Best of Boston

Nothing ends a meal better than an ethereal dessert, and no one makes one quite so otherworldly as Renae Connolly, who’s been spinning sugary tales throughout Boston’s restaurant scene for years. These days she’s at Moëca, the year-old seafood spot from the Giulia team, creating gorgeously executed desserts with a lightness that expertly complements the fish-focused main menu. Her creative frozen treats often play a starring role: think smoked-vanilla-mascarpone gelato with spicy caramel popcorn or a lemon bombe with basil meringue, raspberry-hibiscus purée, and pistachio gelato.