Bova's Bakery
In a city that sleeps early, this 24/7 spot is a beacon of light in the middle of a sweets-hankering night. That said, the crunchy, Florentine cannoli and huge, flaky lobster tails are among the best reasons to visit the North End, no matter the hour. 134 Salem St., Boston, MA bovabakeryboston.net.
Pier's Park Sailing Center
Don't bother stopping at Pier's Park for breathtaking views of Boston Harbor—instead sign up for the two-hour intro to sailing course and hop aboard to get sweeping views of the skyline from the water. 95 Marginal St., Boston, MA 02128, piersparksailing.org.
A and A Limousine Renting Inc.
The crème de la crème of Cadillac limos—new, air conditioned, with attentive and impeccably-tailored chauffeurs. For $14 an hour, you can ride like the Shah of Iran. 43 Elmwood St., Somerville, MA .
Harper's Ferry
The South Side of Chicago meets the west side of Boston in a relaxed club where the covers are merciful, the drinks are cheap, and the best local and national up-and-comers wail into the wee hours, seven nights a week. 156 Brighton Ave., Allston, MA .
The Mandarin Oriental
This massive spa offers a steam room with star-like lights, a dimly lit "vitality pool," and services that truly transport. For an indulgent experience, try "The Retreat," a six-hour journey including a private yoga or Pilates session, foot therapy, a facial, lunch in the spa's café, and a full-body exfoliation and massage. 776 Boylston St., Boston, MA 02199, mandarinoriental.com/boston/luxury-spa.
Nadine Krasnow, of Krasnow Real Estate
A one-woman office, she specializes in Newton properties, and does the job with warmth and gusto. To accommodate one busy client, she picked him up at his office during lunch hour and provided a picnic lunch to munch on as they prowled properties in Brookline. 381 Elliot St., Newton, MA .
Club Passim
This legendary folk club/coffeehouse was nearly forced to shut its doors, but now a new-and-improved Club Passim is open under new management. And it now has a 4 a.m. license, so look here for after-hours food and fun. 47 Palmer St., Cambridge, MA .
Neptune Oyster
The perfect fried clam belly is a thing of beauty: crisp on the outside, tender and saline on the inside, the whole thing offset by a dunk in piquant tartar sauce. Neptune’s Ipswich clam appetizer, which comes with a massive helping of pickle-y, slawlike tartar sauce, is a master of the form—and well worth the hour-plus wait for a table. 63 Salem St., Boston, MA 2113, neptuneoyster.com.
Julie Michaud, Michaud Cosmetics
The team at Michaud Cosmetics has brow shaping down to a fine art. Errant strays are whisked away, and the brow is coaxed into movie star-perfect arches. Though the artists here prefer to pluck, they will wax on request. Just make sure to allow some time. Eyebrows this good take at least a half hour. 297 Newbury St., Suite 21, Boston, MA .
Micro Center
A supermarket for wireheads. All the little doodads and connectors you need for housekeeping in cyberspace, plus decent deals on hardware, and you don't have to drive to the 'burbs to find it. The many disappointed hackers roaming the parking lot after 6 on Saturday suggests a need for longer hours. 727 Memorial Drive, Cambridge, MA .
Waterstone's Booksellers
We're not saying that biggest is necessarily best, but who can beat Waterstone's selection, browsing room, helpful staff, late hours, and discounts of 30 percent on New York Times bestsellers and 20 percent on "Waterstone's Recommends" selections? 26 Exeter St., Boston, MA .
Bread & Circus
White peaches, Allegro coffee, Nicoise olives, English Stilton, and Iggy's breads now reign where once a scuzzy Stop & Shop stood. And for city dwellers, the one hour of free parking with a $5 purchase makes this the best shopping destination around. 15 Westland Ave., Boston, MA .
I Shing Garden
Chef Ta-Pao Liang makes it every day, so you don't have to give 24 hours' notice. Unlike some other local Chinese chefs, he doesn't pick up precooked ducks in Chinatown. 354 Chestnut Hill Ave., Brighton, MA .
Pastoral
In an area overflowing with new eateries, Pastoral flies under the radar. Strange, given its creative menu (those wood-burning-oven-blistered Neapolitan-style pies are just the beginning), formidable beer roster, and conveniently late hours. 345 Congress St., Boston, MA 02209, pastoralfortpoint.com.
Bagelsaurus
More than 24 hours of slow fermentation and a decades-old sourdough starter yield handmade rounds so chewy, crackly-crusted, and flavorful that they’ve helped spark a better-bagels movement in Boston. Bonus: spreads we’d eat with a spoon. 1796 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA bagelsaurus.com.