Boston Harbor Hotel
Meet your sweetheart under the enormous American flag swaying in the breeze, then stroll hand in hand into this waterfront hotel, which has been setting the standard for luxury in Boston since 1987. Romance packages include sweet touches such as champagne, chocolates, and breakfast beneath the silky Frette sheets, but if you really want to wow your SO, book one of the stunning suites with a terrace overlooking the harbor. 70 Rowes Wharf, Boston, MA 02110, bostonharborhotel.com.
Perfect 10 Unisex Salon
One look at Perfect 10’s “hair transformation” videos on Instagram or TikTok, and you’ll understand why this salon is a repeat Best of Boston winner. Stylist and owner Kanessa Alexander is adept at working with all hair types and textures, producing some of the most gorgeous crochet braids, silk presses, and all-over color and highlights around. But the most important thing to Alexander is that her clients have healthy hair — something that’s evident in every style she produces. 1896 Centre St., West Roxbury, MA 02132, perfect10hairsalon.com.
True Bistro
There are many places to eat meatless meals in Boston these days, but only one place to enjoy a truly sophisticated, fine-dining experience with an entirely vegan menu. Dishes like the crispy oyster mushrooms in guajillo chili sauce with a horseradish-dill aioli will not only dazzle the vegan and vegan-curious in your crew — they’ll also win over the carnivores. 1153 Broadway, Somerville, MA 02144, truebistroboston.com.
Jessica Thornton, Green Room Boston
Where do Boston’s old-money mavens and new-money titans go to get pampered? This one-woman, single-chair salon, tucked away along a side street on Beacon Hill. Owned by expert stylist Jessica Thornton, the concierge hair studio offers a comfortable oasis where great hair, discretion, and the quick-witted Thornton herself are always the stars of the show. Encore! Encore! 40 River St., Boston, MA 02108, greenroomboston.com.
The Quiet Few
We’re calling it: If it isn’t already, the Quiet Few will soon be everybody’s favorite spot in Eastie. Since opening three short years ago, it’s already become a vital hub of neighborhood life — a walk-in-only joint watered by 100 whiskeys (one of the city’s best selections) and fed by five-star bar food. See: the “Frito pie” dogs covered in adobo-stewed pork, pickled onions and jalapeños, cumin crema, and corn chips. 331 Summer St., East Boston, MA 02128, thequietfew.com.
Kaitlyn Greenidge
The Arlington native’s 2021 release Libertie is ambitious in scope, encompassing the story of one of the country’s first Black female doctors during Reconstruction. But what makes the book sing is Greenidge’s lyrical prose, which focuses less on the trailblazing doctor and more on the aching question of what it means to be the daughter of someone so successful when you don’t want to follow in her footsteps. kaitlyngreenidge.com.
Frank Vocals
You know you’ve made it when your song has soundtracked not one but two TV shows. The embodiment of modern-day R & B, Frank Vocals’s delicate, sexy croon can now be heard on an episode of the Starz series BMF, as well as Power Book II: Ghost. No surprise when you consider the lyrical vulnernability and pure romance of his 2020 EP Cure. frankvocals.com.
Brant Point Grill
We firmly believe that enjoying oysters and clams on the half shell from this elaborate buffet at the White Elephant resort is the only good way to spend a Sunday on island. Decadent desserts (served in miniature sizes for plentiful sampling, natch) and a hefty quarter-pound-lobster-laden bloody mary keep even the busiest of gogetters anchored to their chair for hours to enjoy that one-of-a-kind view of sailboats bobbing on their moorings and ferries gliding in and out of the harbor. White Elephant Hotel, 50 Easton St., Nantucket, MA 02554, whiteelephantnantucket.com/dining/brant-point-grill.
Casa Design Group
True connoisseurs of contemporary design, the eagle-eyed team behind this SoWa staple has a real gift for curation, outfitting its Harrison Street showrooms with only the most deserving furnishings and accessories. Trust them to help you pick out just the right Giorgetti coffee table, Molteni&C bed, or sectional from Linteloo — one of the newest additions to their long list of powerhouse brands. 460 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA 02118, casadesigngroup.com.
Tread
This is the rare boutique fitness studio that does it all—or most of it, anyway: cycle, treadmill, and small-group training, with more than a dozen classes a day that focus on one of the three or a combination. Here, community is the thing that keeps the (very fit) regulars regular: Owner Lori Haverty and her team of experienced instructors strive for, and consistently achieve, a motivational and inclusive vibe. treadreading.com.
Le Visage Spa
Let the beauty influencers have their 24-karat-gold facials—at this cozy spa, hard work and expert technique lead to stunning results. With two decades of experience as an aesthetician, French-born founder Anne-Cécile Curot eschews a one-size-fits-all approach to skin care in favor of treatments tailored to each client’s unique challenges, from hormonal acne to changes caused by chemotherapy treatments. 125 Broad St., Boston, MA levisageboston.com.
Kings Seaport
Forget the dive-y, fluorescent-lit bowling alleys of yore: Kings has turned the classic pastime upscale. Lounge on a tufted-leather couch, Manhattan in hand, while waiting to bowl on one of 16 glowing lanes. The 20,000-square-foot Seaport hot spot, which debuted in 2017, also features retro arcade games and swanky gastropub fare—including a bourbon-glazed pork-belly BLT so good you might even forget to bowl 60 Seaport Blvd., Boston, MA kings-de.com.
Institute of Contemporary Art
The ICA is on a run that would be the envy of any museum: In the past year alone, it hosted a range of dynamic exhibits, including Pakistani artist Huma Bhabba’s massive and haunting sculptures, and opened the Watershed, a 15,000-square-foot satellite across the harbor in Eastie. And with the high-profile acquisition of one of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama’s famed Infinity Mirror Rooms, on view beginning this September, it seems the best is yet to come. 25 Harbor Shore Dr. , Boston, MA icaboston.org.
EHChocolatier
At this sweet slice of heaven on Observatory Hill, apothecary jars of blood-orange caramels gleam beside a case filled with fine bonbons, brown-butter toffee, and craft riffs on candy-bar classics courtesy of Elaine Hsieh and Catharine Sweeney. The chocolate makers are known for infusing their handmade, artisanal confections with fancy teas, spices, and fruit purées, resulting in uniquely decadent treats. The one thing they all have in common? An air of whimsy and dedication to sky-high-quality. 145 Huron Ave., Cambridge, MA ehchocolatier.com.
Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary
Leave the iPad behind to bump along on a hayride or eat honey fresh from a beehive: One visit to Drumlin Farm, and you’ll see why this Lincoln oasis has been a cherished tradition for generations of families. Extensive seasonal programming—from beloved “Woolapalooza” sheep-shearing days to strawberry picking—is the pitch-perfect blend of authentically agrarian and totally accessible. massaudubon.org/drumlinfarm.