Pain d'Avignon
This may be Hyannis, not Honfleur, but for a few hours at least, you can pretend you’ve teleported to France’s shoreline with a late-morning meal at this boulangerie/bistro, which celebrates its 30th birthday this year. Here, les oeufs are served every which way; crêpes get spiked with Grand Marnier; and the French onion soup is an exemplar of the form. The pristine oysters, though? Those are Wellfleet, naturally. 15 Hinckley Rd., Hyannis, MA 02601, paindavignon.com.
Newbury Tailoring Company
Back Bay residents have long entrusted the Rivas family with their most precious items of clothing — and with decades of experience under their collective belts hemming, mending, and stitching, it’s no wonder. Bonus: The second-floor atelier is open five days a week from Tuesday to Saturday, which means you can pop in for a quick lunch-hour button repair or come by for a longer weekend wedding-dress fitting — or have them come to you for an in-home appointment. 324B Newbury St., Boston, MA 02115, newburytailors.com.
Galleria Umberto
WHAT’S THE VIBE? A bare-bones old-school haunt, with cafeteria-like seating and lines that form before the pizza sells out — and it always does, within just a few midday hours. TASTING NOTES: Spongy, saucy, cheesy, and fresh-baked every morning, these $2 slices are an exemplar of the form. Ask for an especially toothsome corner piece, if you can. 289 Hanover St., Boston, MA 02113, .
Little Carmen's
When you need fortification before hitting Hingham's Derby Street Shoppes, slip into Little Carmen's. The wee strip-mall café in Norwell serves a knock-out medley of American and Mexican dishes, from chilaquiles topped with slow-roasted pork to chili rellenos wrapped in a light-as-air omelet. Best of all? You'll be in and out in under an hour, so you can get to shopping. Savvy neighborhood folks know about it, and you should, too. 43 Washington St., Norwell, MA 2061, littlecarmens.com.
Dbar
Dorchester has become a hub for Boston's gay scene, with Dbar at the center of it all. From Showtunes Tuesdays to Magnum Saturdays (you'll have to see for yourself), there's always something happening at this Dot. Ave. hot spot. The Christopher Coombs-inspired menu and deftly crafted cocktail list are all the fuel you need to dance into the wee hours when the restaurant transitions into a nightclub. 1236 Dorchester Ave., Dorchester, MA 02125, dbarboston.com.
Company One
With a slate of shows that consistently capture the zeitgeist, Company One is the city's most vital and diverse small-theater troupe. The past season was highlighted by Every 28 Hours, a vast project consisting of 80 one-minute plays penned by more than 40 authors, all highlighting the shocking statistic of how often an African-American person is murdered by a vigilante, security guard, or police officer. 539 Tremont St., Boston, MA 02116, companyone.org.
Museum of Fine Arts
A venerable palace of classic works, the MFA upped its contemporary game last fall with #mfaNOW, a celebration of modern art that presented the unique opportunity for visitors to watch all 24 hours of Christian Marclay's real-time video collage The Clock at an overnight party. But the institution hasn't neglected its roots, kicking off the warmer months with a Henri Matisse exhibit that you can see for yourself until July 9. 465 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02115, mfa.org.
Fairsted Kitchen
After 11 p.m., breading and deep-frying tend to compensate for a lack of creativity on most menus. Not so at Fairsted, where themed late-night fare rotates every month. In February it was all things Greek; when we visited in March, Jamaican. The kitchen and waitstaff bring the same attention to after-hours dining as they do to the dinner service, churning out interesting small plates with a touch of whimsy. 1704 Beacon St., Brookline, MA 02445, fairstedkitchen.com.
Phoenix Landing
This Central Square pub's many TVs play the Sox, the Bruins, and NFL games, depending on the time of year. But its true draw is football—the non-American kind, that is. Soccer fans crowd the Phoenix Landing's tiny space to watch Premier League matches during the weekend's earliest hours—especially those who favor Liverpool FC—thrilling in each goal while tucking into Jameson pancakes with a side of cider. 512 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139, phoenixlandingbar.com.
Dana Chasen, Brad Duncan Skin Care
Chasen likes to compare eyebrow grooming to the art of bonsai, and her disciplined approach to creating perfect shapes is why skin-care pro Brad Duncan tapped this standout makeup artist and clinical aesthetician to join his staff last fall. After deploying the gentlest of hard waxes, she draws on a decade's worth of eyebrow-refining experience to tweeze away strays and smooth contours. All this in less than half an hour. 530 Tremont St., Boston, MA 2116, bradduncanskincare.com.
Blade Barbershop
Embracing the mononymy of Cher, Prince, and Christo before him, Bridaa delivers an expert cut for $25—or about a quarter of what you'd pay at many a chichi salon. Soft-spoken and affable, the Moroccan-born barber creates an oasis of calm in a South End shop better known for its laugh-a-minute frenzy. He forgoes pleasantries in favor of genuine, unforced conversation. Or, if you prefer, he'll just shut up and give you a great cut for the price of an hour of downtown parking. 603 Tremont St., Boston, MA 2118, bladebabershop.com.
Spascape Day Spa
The waves that lap practically at the doorstep of this harborside spa can take decades to turn a shard of glass into a smooth, luminous thing of beauty. Good thing SpaScape's pros work faster. Armed with bespoke scrubs of sea salt and fine oils, seaweed wraps, and Maine mud treatments, they polish clients from head to toe in an hour or two, as the tranquil ocean vibe smooths out any rough-edged psyches. 3 Mill Wharf Plz., Scituate, MA 2066, spascapedayspa.com.
Kenneth Wildes Salon
These days, salons need more than Kérastase products, a funky soundtrack, and an edgy interior to stand out. Kenneth Wildes sets itself apart with highly trained stylists who spend a full hour on each cut and know how to properly frame a face or fix flyaway layers. Owner Wildes specializes in razored short cuts so distinctive, regulars swear they can spot a 'Kenny' a block away. 9 Beacon Pl., Newton, MA 2459, kwsalons.com.
Grace Kinahan, Splash at Sports Club/LA
In Grace Kinahan's hands, pore cleansing and zit zapping are somehow rendered relaxing. It might have something to do with her plush, blanketed bed and brief initial skin consultation, followed by an hour-long steam, mask, and Jurlique hydration therapy. Clients walk away smoother ;and smarter, thanks to insider tips like 'flouride toothpaste can cause chin breakouts' and 'switch to an oil-based lotion for glowing skin.' 4 Avery St., Boston, MA 2111, thesportsclubla.com.
Claudia Grimaud, Jardin Day Spa
Few pedicures truly exfoliate tired, rough feet; even fewer actually redeem them. The capable hands of Claudia Grimaud can do both. The kindly, experienced Brazilian has earned a justifiably devoted following since opening her sunny spa last year. The reason is clear: her talent for banishing calluses, whisking away rough spots, unearthing shiny and soft new skin, and finishing a perfect polish in under an hour. 115 Lewis Wharf, Boston, MA .