Best of Boston

It might not be the first thing you’ll smell walking down street, but a frappe from Bartley’s may be an even better reason to stop in than the tantalizing aroma of frying beef. Between batches of Elvis burgers and sweet-potato fries, Mr. Bartley’s turns out one of the most consistent, reliable, straw-pluggingly thick frappes around, beating tony Boston ice cream parlors hands down.