Catch
There's not a whole lot to Catch, a handful of tables in an unremarkable corner of Winchester. Not that we care: Chef Chris Parsons's palpable passion for seafood makes ambiance entirely irrelevant here. We could have been sitting in a dumpster and still had a dinner for the books, from feather-light potato gnocchi with Maine shrimp to crispy black bass with beet purée. We'd eat this meal 10 times over—if the menu didn't change daily. 34 Church St., Winchester, MA 1890, catchrestaurant.com.
New Leaf Flores
From 1 to 3 p.m. each day, Jeb Taylor and Daniel Lopez-Ospina close up their petite J.P. shop for an afternoon siesta. Perhaps that's when they dream up otherworldly designs for their host of high-end clients, from the Boston Lyric Opera to L'Espalier. They also provide seasonal décor and stunning arrangements with unexpected textural elements (fruits and herbs, painted twigs, leaf-wrapped stems) for posh area homes. 599 Centre St., Jamaica Plain, MA 2130, newleafjp.com.
Siena Farms South End
Chris Kurth and Ana Sortun's 50-acre Sudbury farm supplies some of the area's top restaurants with fresh produce—and, through their brick-and-mortar shop in the South End, many local home kitchens as well. Peruse the overflowing bins for the most vibrant bounty of carrots, kale, and beets you'll find anywhere—plus locally made gourmet goodies (chocolate from Taza; Middle Eastern meze from Sofra, a Cambridge bakery run by Sortun). 106 Waltham St., Boston, MA sienafarms.com.
Cafe Paradiso
The finest cannoli is in the North End, but it's not where you might think. To satisfy our craving for the classic pastry, we slip into Caffé Paradiso's dimly lit shop and head straight to the bakery case in back. The shell of the cannoli there is light and flaky, the ricotta filling is smooth and sweet, and the whole thing is sent over the edge by a dunk in chocolate. 255 Hanover St., Boston, MA 2113, caffeeparadiso.com.
Hungry Mother
Hungry Mother effortlessly delivers on all the fundamentals of Deep South cooking—flaky biscuits topped with country ham; skillet-roasted chicken with creamy grits—but it's the down-home hospitality that won us over. You'll find us here on Thursday and Friday afternoons, when $9 buys a pulled-pork sammy on homemade pain de mie. 233 Cardinal Medeiros Ave., Cambridge, MA 2141, hungrymothercambridge.com.
Michael O'Shea, Newton Cabinet and Furniture
O'Shea is among the last of a breed that's giving way to discount building-supply houses and plastic furniture: a craftsman who'll make home visits. "I really enjoy cabinetmaking," says O'Shea, who's been in the business for six years, "and I do a good job." His favorite material is cherry ("Soft woods dent too easily"), and will do most any "variation on a rectangle" that is related to furniture or cabinetry. Cambridge, MA
Dick Umile and Ralph Deldon
Dick Umile (273-1279) and Ralph Deldon (272-2767) are schoolteachers who moonlight. They've been painting homes for five years, and as far as we can tell, they can do no wrong. They stick to interiors and smaller houses and prefer to work in the summer or on weekends. "We first started doing it for other teachers, and the word spread," Umile says. "We're probably more dependable than a bunch of college kids, as we've been around longer." 617-273-1279 (Umile), 272-2767 (Deldon).
Premiere Video
The customer-service orientation of this new mom-and-pop (and son) store ought to be a model for others. We love the 24-hour movie-drop-off box and the drive-through pickup window. A popcorn machine (help yourself!) and pizza restaurant are in the same space. It delivers movies and pizza to your home, if you're lucky to live anywhere nearby. 87 High St., Danvers, MA .
Benson's Homemade Ice Cream
A sweet roadside stand that serves handmade ice cream from local cows' milk, scooped by fresh-faced neighborhood teens on summer break—Benson's is straight off the cover of the Saturday Evening Post. All cuteness aside, though, this ice cream rules. Some of the rich and creamy flavors are only available during short windows of time, depending on which local berries are ripe. Be sure to sample the fresh raspberry or peach. You'll be smiling till the cows come home. Rte. 133, Boxford, MA bensonsicecream.com.
Boston Photo Collaborative
The collaborative is a nonprofit group for inner-city teens dedicated to fostering creativity and self-esteem through photography. The center has both summer and year-round programs for teen students, who are encouraged to document what they see in their neighborhoods and homes. Fresh off a recent exhibit at Boston City Hall and a number of philanthropic awards, directors Carl Mastandrea and Ilana Krepchin run their organization with spirit and dedication. Best event: the yearly auction, which features works from such local heroes as William Wegman. 67 Brookside Avenue, Jamaica Plain, MA bostonstudiop.com.
Kendall Square Cinema
Culture and film buffs thank the celluloid gods for this place to see all the idiosyncratic flicks that get reviewed in The New Yorker and The New York Times. Still the sole straddler of the art house/multiplex genres, it offers a great selection on nine screens and in many languages. Great snacks too: real biscotti and cappuccino, and birdbath-size containers of high-quality popcorn. All this and gumfree floors. One Kendall Square, Cambridge, MA .
Cambridge Kayak Company
Robert Gaston of Cambridge Kayak Company is putting together a sea-kayak trail stretching from northern to southern Massachusetts. Kayaker-friendly bed and breakfasts and waterfront restaurants will welcome weary travelers along the way; the tourist dollars, Gaston hopes, will encourage environmental awareness. That's the long-term plan. The short-term plan is to put together an ace team of kayak instructors and tour leaders for the summer, a venture in which Gaston is joined by Tony Simpson, an energetic British Canoe Union instructor. Cambridge, MA
Dar Williams
Just off tour with folk legend Joan Baez, Dar Williams is now home in Belchertown savoring the critical success of her latest CD, Mortal City. When Williams originally moved to western Massachusetts from New York, she got a job with the Boston Opera Company and aspired to become a playwright or to direct operas. But the call of the coffeehouse was too strong, and Williams's modern folk style soon drew a following that recognized a new talent on the rise.
Montage
Its old space was awe-inspiring enough, but its renovated 10,500-square-foot showroom leaves us speechless. Montage now features an overhauled collection that includes contemporary European lines like B&B Italia, MatteoGrassi, and Poltrona Frau. It's always pushed the home-design envelope, but this year, Montage has us asking: When can we move in? 75 Arlington St., Boston, MA 2116, montageweb.com.
Wolfers Lighting
Lighting makes a room, and the selection at Wolfers can give any home a welcoming glow. The Allston gallery has fixtures for every space—indoor and out. It caters to a variety of styles and budgets with fixtures including ornate chandeliers and funky kitchen pendants. The savvy salespeople can always shed light on any illumination problem, whether you need help changing a bulb or lighting an antique barn. 103 N. Beacon St., Allston, MA wolfers.com.