Dante
Don't be misled by the hotel setting: Dante de Magistris is no banquet chef. Since opening his eponymous restaurant at the Royal Sonesta two years ago, de Magistris has found his voice (part Italian homeboy, part fancypants chef) and now fully expresses it in imaginative dishes like duck ragu accented with sour cherries, and striped bass with fava beans and Meyer lemon. Formal European training gave him discipline and technique, which means the pasta and fish are perfectly cooked and every sauce is fresh. Oh, and the view, across the Charles to downtown Boston, is priceless. 40 Edwin H Land Blvd, Cambridge, MA 2141, restaurantdante.com.
Pizzeria Regina, North End Branch
There's no shortage of great pizza in this town, but the place we always come back to is the original North End home of Pizzeria Regina. Ignore the outposts at Faneuil Hall and in the suburbs, and get in the (often long) line at the corner of Thacher and Endicott streets for a slice or two. The wait is worth it. First, the basics: a thin crust that's simultaneously crisp and chewy, slathered with tangy tomato sauce and cheese. Then there are traditional pizza house enhancements such as meatballs (juicy bursts of seasoned meat), sausage, or any fresh vegetables. Last, there's the homemade flavored olive oil—a secret mix we're pretty sure contains hot peppers, herbs, and garlic—meant to be doused liberally on every slice. 11 Thacher St., Boston, MA pizzeriaregina.com.
Wilson's Farms
If it's good enough for Julia Child, it's good enough for us. Sure, it's bigger than your average farmstand, and the weekend traffic on quiet Pleasant Street can be a drag. But the Wilson family has been growing fresh produce since 1884 and selling it to the public for the past 50 years—long before yuppies discovered mesclun, and before the pan-Asian trend gave bok choy its buzz. More than 30 acres in Lexington and 250 in New Hampshire fuel the retail shop, where every conceivable fruit and vegetable is available, not to mention flowers and plants and a full menu of prepared foods, cheeses, condiments and baked goods. 10 Pleasant St., Lexington, MA .
Justine Piecuch, Jeffrey Lyle Salon
Frankly, we received plenty of fine haircuts at other upscale salons, but no one listened better than Justine Piecuch at Jeffrey Lyle. This stylist takes a hyper-personalized approach, starting with lots of questions about your lifestyle and daily beauty regimen. A low-maintenance lady, in particular, will emerge from the chair with a pretty wash-and-go 'do. Piecuch is also a great interventionist for those who've suffered bad cuts. She never advocates a Joan of Arc-style bulldoze; rather, she counsels you through the process of slowly growing it out. 135 Newbury St., Boston, MA 2116, jeffreylylesalon.com.
SalonCapri
Three decades in the biz and not a whiff of mustiness about Salon Capri, where a phalanx of Penna family members (who also run a Hyde Park location) and their team of high-end stylists translate runway looks to suburban locks. One of 10 elite L'Oréal centers in the country, Capri scores extra points for its colorists, who'll finish that face-framing cut with sexy highlights. That goes over big with the married-with-kids clients who flock here, figuring, Why put up with mommy hair when you can have who's-your-mommy hair? 31 Lincoln St., Newton, MA 2461, saloncapri.com.
Goody's Moving Service
There comes a moment during most moves—usually preceded by the sound of breaking glass—when homeowners wonder if they'd have been better off on their own. Following their own move-gone-awry five years ago, brothers Eric and Aaron Goodwine rounded up an eight-person crew and set out to turn their frustration into a business. Goody's wraps and pads like the big companies, and even offers a post-move-out 'old-school toothbrush and white glove' cleaning to your now former abode. It almost makes us want to break out the boxes. Almost.
Grill 23 & Bar
It's hard to root for a champ, but when it comes to steakhouses Grill 23 has an overwhelming advantage. Why? Because this is not your traditional steakhouse: There isn't sawdust on the floor, worn-out Laz-E-Boys for chairs, or sirloins so big they fall off the plates. Replacing those beef temple staples is restrained, refined elegance courtesy of a large, airy dining room, an extravagant wine list, and fastidious service. At Grill 23, the experience is as important as the steak: The prime-aged beef is reliably excellent, and the ambiance takes the steakhouse experience to an opulent level. 161 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA grill23.com.
ArtsEmerson
With its three venues—the Cutler Majestic, the Paramount Mainstage, and the Jackie Liebergott Black Box—ArtsEmerson certainly dominates the Theater District, but its artistic reach goes far beyond the city. This year, executive director Rob Orchard landed the following: Henrik Ibsen's A Doll's House, reimagined by Brooklyn company Mabou Mines; a musical about the Shakers called Angel Reapers, co-conceived by Pulitzer Prize and MacArthur grant winners; and The Speaker's Progress, which used Shakespeare's Twelfth Night as the basis for a satire about the Arab Spring. The organization's biggest coup, though, was convincing Cambridge's reclusive John Malkovich to star as a serial killer in The Infernal Comedy. artsemerson.org.
Bank of America Pavilion
Dock all the points you like for the pricey beer, seasonal setup, and occasional 'Ya Mo B There' booking, and this harborside venue with the graceful sail-like tent and stunning skyline backdrop still posts the winning score. Wide aisles give the B of A's 5,000 seats serious elbow room, while nine jumbo TVs ensure everyone gets an eyeful of the onstage action. Even if you believe the Roxy has the more intimate and interesting space, and the House of Blues (provided it sprays for tourists first) is coming on as a contender, you'd still have to concede that with the right band on the right night, the Pavilion is nothing short of a concertgoer's nirvana. 290 Northern Ave., Boston, MA 2210, bankofamericapavillion.net.
The Rooftop Pool at the Colonnade Hotel
Preen under the sunlit umbrellas, lounge with an icy, rum-laced banana mama, and watch the Portofino-meets-Prudential scene unfold. The Colonnade's rooftop pool itself may not be much bigger than your average backyard version, but its entertainment factor is larger than life. Besides, where else can city dwellers count Speedos, nosh on croque monsieur, and watch as a gigantic steel plank is hoisted to the top of an abutting building site—all while floating on their backs? Be warned: Sybaritic city escapes don't come cheap. Nonmembers pay a $22 entrance fee ($27 on Fridays). 120 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA colonnadehotel.com/roof_top_pool.
Frank's Steakhouse
Sadly, the rediscovery of the cocktail culture has perverted the once noble activity of drinking, reducing it to a runway show for an unfortunate breed of baseball cap-sporting frat rats, who choke on cigars, while wincing through martinis. The lounge at Frank's Steak House, in North Cambridge, is sufficiently off the beaten path to attract the fully grown who really enjoy the basics—conviviality, entertainment, and, of course, booze. The rat-packy lounge is free of the smarmy irony that characterizes some of the Johnny-Come-Lately cocktail spots; Frank's has been open since 1938, and some of the patrons look as though they've been glued to their barstools since opening day. 2310 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA .
The Cantab Lounge
Next Wednesday about 10 o'clock, shake yourself out of your TV-induced stupor and set out for Central Square. when you spot the Cantab, take a sharp right through the door, go down a narrow staircase, and for a measly three bucks you'll discover a world of beer-drinking word lovers who are out to rescue poetry from the mannered monotone of more civilized readings. The poetry is usually impressive if not ground-breaking (as those present at the premiere of Patricia Smith and Michael Holly's collaborative "Funk 101" can attest) and always energetically rendered. And you may even get to judge. 738 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA .
Dennis Duffy, Duffy Design Group
An interior designer would call it classic modernism; we call it sleekness without pretense. However you describe Dennis Duffy's characteristic geometric lines and striking color combinations, you'd know them in an instant. Distinctive and original are the two adjectives uttered by nearly every client of Duffy Design Group, which was the team responsible for the livable luxury that is Manny Ramirez's Ritz-Carlton penthouse (but is just as happy to help Jane and Joe Suburb renovate their living space). Duffy has mastered the most delicate balancing act of all: divining clients' needs, yet supplying enough style to fill a house. 1313 Washington St., Suite 505, Boston, MA .
Machine Age
If tripping over midcentury treasures is your idea of a good time, then you'll party like it's 1959 in this 9,000-square-foot showroom where Charles and Ray Eames are alive and well. Encompassing hundreds of pieces from the 1930s through the 1970s by Italian, French, Scandinavian, and U.S. designers, Machine Age may have a few items that creep you out a little (hey, wasn't that easy chair in Uncle Morty's living room two decades ago?), but for aficionados, shopping here feels so much more right than shelling out for those Design Within Reach repros. 645 Summer St., Boston, MA 2210, machine-age.com.
Arclinea
You know the scenario: (1) Every pot crashes to the floor as you reach for that little-used cake pan. (2) You swear you'll reorganize the kitchen as soon as you're done baking. (3) You never get around to it. (4) Repeat during your next cooking attempt. None of that would happen with an Arclinea kitchen, because those Italians have thought of everything: deep, customizable drawers instead of awkward, traditional cabinets; hidden but oh-so-useful electrical outlets; and, of course, a look that will make you the envy of every foodie in town.