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.
Gus & Ruby
Rodeo & Co. Photography Why flip through book upon book of invitations when you can have something that’s completely, uniquely you? That’s exactly what you’ll get when you commission Samantha Finigan and Whitney Swaffield, of Gus & Ruby, to create custom paper goods for your party. The New Hampshire&ndashbased duo, who launched a long-awaited brick-and-mortar on Beacon Hill last October, demonstrate a particular flair for the unexpected. Exhibit A: their recent Bridgerton-inspired invitation suite, which paired Victorian silhouettes with modern script and gold foil. 99 Charles St., Boston, MA 02114, gusandruby.com.
Thom Solo
When would you ever wear a ruched periwinkle thigh-high boot? When would you not, Thom Solo would respond. His Elton John-meets-Michelangelo designs have graced the feet of Lady Gaga, Kelly Clarkson, and Britney Spears, among others, and even got a showcase in the MFA’s “Gender Bending Fashion” exhibit in 2019. This year Solo poured his pandemic-lockdown energy into the Nostalgia collection, an explosively creative line of caged heels, loafer-style Mary Janes, and, yes, ruched thigh-highs. thomsolo.com.
French + Italian
“Look on the bright side” is owner Aimee Lombardi’s motto — something she made very clear over the past year with her selection of cheerful cobalt-blue cashmere crews, citron flats, and yellow track pants. Rolling with the times, the stylish shopkeeper focused on keeping shelves filled with WFH threads that could be Zoom-ready on top, and completely comfy on the bottom — think cardigans and flowy skirts from superstar European lines like Molli, Acne Studios, Ganni, and Sofie D’Hoore. The best part? Every last piece transitions seamlessly to any post-vaccine brunch and vacation plans. 119 Charles St., Boston, MA 02114, frenchitalian.com.
The Whitney Hotel
James Baigrie From the outside, it’s a classic 1909-built brick Beacon Hill building. From the inside, it’s an ultra-chic, modern oasis with every comfort of home and then some. Enjoy plush amenities such as Frette robes and complimentary bikes for cruising around the Hill like you live there — and when hunger strikes, you won’t have to go far for top-notch fare: Peregrine, the lauded on-site restaurant from Joshua Lewin and Katrina Jazayeri, can bring an antipasto platter for two right to your room. 170 Charles St., Boston, MA 02114, whitneyhotelboston.com.
Kara Lydon Nutrition
Go ahead and gobble up those cookies sans guilt: Registered dietitian nutritionist Kara Lydon encourages her clients to eschew fad diets in favor of intuitive eating, which means enjoying satisfying meals filled with carbs, proteins, and fats (and, yes, the occasional sweet treat) whenever hunger strikes. Not sure how to begin? Lydon’s blog (a.k.a. “the Foodie Dietician”) and e-book offer countless recipes so you can get a jump-start on your health before you even book an appointment. 399 Boylston St., Boston, MA 02116, karalydon.com.
Pagu
Kristin Teig A lot of restaurants pivoted to add grocery sales this year, but none did it quite like Pagu. Yes, chef-owner Tracy Chang stocks the virtual shelves of her market with jars of house-made condiments (including her bomb-dot-com Umami XO sauce), chef-driven provisions (see the eye-popping purple pancake mix made from taro root), and meal kits, all reflecting her restaurant’s Japanese-Spanish cuisine. Just as important, though, she’s also long on essentials — flour, EVOO, fresh produce — and through her new organization, Project Restore Us, home-delivers them to communities in need. 310 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139, gopagu.com.
White Elephant
For the second year in a row, we hand over the title of best Nantucket hotel to the White Elephant, and happily so. Around since the 1920s, you could say the iconic resort knows how to do a thing or two — as proven by the white-glove service, luxurious bed linens so popular you can now buy your own, and seafood restaurant showcasing an awe-inspiring harbor view. And with accommodations ranging from garden cottages and residences to hotel rooms and downtown lofts, getting a room has never been easier. 50 Easton St., Nantucket, MA 02554, whiteelephantnantucket.com.