Saus at Bow Market
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE: A hot dog. WHAT IT REALLY IS: A Beyond Meat frank in a soft and squishy bun from the local, family-owned Central Bakery, with a drizzle of yellow mustard from neighbor Remnant Brewing. WHY TO GET IT: The key is Saus’s self-made fixings, such as papaya slaw, cilantro-lime onions, and a house chili studded with Impossible meat. 1 Bow Market Way, Somerville, MA 02143, sausboston.com.
Offsuit
It’s a snug, sophisticated, don’t-call-it-a-speakeasy space that opened during a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic (yikes). Yet Offsuit pulled off its gambit on the strength of simple cocktails that nail everything that really counts: top-shelf spirits, fresh ingredients, and slow-melting bergs of hand-carved ice. The philosophy turns sleepy standards like the Dark & Stormy or gimlet into revelations, while house originals — such as the Lounge Act, made with chamomile-infused apple brandy — are no less impressive. 107 South St., Leather District, MA 02111, offsuitboston.com.
Monumental Market
Where can you score a bold yet balanced cup of coffee, mouthwatering pastries, and the perfect background tunes for sipping your java back at home? This quick-stop shop, which represents the collaborative entrepreneurship that is the future of Boston’s food world: Baker Kelsey Munger and bean roaster Javier Amador-Peña met at a farmers’ market, opened Monumental together, and tapped local Light of Day Records to stock the space with new and (cheap!) vintage vinyls. Blueberry muffins, cold brew, and David Bowie — yes, please. 36 South St., Jamaica Plain, MA 02130, monumentalmarket.com.
Winnetu Oceanside Resort
Courtesy Photo The Winnetu takes the prize this year not only for its comfort, charm, and amenities such as poolside cabanas and front-lawn clambakes, but also for its new programming. The resort’s Over-Sand Beach Day package includes a bottle of prosecco, a picnic lunch, and a permitted Jeep waiting to take you on a romp to one of the island’s outer beaches. Signature oyster tours and kayaking expeditions, meanwhile, round out the summer adventures. 31 Dunes Rd., Edgartown, MA 02539, winnetu.com.
North Beach Island
There’s definitely a desert-island vibe on this remote stretch of sand, reachable only by boat: Depending on the day or time, you might have the beach to yourself. At other times, expect pockets of locals staking their claim on the shoreline with colorful umbrellas, coolers, and portable grills and playing seaside games like horseshoes or beach bocce. Don’t have a vessel of your own to ferry you there? Beach shuttles are available through Outermost Harbor Marine.
Nomans
With live music, fire pits, and lawn games like Jenga and cornhole, the restaurant formerly known as Lola’s is the perfect place to whittle away an island Sunday Funday. Oh, and there are plenty of eye-opening eats, too, from light and fresh poke and a&_ccedil;a&_iacute; bowls to burgers and dogs cooked just the way we like ’em. The in-house rums, meanwhile, will have you saying, “Yo-ho-ho” as you swashbuckle out the door. 15 Island Inn Rd., Oak Bluffs, MA 02557, nomansmv.com.
Añejo
Trade your mimosas for margaritas at this brunch hot spot, which serves up creative Mexican cuisine with a Cape twist (see: the quahog rellenos and chipotle-laced lobster bisque). Dine beneath a centuries-old weeping beech tree at the Hyannis outpost, or sit back and people-watch, Paloma in hand, from the Falmouth location’s patio — either way, you’ll find a fun atmosphere that makes every Sunday feel like a party. Multiple locations. anejo.cc.
Bishop John M. Borders III
Bishop John M. Borders III of Mattapan’s Morning Star Baptist Church partnered with Boston Medical Center and Mattapan Community Health Center to use his house of worship as a vaccination site — and in so doing, gave the community a trusted place backed by a trusted leader to receive lifesaving shots. Now that’s what we call keeping the faith. 1257 Blue Hill Ave., Mattapan, MA 02126, .
<em>Black Soap</em> by SuperSmashBroz
The DJ/producer duo SuperSmashBroz hang out by the waterfront. Marika Rosegold Roxbury natives Muyi Fre$co and Noma Nomz live by the mantra “get your vibes right” — and that’s exactly what the DJ/producer duo have accomplished with their latest project, which celebrates the diversity of the city with feel-good rhythms and soulful Caribbean melodies infused with mesmeric Afrobeats. Cameos from other Boston artists are the proverbial cherry on top. supersmashbroz.com.
Cumar
Dramatic granite fireplaces. Soothing white-quartz vanities. Calacatta marble countertops. Whatever stone statement piece you envision for your home, you can rest assured that this Everett firm — which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year — not only carries the unique slab you need, but staffs the skilled craftspeople crucial to cutting and installing it correctly the first time. 69 Norman St., Everett, MA 02149, cumar.com.
Hutker Architects
The difference between a regular old house and a stunning home? Careful, deliberate design — and Hutker Architects employs it in spades. The team has repeatedly demonstrated a knack for maximizing views with contemporary flair. Their most recent example involves a masterful illusion: A South Shore home reads like a single-story construction from the street, but opens to a two-story wall with glass panels that frames the salt marshes beyond it. Smart. hutkerarchitects.com.
Lenox Sophia
Photo by Brian Samuels Southie didn’t need another pub. It needed, and received in Lenox Sophia, a fine foodie destination for popping in on the way home from work — having reserved one of the four chef’s-counter seats, ideally — and decompressing over a set prix fixe: steaky king trumpet mushrooms with honey-fermented garlic, miso, and tart dried plum might be on the menu from ones-to-watch chefs Shi Mei and Yesid Areiza. The wine? That’s whatever you bring: It’s BYOB. 87 A St., Boston, MA 02127, lenoxsophia.com.
Dalí Restaurant & Tapas Bar
Opened long before Toro became the niño bonito of Boston, this tapas den is a full-on party that’s still raging, and just as sexy and fun as you remember. Here, small plates like spicy chicken skewers with lemon sour cream, and lamb meatballs in tomato-mint sauce are shared over sangria at tile-covered tables or the boho-chic bar festooned with hanging bunches of garlic and greenery. The vibe? In typical Dalí form, it’s surreal. 415 Washington St., Somerville, MA 02143, dalirestaurant.com.
Mahaniyom
After sampling Mahaniyom’s tapas-style takes on Bangkok street eats — housemade crab curry with vermicelli noodles, three-spice salt-and-pepper pork cheeks — you just won’t be able to go back to your basic pad-Thai-on-a-weeknight joint. Not when you have a date-night-feeling destination like this on deck, complete with flirty, Land of Smiles–inspired cocktails — such as the Mahaniyom Sazerac made with Thai-tea-infused rye — to leave you with a rosy glow. 236 Washington St., Brookline, MA 02445, mahaniyomboston.com.
The Boston Sail Loft
It’s kind of a tease that the Sail Loft’s clam chowder comes in a handled mug, because — unless you want your beard or blouse to smell of seafood — it’s probably not advisable to just go ahead and drink it down. If etiquette didn’t exist, though, we’d absolutely toss out the spoon to chug this Über-creamy broth studded with potatoes, sweet dill, and, of course, plenty of briny clams. 80 Atlantic Ave., Boston, MA 02110, thebostonsailloft.com.