Petrova Chocolates
Courtesy photo When the pandemic sidelined her pastry gig at the Back Bay’s iconic Uni, Betty Petrova didn’t sit on her couch eating bonbons; instead, she took to the kitchen to start making them. Handpainted with colorful, glossy brushstrokes of cocoa butter, the bite-size works of art quickly caught the eye of fans — so much so that now she’s focused full time on crafting delicate Valrhona chocolate shells generously filled with exquisite, inventive flavors like honey elderflower, rose pistachio, and rosemary caramel, many using ingredients plucked from local gardens. petrovachocolates.com.
Juan Pedrosa, Yvonne's
Photograph by Toan Trinh, styling by Laura Dillon Honestly, Yvonne's wouldn't suffer too much if the food was an afterthought—the velvet-draped interior ensures it's a place to be seen. But Juan Pedrosa's indulgent menu reaffirms the former Locke-Ober as a downtown dining destination. When fork-tender bavette steak "Mirabeau" dotted with caramelized green olives is on the same table as a flatbread-style pita adorned with deconstructed crab rangoon—and it all works—you know you have a talented chef on the line. 2 Winter Place, Boston, MA 02108, yvonnesboston.com.
Jerry Remy's Sports Bar and Grill
Back during the NCAA basketball tournament, we spent an afternoon at the Remy's near Fenway. It almost broke our head. It wasn't just that there were a zillion TVs, but that the two biggest ones over the bar were 11 feet long. (That's, like, two Dustin Pedroias!) With an exceptional beer list and more-than-good-enough food, there's no place better to spend NFL Sunday, college football Saturday, or, really, any day. 1265 Boylston St., Boston, MA 2215, jerryremys.com.
Alan Bilzerian
You're buzzed in the front door like it's a speakeasy, quickly greeted hello, and then given merciful room to roam. From Petrol-leather zip boots by Carol Christian Poell to handcrafted Italian cap-toe sneakers, Alan Bilzerian has your inner foot fetishist in mind when he curates his selection of stylish hoof art. 34 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02116, alanbilzerian.com.