Po Boy
Editor’s Note, July 1, 2 p.m.: After our 2016 Best of Boston issue was published in print and online, reports surfaced that Po Boy has closed, future unknown. Calls to the restaurant have gone unanswered.
It’s not just the Mardi Gras beads or the TV tuned to French Quarter street performers. Eric Cormier’s tiny, chatty Newtonville shop—with its three nicked booths and the scent of fried seafood hanging heavy in the air—feels like something ripped right out of Elysian Fields. More important, Cormier’s take on New Orleans’ ubiquitous sandwich, the po’ boy, is a faithful facsimile, a crusty baguette layered with tangy rémoulade and Captain Marden’s–sourced catfish and oysters. 67 Crafts St., Newton, MA 02458, .
Bauer Wines & Spirits
You've planned the menu and invited the guests. Now you need the perfect wine to make the dinner party a success. Look no further: Bauer Wines & Spirits buyer Howie Rubin knows his wines, has an encyclopedic knowledge of food, and can direct even the most confused oenophobe to the right bottle. Rubin may not offer as expansive a selection as some shops, but the juice he stocks is superlative, and his advice—unobtrusive but freely offered for the asking—is comforting and practical. He and his well-trained staff can steer you toward the perfect bubbly for caviar, the ideal sauvignon blanc for oysters, or a new shiraz for lamb to suit your menu, taste, and budget. Added bonuses: Cases are sold at a discount of 10 percent and delivery is free. 330 Newbury St., Boston, MA bauerwines.com.
KingFish Hall
For a town that prides itself on its seafood, it can be tough to find a seafood restaurant that goes beyond the standard boiled lobsters or watery clam chowder. Enter KingFish Hall, where chef-owner Todd English has designed a menu that delights, with everything from traditional lobster rolls—sweet and tender lobster meat on a buttery, toasted nest of bread with just enough mayo and celery leaves to hold it together—to more complicated dishes, such as miso-marinated cod. There's also the "dancing fish" of the day (herb- and butter-basted fish placed on individual rotating skewers that spin around a circular wood-burning pit) and a daily chilled and briny selection of raw shellfish. As for the chowder, there's the not-so-traditional New England style, thick and delightfully creamy, or the ever-changing daily varieties accompanied by homemade oyster crackers. 188 South Market Building, Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Boston, MA .
Martha's Vineyard Chowder Company
When J. B. Blau, owner of Sharky's Cantina, won the island chowder cookoff two years ago, he celebrated by opening a seafood-focused eatery with chef Alex Nagi. Located in the heart of Oak Bluffs, the laid-back spot has been packing 'em in since it opened last summer. The smart menu includes fried oysters, lobster salad with crispy potato cakes, pan-seared scallops, and insanely good fried chowder balls, a.k.a. ChoCos, that are the most decadent taste of the sea you can get. But it's the chowder that'll keep you coming back. The award-winning Martha's Vineyard recipe is light, silky, and packed with quahogs, while the creamy, roux-based New England blend comes spiked with bacon. 9 Oak Bluffs Ave., Martha's Vineyard, MA 2557, mvchowder.com.
Andrea Martin
Andrea Martin, as the motormouthed mother from Hell in Christopher Durang's Betty's Summer Vacation at the Huntington Theatre, didn't so much give a performance as unleash herself on stage like a hysterical vaudevillian tornado.
The Good Life
The '70s, '80s, and '90s come hysterically alive at the Good Life's Middle School Dance Night, a vodka-fueled monthly party starring resident DJs Damien Paul, Poke Smot, and Death Star. On an average night, you'll find a young professional crowd decked out in glow-in-the-dark jewelry, bobbing to the beat of "Ghetto Supastar." 28 Kingston St., Boston, MA 2111, goodlifebar.com.
Scarlet Roots Photography
Kiley Sullivan and Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy at the Boston Public Library. / Photo by Scarlet Roots With a background in photography for well-known commercial brands, Julianne Meyers has an intuitive feel for creating magical shots. Her wedding images capture authentic moments: a couple running hand in hand down a deserted beach, sharing a secret on a crowded dance floor, or sitting behind the wheel of a vintage roadster like they’re in a scene from a 1950s movie. You’ll feel instantly at ease in front of the camera — in fact, you’ll probably laugh hysterically about something funny Meyers says at least twice — and the shots she gets will capture you and your betrothed’s most authentic selves. scarletroots.com.
Matt Shearer, WBZ
Photo provided. A video reporter for the radio station WBZ, Shearer has become a social media sensation for his spin on traditional man-on-the-street interviews, a freewheeling format in which he asks Bay State residents probing questions about their home localities. For example: How did Billericans feel when one of three Market Baskets on the same street (Boston Road, naturally) closed? “I actually cried,” a customer named Peggy told him gravely. “I felt like I lost a part of my family.” The accents always fly, but what makes the videos sing are heartfelt, hysterical contributions from subjects like these. twitter.com/MattWBZ.
UpStairs on the Square and Via Matta
In replacing their much-loved UpStairs at the Pudding (some considered it the real institution of Harvard Square), Deborah Hughes and Mary-Catherine Deibel had big shoes to fill—their own. But they've done it, creating an outstanding restaurant that has surpassed the expectations of even their most loyal following. The décor is at once outrageous and glorious—plaid patterns on the walls with animal-print carpeting, jewel-toned upholstery, massive fireplaces, gilded mirrors, and lots of pink. Two menus, in the hands of chefs Susan Regis and Amanda Lydon, offer everything from simple grilled cheese and rich tomato soup to flavorful Kumamoto oysters, roasted lamb, and rabbit. Don't miss the "wedding cake for one" dessert: The portion is large enough to share, but this is a divine indulgence for you and you alone. Via Matta, meanwhile, has had the kind of debut year legends are made of: Mick Jagger commandeered a table not once, but twice in the restaurant's first two months of business. Add to that gushing praise from critics nationwide and you've got, by all accounts, a bona fide success. But is that really a surprise? Schlow and partners Christopher Myers and Esti Benson know how to put on a show, as evidenced by the success of their powerfully stylish Radius. At Via Matta, the gloss is toned down, but the style still shines through, with an elegantly casual dining room, cozy bar, and adjacent café. Then there's the food: perfectly executed traditional Italian fare bursting with flavor, from the simple spaghetti aglio e olio to pan-roasted chicken—all dishes that will make you long for another serving. UpStairs on the Square: 91 Winthrop St., Cambridge; Via Matta: 79 Park Plaza, Boston, MA upstairsonthesquare.com; viamattarestaurant.com.