Roslindale Farmers’ Market
The market boasts a full bar, live music, and an army of booths that showcase locally made goodies including cheese, coffee, honey, and pasta—plus every vegetable under the sun. Our only complaint: It’s not open year round. Adams Park, Boston, MA 02131, roslindale.net/farmersmarket.
Museum of Science
We all want our kids to like STEM education, but this museum makes it downright irresistible: Enjoy story time for preschoolers featuring live animals, lightning presentations using a Van de Graaff generator, and even fun "magic" shows explained through science. One Science Park, Boston, MA 02114, mos.org.
Calla Lily Caterers
With its whimsical presentation and extraordinary attention to detail, Calla Lilly reinvents hors d'oeuvres. You'll find the usual suspects (crab cakes and California rolls), but the twist is in the remoulades and dipping sauces. Portobella mushroom quesadillas, mini-popovers, and lobster cakes with citrus salsa are served on platters with exotic floral arrangements. 92 Krikland St., Cambridge, MA .
The Neighborhood
Do the math: $4.39 = orange juice, three eggs, home fries, fresh fruit or cream of wheat, toast, coffee and a plateful of pastries. All this served at no extra charge in the grapevine-canopied patio during the summer. Sometimes, though, the slow seatings make us want to sneak in our own table and chairs. 25 Bow St., Union Square, Somerville, MA .
NewBridge Cafe
Heaping piles of juicy tips, soaked in marinade, perfectly grilled and doused with the cafe's secret sauce make the NewBridge our favorite place for the pointy peaks. And not just steak, either; the turkey, pork, and lamb tips are bodaciously good. 650 Washington Ave., Chelsea, MA .
Edward M. Pickman Concert Hall
Dodging the line for Symphony Hall tickets, classical concertgoers in the know head for Cambridge's Edward M. Pickman Concert Hall and enjoy ethereal concerts courtesy of the Longy School of Music. The price of most tickets is music to our ears: free.
Punch Bar
Points off for being a dark cavern in the corner of one of the city's ugliest hotels (the Back Bay Sheraton). But the cushy chairs and cozy nooks lend a decadent air to the art of cigaring. The selection is immense— 100 by our last count— and the bar staff is adept at guiding even novices to a satisfying stogie. Sheraton Boston Hotel & Towers, 39 Dalton St., Boston, MA .
Spascape Day Spa
Whether you go for an invigorating facial featuring South African Environ products or a skin-brightening body cocoon, it's impossible to leave Spascape feeling anything but light and rejuvenated. We like to finish our appointment by pulling up a chair on the spa's deck and enjoying the peaceful view of Scituate Harbor with a glass of wine. Scituate, MA 2066,
The Underdog
The Underdog, 6 Bow St., Cambridge, is top dog in our book. The franks are meaty and tasty—the stuff of an Oscar Mayer dream. Marty's Famous, on Cambridge Street opposite City Hall, also hawks hot-stuff red hots. 6 Bow St., Cambridge, MA .
Fresh
At Fresh—where shelves are sparse but gracefully arranged, and all the products are silky smooth and lusciously scented—quality reigns over quantity. Our favorite indulgence? The Brown Sugar Body Polish, a decadent exfoliant that leaves skin feeling smoother than a fine fondant. 121 Newbury St., Boston, MA fresh.com.
Ryan Wading Pool
The Ryan Wading Pool is our pick for the city’s best spray deck, where kids can clean up and cool off after a hard day’s summer play as they get soaked under the buckets that dump water from overhead. 350 River St., Mattapan, MA 02126, mass.gov/locations/ryan-wading-pool.
North Cambridge Laundromat & Dry Cleaning
Here the owners dispense restaurant recommendations and gossip tidbits along with perfectly pressed suits and blouses at the cheapest prices we've seen. They restored not only a merlot-stained silk top for a mere $3.95, but also our faith in humanity. (Seriously. They're that friendly.) 2410 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 2140, .
Didriks
This Cambridge shop has area exclusives on some of the finest dinnerware, flatware, and accessories available. We covet the minimalist stoneware from Heath Ceramics, as well as Match's pewter and porcelain collections. And then there's our most recent discovery: the rich jewel tones of Jars Tourron artisanal pottery, made by hand in southern France. 190 Concord Ave., Cambridge, MA didriks.com.
Dutch Flower Garden
Not only did the Dutch Flower Garden have the speediest delivery, but they also used the most varied flowers of all the contenders. Our expert horticultural judges were impressed by the range of flowers, noting that many were common in gardens but rare to see in a florist's arrangement. 164 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
Pignoli
Hurray for the late-night spaghetteria, Wednesday through Saturday til 2! Chef Daniele Baliani's Penne with Crispy Eggplant, Roasted Garlic and Tomato Parmagiani and Potato Gnocchi with Wild Mushrooms and Truffled Gorgonozola make us twirl our forks with glee. 79 Park Plaza, Boston, MA .