Our Fathers
Not to imply Bostonians are some beleaguered, deli-deprived populace for whom stellar pastrami has forever been but a shimmering, fat-dappled mirage—or that the heavenly hand-cut stuff Our Fathers plies in Allston is some kind of smoky, cardamom-crusted godsend. We’re flat-out stating it. Besides the Katz’s-rivaling cured beef, the takeout arm of this modern Jewish restaurant from the Franklin Café crew sells reliably stellar sandwiches, smoked fish, and other cold cuts by the pound. In other words, the stuff deli dreams are made of. 197 N. Harvard St., Allston, MA 02134, ourfathersboston.com.
The Four Seasons Hotel Boston
Many a bride has descended from this icon’s dramatic staircase for first-look photos; now, with a recent reimagining of the ground floor public spaces by designer Ken Fulk, you can also strike a pose in a chic lounge offering rich velvet seating accented in silk fringe. Upstairs, the former restaurant Aujourd’hui has reopened as a delightful event space framed by floor-to-ceiling windows that capture leafy views. And if you prefer to take the party outside, the Sanctuary, the hotel’s new brick-clad terrace, is positively dreamy, too. 200 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02116, fourseasons.com.
Dick's House of Sport
We quit mourning the dearly departed Lord & Taylor on Boylston Street the day this superstore opened in its place. Encompassing more than 100,000 square feet, it stocks gear for athletes in every sport — and you can test some of it out, too, in batting cages and on the indoor rock-climbing wall. 760 Boylston St., Boston, MA 02199, dickssportinggoods.com.
Szechuan Mountain House
Fiery Sichuan specialties abound at this swanky New York import, which has been drawing huge crowds to Allston since its late 2023 debut. The menu doesn’t shy away from ingredients that may be less familiar to American palates, from a dish of blood curd, tripe, and intestine in spicy chili-oil broth to braised frog meat in sour, spicy soup. But tried-and-true favorites like mapo tofu and peppercorn beef are just as delicious. Cool down with the can’t-stop-snacking salted-egg-yolk corn. 89 Brighton Ave., Retail A, Boston, MA 02134, szechuanmountainhouse.com.
The Banks Fish House
The Banks Fish House's New England clam chowder with Berkshire pork belly and chive oil. / Photo by Joe St. Pierre, styling by Joy Howard This souped-up spin on a classic succeeds thanks to its middle-of-the-road thickness, a bit of elegance (and flavor contrast) from the bright-green chive oil, and the sheer amount of clams and pork belly. The double-carb side — oyster crackers and a tasty little dinner bun — doesn’t hurt. 406 Stuart St., Back Bay, MA 02116, thebanksboston.com.
Your Dream Bridal
Bridal-gown stylists deal with a cross-section of the touchiest subjects: our relationships with our bodies, our closest family members, and our money. Your Dream Bridal’s Malinda Macari expertly guides you through that emotional minefield, landing you and your perfect gown—handpicked from designers such as Jesus Peiro and Truvelle—securely on the other side. The icing on the cake? Macari insists on booking just one client at a time, so you and your squad get the boutique all to yourselves, ensuring that the experience is both meaningful and safe. 730 Boston Post Rd., Sudbury, MA 01776, yourdreambridal.com.
Haley House Bakery Café
After closing for a year to retool, this nonprofit bakery and “social enterprise” returns to Nubian Square with new African and Caribbean influences on the menu—try the house-baked chapati flatbread wrapped around Haitian pikliz—and an even stronger equity-minded mission. In addition to providing job opportunities to marginalized community members, the café now employs “open book management,” a format that helps staff learn, stem to stern, how a business really works. 12 Dade St., Roxbury, MA 02119, haleyhouse.org/hhbc.
Your Dream Bridal
KARIN DAILEY Every fairy-tale wedding needs a fairy godmother, and for you, that person might just be Malinda Macari at Your Dream Bridal. Her singular goal? To make each and every bride who sets foot inside her inviting Sudbury boutique feel special. Before meeting with you, Macari will review your wedding details and even your Pinterest board to get a sense of your vision. Then, she’ll work her magic in a private (and pressure-free) appointment, pulling from a curated collection of covetable dresses by Truvelle, Lea-Ann Belter, Laudae, and more—no magic wand required. 730 Boston Post Rd., Sudbury, MA yourdreambridal.com.
Five Spices House
Like the city’s options for Sichuan fare, this repeat winner just keeps getting better—and bigger. Last winter, the Chinatown original spawned a sibling kitchen in Central Square that instantly warmed the Scoville-loving hearts (and mouths) of Cantabrigians with its palate-igniting cauldron of “Scalding Fish Fillet” and thin-skinned dumplings drenched in beguiling hot sauce. (The puckery, vinegary stuff—like pork with pickled cabbage soup—is tempting, too.) Here’s hoping the fire continues to spread. 58 Beach St. , Boston, MA 5spiceshouse.com .
Always Yours Events
Keri Ketterer Walter at Always Yours Events excels in design, dreaming up fairy-tale fetes with bespoke details, luxe rentals, and (of course) a cohesive color scheme to pull it all together. alwaysyoursevents.com.
Your Dream Bridal
There’s a reason brides call Malinda Macari “the wedding-gown whisperer.” During her two-hour tête-à-têtes with clients in her intimate Sudbury boutique, the dress doyenne taps into her deep knowledge of bridal fashion to steer customers toward just the right frock in her handpicked collection — replete with sustainably made gowns from leading ateliers around the globe. Designs by Sassi Holford, Lea-Ann Belter, and Jesus Peiro (among others) all have a place here — and Macari knows them inside and out. 730 Boston Post Rd., Sudbury, MA 1776, yourdreambridal.com.
Pelham House Resort
Courtesy of Pelham House Resort Should you take your spicy marg by the beach or the pool; the swanky rooftop restaurant or the cool firepit-equipped patio? These are the toughest decisions you’ll have to make at this newly Luxe Dennis Port Hotel, which reopened in 2020 with freshly renovated oceanfront rooms and a slew of fun amenities. And with the opening of two new satellite properties this summer — each with its own unique look but connected to the main resort’s beach bonfires and poolside live music via shuttle — the Cape’s newest hot spot is only getting hotter. 14 Sea St., Dennis Port, MA 02639, pelhamhouseresort.com.
Tree House Brewing Company
Okay, so it’s not technically a bar, but with tickets required for entry (and sometimes selling out), this brewery’s new Sandwich outpost is certainly the most coveted spot around to sip suds at a picnic table overlooking Cape Cod Bay or inside an airy, whitewashed taproom. That’s thanks to Tree House’s IPAs, imperial stouts and porters, and more, which beer aficionados have traveled from far and wide to sample since the brewery opened its first location in western Massachusetts 11 years ago. We’ll let you in on a little secret: They taste even better on vacation. Sandwich, MA treehousebrew.com/visiting-sandwich.
Gourmet China House
Brian Samuels One day, the Lyft-and-tunnel pilgrims lined up outside Chinatown institution Gourmet Dumpling House will discover that the Taiwanese and Sichuan eats are even better at its spacious sibling across the street — with enough awfully (often offal-y) tasty options on its menu for the kung-pao-basic and goose-intestine-with-chive-flower-curious alike. 55 Beach St., Chinatown, MA 02111, gourmetchinahouse.com.
Pelham House Resort
Every beachside community needs a restaurant with a view, a meeting place of sorts where families and friends can gather for birthday celebrations or just to gaze and graze on a sunny afternoon. For the mid-Cape, that place is the Pelham House. After a recent major refresh, a heated roof deck offers unobstructed Nantucket Sound views all around, not to mention a killer menu featuring plenty of fresh seafood. As for the apré-dinner scene? Multiple fire pits surrounding the sea-level dining area are perfect for cocktails and moonlit ocean views. 14 Sea St., Dennis Port, MA 02639, pelhamhouseresort.com.