The Pheasant
Scallops at the Pheasant. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal Does food taste better in an old red barn? If it’s served by husband-and-wife team Adam and Erica Dunn, the answer is a definitive yes. The Cape-sourced, shareable menu here changes with the seasons, but expect artfully plated dishes like scallop ceviche and oysters with lemon-seaweed mignonette served with a side of five-star hospitality at this hidden gem, which reopened in 2018 under new ownership. And don’t forget to check out the “living wine list” — the small wine shop in the dining room — for a bottle of natural vino to enjoy at your table or back at home. 905 Route 6A, Dennis, MA 02638, pheasantcapecod.com.
Cape Cod Baseball League
Excuse the pun, but the Cape Cod Baseball League hits it out of the park. Every summer for the past 100 years, the nonprofit organization has brought high-level baseball to the Cape with teams boasting the best-of-the-best collegiate athletes in the nation — many of whom go on to the major leagues, including alums like the Red Sox’s Chris Sale and the Yankee’s Aaron Judge. The free (yes, free, though donations are encouraged) games are played at 10 local fields across the Cape — so pack a few lawn chairs, park yourself right behind home plate, and let your kids watch near-pro baseball up close and personal. capecodbaseball.org.
The Official Rock Song of Massachusetts
One, two, three, four, five, six! That’s not only the opening countdown of Natick native Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers’ 1976 classic “Roadrunner,” it’s also the number of times state lawmakers have tried to pass legislation making Richman’s ode to Route 128 night-driving “the official rock song of the Commonwealth.” Ten years since former Boston Mayor Marty Walsh introduced the first fail bills in 2013, Natick Representative David Linsky filed another one in February. Maybe the sixth time is the charm? Radio on!
The Foundry
The city of Cambridge transformed this former factory into a gorgeous, multipurpose creative hive with the explicit goal of offering accessible space to artists and artisans in a city that, more often than not, prices them out. Among the Foundry’s public amenities are reservable conference rooms; four makerspaces offering workshops for fi ber arts, woodwork, and more; a demonstration kitchen; a dance studio; and a 115-seat black-box theater. Not artistically inclined? No problem — you’ll also find Zumba classes, gallery shows, and guitar festivals, all open to the public. 101 Rogers St., Cambridge, MA 02142, cambridgefoundry.org.
Roadrunner
Photo by Ben Stas “Allston Rock City” is thrumming louder than ever thanks to the 3,500-capacity general-admission club from the Bowery Presents, the same folks who brought us the beloved Sinclair in Cambridge. Boasting a massive standing-room floor and a seven-row balcony, the venue’s world-class design ensures there isn’t a bad viewing spot in the house. Its impeccable sound, meanwhile, guarantees you’ll hear every lyric, instrument, and pin-drop from the stage. Pro tip: The line for the upstairs bathrooms is almost always shorter. 89 Guest St., Boston, MA 02135, roadrunnerboston.com.
The Oak Bluffs Inn
Nestled in the heart of Oak Bluffs, this nine-room inn housed in a meticu- lously updated 1870s Victorian—walk- ing distance from both the ferry and the beach—has won legions of devotees over more than two decades. (Guests have included the likes of Spike Lee; Wynton Marsalis, who gave a concert in the living room; Woody Harrelson; and bell hooks.) It’s a stone’s throw to restaurants, galler- ies, and sightseeing, but with the grand front porch and plenty of upscale beachy comforts, you may not bother to leave at the inn at all. 64 Circuit Ave., Oak Bluffs, MA 02557, oakbluffsinn.com.
Elburne
With one location already flourishing on Cape Cod, sisters Lauren and Simone Pereira established their second home-décor shop in Hanover’s new Merchant’s Row shopping plaza late last year. It’s not easy to shut your doors so soon after opening them, but online ordering and Instagram teaser shots of Elburne’s ethically sourced furniture, rugs, and artwork kept shoppers engaged through the shutdown. The doors are open once again, but the siblings are still offering curbside pickup to make scoring the perfect pick-me-up even easier. 2053 Washington St., Hanover, MA 02339, elburne.com.
Simcha
Adrien Shemtov/Yemenite fried chicken Ari Shemtov’s Israeli-fusion menu is full of gems such as deep-fried feta, chickpea poutine with brisket, and couscous arancini, but it pays to time your contactless pickup order to one of the chef ’s weekly specials (don’t miss the Wednesday-night barbecue package complete with ribs, chicken wings, and a whole smoked snapper). That’s not the only way Shemtov is feeding the community in these tough times: The restaurant also offers a food-share program that provides a “one-size-fits-all” box of provisions at restaurant cost. 370 S. Main St., Sharon, MA 02067, simcharestaurant.com.
Kimball Farm
Pat Piasecki Kimball Farm started as an ice cream stand on a sandy patch of parking lot, a rite of passage for local kids to eat cones as big as their heads. Today, the Westford location has socially distanced family fun down to a science with attractions that rival most theme parks. Here you’ll find well-monitored lines for gargantuan sundaes; an al fresco snack shack with kid-friendly meals (cheesy tater tots, hot dogs) and local beer for grownups; live music; and even mini golf, bumper boats, and batting cages for open-air fun with your pod. 400 Littleton Rd. (Rt. 110), Westford, MA 01886, kimballfarm.com.
Landry & Arcari
Shopping for rugs anywhere other than Landry & Arcari is like installing wall-to-wall carpeting in your bathroom: You just don’t do it. Family-owned since its inception, the well-loved store proffers thousands of handmade treasures in styles ranging from traditional to tribal to contemporary. And service is also second to none: For proof, consider the team’s quick pandemic-induced pivot to offering customers an in-store shopping experience online, including sharing videos of the stacks of rugs available in the showroom and providing virtual consultations with design-savvy staffers. 333 Stuart St., Boston, MA 02116, landryandarcari.com.
Marshfield Drive-in
Mona Miri While we wait for the world to return to 21st-century speed, a throwback trend perfect for the social-distancing era has roared back to life: the 1950s-style drive-in movie theater. And what better place than the wide-open grounds of the now-canceled Marshfield Fair—reimagined this summer as an al fresco theater (pictured above) complete with a big screen and concessions—to sprawl out on a lawn chair with a bag of popcorn? Past showings have ranged from the current (Trolls World Tour) to the old-school, including the aptly chosen Back to the Future. 140 Main St., Marshfield, MA 02050, marshfielddrivein.com.
Fox & the Knife
Matt Kalinowski The restaurant industry reeled when Governor Charlie Baker banned on-site dining in March. Top Chef alum Karen Akunowicz, though, rolled with the punches like a champ. Somehow, she successfully translated her sophisticated Italian menu items—such as saffron-bedecked spaghetti with clams—into takeout and delivery. She also slyly launched Fox Pasta to sell house-made spinach mafaldine and other varieties by the pound, plus sauces by the pint. And she quickly readied her patio for devouring personal pizzas and frosé once outdoor dining was allowed again. Adaptability, thy name is Akunowicz. 28 W. Broadway, South Boston, MA 02127, foxandtheknife.com.
M&M BBQ at Dorchester Brewing Company
Barbecue and beer are a perfect pairing, so it makes sense that third-generation pitmaster Geovanni Lambert would open his first brick-and-mortar restaurant inside Dorchester Brewing Company. The counter-service operation dishes out M & M’s famous ribs—the original recipe Lambert’s grandparents launched with a food truck in 1982—as well as smoked chicken and beer-hall-inspired munchies such as the smoked-cheese-and-brisket-loaded “Dumpster Fries.” Devour them on the brewery’s cool new rooftop patio, or grab them curbside (along with cans of, say, Clapp’s Cream Ale) to bring to your own socially distanced lawn party. 1250 Massachusetts Ave., Boston, MA 02125, mandmribs.com.
Sally's Sandwiches
If your next Netflix Party with friends involves a few too many quarantinis, take note: There’s no better hangover cure than Sally’s superbly gooey egg-and-cheese sandwich, served on an airy-soft bulkie roll. Still hungry? Come lunchtime, this new sibling to the Gallows gastropub and Blackbird Doughnuts offers intoxicating flavor combos such as sliced mojo pork and ham, spicy pickles, and garlicky pesto on a sesame-speckled torta roll; or a tender housemade falafel burger topped with tangy lemon-olive spread. 492 Tremont St., Boston, MA 02116, sallyssandwiches.com.
Wequassett Resort and Golf Club
Here it's all about hospitality, from thoughtful kids' offerings like mini beach chairs and cabanas to a program that tracks repeat guests' preferences. Want a rare book delivered to your room? They thought so. Planning to propose—but need a violinist? She'll be right over. It doesn't hurt that Wequassett's on-site restaurant, Twenty-Eight Atlantic, is helmed by L'Espalier alum James Hackney, or that a roving Good Humor truck doles out post-swim snacks. At sunset, a newly expanded veranda with fire pits offers serene views of Pleasant Bay. 2173 Route 28, Harwich, MA 02645, wequassett.com.