who want couture-quality material for the outfits they sew. October brings a colorful crowd of gay men buying sequins and gold lamé for costumes they'll wear on Halloween at the annual gay ball.</p> <p>Many shops that operated during the heyday of Boston's Garment District (during the early 1900s) are now gone—victims of rising rents, changing times, and chichi real estate developments. But North End Fabrics has stood its ground there for 30 years. If that doesn't mean it's doing something right, nothing does.</p>
Outdoor Voices
Outdoor Voices No matter if you’re hosting a Zoom meeting or clicking over to a virtual lunchtime yoga session, you won’t want to hide Outdoor Voices’ (pictured) bold, eye-catching leggings and ultra-soft sweats. The company’s sustainably sourced activewear, after all, was designed for “doing things,” whether those things are running for miles or running your business (and your life) from your kitchen counter. 31 Northern Ave., Boston, MA 02210, outdoorvoices.com.
Things We Can’t Wait to Eat Again
The Kobe cap steak at Grill 23: We’re jonesing for the primal pleasures of a deep-charred steak crust that doesn’t involve sweating bullets over a home grill. The charred avocado nigiri at Café Sushi: Precise applications of lemon, salt, truffle oil, and fire-breathing blowtorch yield a showstopper too delicate for takeout travel. The quail kebobs at at Oleana: Ana Sortun’s elegantly boned-out game-bird skewers taste best in the urban paradise of Oleana’s gorgeous garden. The double-pork ramen at Yume Wo Katare: We miss waiting for hot bowlfuls of garlicky, pork-fat-drenched noodle soup at this intimate eatery, where the camaraderie in line is part of the fun. The “Royal Chocolate Cake for Two, Kween” at Orfano: The indulgence is available in sensible slices for the social-distancing era, but you can’t top the hedonistic joy of double-teaming an entire cake with a close friend.
Hemlock Grill
Eating well with a view of a sunny fairway usually requires a tony country club membership. But even non-golfers are welcome at the unassuming 19th hole at Brookline’s proletarian Putterham public links. Here, chef Alex Sáenz plates Boston’s crunchiest, juiciest fried chicken, with bolder duffers opting for his searing, vivid-red “Nashville Hot” style. 1281 West Roxbury Pkwy., Brookline, MA 02467, hemlockgrill.com.
Harvard Book Store
Forget scrambling to get into a hot new watering hole: There's something delightfully Cantabrigian about waiting in line for a big-name author reading on a Friday night. Everyone from tweedy academics to former Supreme Court justices fills this institution's eclectically brainy events calendar, a virtual reading list for anyone invested in staying on top of the year's biggest and most important book releases. 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138, harvard.com.
Parlor Sports
Photograph by Jared Kuzia This might be the only watering hole where stat geeks meet regularly to review the finer points of sabermetrics, and where themed events have names like “NBA Nerd Night.” Bonus: The upscale bar grub (how about a homemade Hot Pocket?) far surpasses the cardboard pizza you’ll find at most sports bars. 3 Beacon St., Somerville, MA 02143, parlorsportsbar.com.
Desfina
Nowadays a lot of trendy kitchens are "interpreting" Greek classics. Hole-in-the-wall Desfina, by contrast, cooks up classics that taste just as they would at an Athens taverna. The pikilia, an appetizer plate with a handful of flavors, boasts a wonderfully tangy tzatziki. The grilled octopus app, zesty with lemon, will turn first-time tentacle tasters into devotees. And there's plenty to go around: The first course eats like a meal in itself. 202 Third St., Cambridge, MA desfina.com.