Dairy Fresh Candies
It's hard to decide whether Dairy Fresh deserves our vote more for its nonpareil assortment of confections or for its friendly and informative staff. Its two narrow rooms are packed to the rafters with such imported and domestic treats as Italian baci (kisses), Turkish pistachio nuts, Lake Champlain chocolates, and Dancing Deer cookies. Around the holidays, the little shop kicks into an overdrive that would wear out even an Oompah-Loompah. 57 Salem St., Boston, MA .
Crema cremada, Rauxa
Mark our words: Naples-born pastry chef Tonie Rapa is going places. And her Catalan version of a creme brulee is just one reason. It comes in a big, shallow soup plate (the usual mini gratin dish would be a frustrating tease), and you can eat a lot more because it seemingly has double the luscious, yolky vanilla flavor yet half the richness of its rivals. 70 Union Square, Somerville, MA .
Centre St. Cafe
Visions of the Moosewood Cafe dance in our heads. This Jamaica Plain eatery isn't quite the famous haven that spawned all those veggie cookbooks, but it offers meatless dishes flavorful enough to satisfy a carnivore. In fact, a musrhoom-potato stew was so rich, we were convinced it had a beef-broth base. (It didn't.) We also loved the salads and the curried stir fry. You'll find an occasional fish or chicken dish, but this is veggie heaven, 1960s-style. 699 Centre St., Jamaica Plain, MA .
Bobby Uzdavinis
Had I been waiting too long? (Five minutes.) Would I like help with the door? (Yes, since I had armloads of groceries.) What kind of music would I like to hear? (Blessed silence.) All that, plus he loves his job, his cab company — "it's like a big family— and he even idled at the curb until I was safely inside my apartment building. Either this is the happiest cabbie alive, or everyone should be on whatever medication he's taking. Town Taxi, .
Visual Comfort & Co. Systems
If you need to see something to believe it, book a consultation at this showroom in the Boston Design Center to witness the home-technology design company’s futuristic lighting tech firsthand. You’ll see everything from smart-home controls for architectural and decorative lighting fixtures (yes, the Visual Comfort & Co. Systems team can help you select those, too) to state-of-the-art tunable LEDs that emulate natural daylight. In our opinion, the simulated skylights and windows from Lightglass are the perfect antidote for gloomy, gray winter days; see ya later, seasonal blues! 21 Drydock Ave., Boston, MA 02210, visualcomfort.com.
Legit Activewear
Yeah, we know it’s been three years since lockdown, but we’re not looking to get out of our athleisure any time soon. And thanks to Legit’s stylish selection, we don’t have to: From floral statement sweatshirts by Essentiel Antwerp to edgy, wear-with-everything tanks by Cotton Citizen, we trust owner Jen Schneiderman’s taste for what’s on-trend. Plus, we’re digging her new lifestyle collection with equally spunky accessories for the home (see: Pretti.Cool’s “Garbage Collection” milk jug vase). 33 Boylston St., Ste. 3350, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, legitactivewear.com.
Phở Hòa and Ánh Hồng
Diners cook several courses of bò 7 món at the table at Phở Hòa and Ánh Hồng. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal Since these two Dorchester Vietnamese favorites teamed up under one roof last year, it’s been easier than ever for diners to get the best of both worlds. Now past the three-decade mark, Phở Hòa is probably best known for its extensive selection of phở, noodle soups with a seemingly endless combination of meat options. But the addition of Ánh Hồng brings along bò 7 món, a thrilling seven-course parade of beef dishes (including some you’ll cook at the table yourself ). The third course, thinly sliced eye of round steak marinated in lemongrass and sesame, then grilled in hot butter, is among our favorite bites of the year. 1370 Dorchester Ave., Dorchester, MA 02122, phohoarestaurant.com.
The Emerald Necklace
What’s large, lucky, and green all over? Nope, it’s not a monster leprechaun; it’s the Emerald Necklace, the name for the tremendous 1,100 acres of public park space that connects Boston’s neighborhoods, from the Back Bay to Jamaica Plain to Dorchester. Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted more than 100 years ago, the parks continue to serve as many Bostonians’ backyards, offering everything from quiet walks to sailing and golf, plus the Franklin Park Zoo — a true sanctuary within our city. emeraldnecklace.org.
Get Konnected!
There would be a lot more strangers in Boston without this multicultural networking group, which aims to remind business leaders of all backgrounds that our economy is a web, stronger when we work together. Run by public relations maven Colette Phillips, the organization has long linked a diverse range of professionals through job listings, a digital magazine, and high-profile events honoring influential people of color. Now it’s doing so through webinars about how small businesses can survive the pandemic, mentoring sessions with senior execs, and more—all online for everyone to take part in. getkonnected.com.
Southern Proper
Our beef-boiling Yankee town has come a long way with its southern cuisine. But North Carolina native Jason Cheek goes beyond the conventional canon, rattling off the sort of nuanced, modern riffs they’re rocking right this second in Charleston and Atlanta. Think: whole grilled trout nestled in stewed fregula. Short-rib meatloaf dolled up with bone marrow and bracing piperade. And a tea-brined, thyme-scented fried chicken—craggy and orange-rust in color—we can’t stop clucking about. 600 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA southernproperboston.com.
Empower Beauty Co.
Photo by Mark Weiss/Getty Images In a landscape rife with snooty salons, Empower Beauty Co. feels like a warm hug — a nurturing environment where all women, from college students to new moms to grandmothers, can feel comfortable and beautiful. Case in point: When we called about fixing a color job botched by another salon, vivacious stylist Susan Lostimolo immediately set us at ease, sizing up the problem, intuiting the right hue to tone down brassiness, and (most important) not passing judgment. Best of all, she emailed us when our voicemail was full, just to check in. We’ve never felt more empowered. 283B Cabot St., Beverly, MA 1915, empowerbeautyco.com.
Sister Ship
We didn’t expect to fall so deeply in love with everything about Sister Ship (who immediately likes the new kid?), the self-described “relaxed cocktail club” inside the new Faraway hotel. And yet everything from the cozy décor — think turn-of-the-century captain’s quarters meets underground speakeasy — to the Mediterranean-style dishes make this our new favorite spot on island. We’d advise you on what to order, but the kitchen continually changes up the menu with inventive specials. However, they swear that the tender rib-eye for two will remain a menu staple — and thank goodness for that. 29 Centre St., Nantucket, MA 02554, farawayhotels.com/restaurant/sistership.
Sault New England
With so much that’s changed over the past year, it’s reassuring to know that we can still rely on this institution to keep our closets stocked with broken-in tees, khaki shorts, soft button-downs, and other classic styles. Owner Philip Saul is known for his precise vision and impeccable taste in menswear, but he should also be applauded for navigating the pandemic by offering curbside pickup and re-upping the store’s e-commerce presence so his loyal customers could nail that effortless New England style effortlessly. 577 Tremont St., Boston, MA 02118, saultne.com.
Tasting Counter
Considering how chained we’ve been to Zoom during workdays, a meal kit that includes a “virtual interactive dining experience” has to be really, really good to get us in front of a laptop on weekends. Exhibit A: TC@Home, Saturday-night livestreams that guide us through unboxing everything we need to prepare and artfully plate courses of the same haute cuisine — say, dry-aged duck with fermented autumn olive — served at chef Peter Ungár’s innovative fine-dining restaurant. Our rating? Two thumbs-up emojis. 14 Tyler St., Somerville, MA 02143, tastingcounter.com.
Angela's Café
Ángela Atenco López, the Puebla-born chef who brought the region’s cooking to two East Boston restaurants, passed away in 2020. But her namesake eateries are still doing right by her legacy — most notably with the mole poblano de Angela, which smothers pork or chicken with her signature version of the complex sauce. As for us? Whether for homecooked dinners or served-till-3 breakfasts of crispy chilaquiles, we’re visiting more than ever now, motivated by the bittersweet reminder to love our legends while we can. 131 Lexington St., East Boston, MA 02128, angelascafeboston.com.