Sault New England
With so much that’s changed over the past year, it’s reassuring to know that we can still rely on this institution to keep our closets stocked with broken-in tees, khaki shorts, soft button-downs, and other classic styles. Owner Philip Saul is known for his precise vision and impeccable taste in menswear, but he should also be applauded for navigating the pandemic by offering curbside pickup and re-upping the store’s e-commerce presence so his loyal customers could nail that effortless New England style effortlessly. 577 Tremont St., Boston, MA 02118, saultne.com.
Leila Garczynski, Exhale
When testing this category, one might expect things to get a little uncomfortable. But unsanitary? Thanks, but no thanks! (In truth, some of the most pain-free waxes weve ever had were disqualified because of sketchy hygieneas in, double-dipping wax from a communal pot.) Luckily, just when we were contemplating letting our bikini line go rogue, we met Exhale pro Garczynski. In addition to the fact that she creates a fresh container of wax for each customer, shes quick and thorough, and any ingrown hairs worst enemy. 28 Arlington St., Boston, MA 2116, .
Amanda Lydon, Truc
So what if Food & Wine Magazine stole our thunder by making her one of America's best new chefs for the year? They read about Lydon's talents here first, courtesy of reviewer Corby Kummer. Indeed, Kummer knows true talent when he tastes it: Lydon's holistic approach to food involves combining the very best local ingredients with proven French techniques. Her frogs' legs, her lamb chops, her simple touch with vinaigrettes and sauces—she's a star on the rise for sure. Lydon makes it look effortless; we can't wait to see what she'll concoct next. 560 Tremont Street, Boston, MA .
Cutty's
It may be heretical to say this in Brookline, but here goes: Go ye on the Sabbath to Cutty's and get yourself some pork. The Saturday special pork sandwiches, to be specific. Once a week, the slow-roasted pig comes in fresh to this Brookline Village café and is sliced thin for inclusion in such delicacies as the pork-and-pickled-fennel sandwich with roasted garlic on a crusty sesame-seed bun. With apologies to our rabbi, it's a borderline religious experience. Oh, and the rest of Cutty's (more-kosher) sandwiches, which are served all week? They're not so bad either. 284 Washington St., Brookline, MA 2445, cuttysfoods.com.
Beacon Hill Chocolates
How does this local master of all things chocolat—which last year left its Pinckney Street location for bigger digs on Charles Street—continue to win our affections? It's simple: Paula Barth's array of elegantly displayed truffles, sourced from around the globe and ranging from the traditional (champagne-flavored) to the exotic (the Dragonfly, a dark chocolate bonbon with the essence of kaffir lime leaves, coconut milk, and pieces of candied ginger). We also can't seem to leave Beacon Hill Chocolates without some ultracreamy gianduja chocolates and a few salted caramels. 92B Pinckney St., Boston, MA 2114, .
Franklin Cafe
Just because a restaurant's in the South End doesn't mean it's a South Ender's restaurant (ahem, Stephi's on Tremont). This place, however, is the real deal. The soul of Boston's now-crowded foodie enclave since opening 12 years ago, the Franklin fills with almost all regulars craving their specific comfort food—in our case, the garlic-grilled calamari and cornmeal-crusted catfish, with a glass of grüner, please!—every night of the week. And it doesn't hurt that the kitchen keeps on serving those calamari, and the rest of the menu, until 1:30 a.m. 278 Shawmut Ave., Boston, MA 2118, franklincafe.com.
Michael Schlow
Being a great chef isn't just about respecting good ingredients or cooking with passion. It's also about being a good manager and building relationships with the guests you serve. Michael Schlow is all of the above, and more. With three restaurants in his expanding stable (Radius, Via Matta, and Great Bay), Schlow may not be the man who personally prepares you dinner, but he juggles each of his top-notch kitchens with aplomb. Schlow understands the culinary parameters of his ventures better than anyone—he knows, for example, that at Radius, less is more; that at Via Matta, cooking pasta is an art; and that at Great Bay, it's all about the bounty of our local waters. Radius, 8 High St.; Great Bay, 500 Commonwealth Ave.; Via Matta, 79 Park Plaza, Boston, MA michaelschlow.com.
Winston Flowers
Yes, it's a chain. But our search for comparable quality and variety in the area always leads us back here. Visit the artfully arranged shop in person and you'll come face to face with bushels of oversized dahlias, silky long-stemmed roses, and of course, dozens of the store's signature, precisely designed arrangements. The space feels like a Tuscan villa, with topiary trees and buckets of seasonal blooms. As for out-of-state delivery, the staff's well-deserved reputation for attention to detail means you'll never have to worry about red carnations getting in the mix. 31 Central St., Wellesley, MA winstonflowers.com.
Lizard Lounge
It is with good reason that the Lizard Lounge consistently tops our live-venue list: It's still the favorite choice for established rock acts, and, for all its renown, is still every bit as intimate as a suburban rec room. Crowded cocktail tables stand inches away from the Oriental rug-lined stage, where, on any given night, a classic jazz trio, alt-rockers, or spoken-word poets perform to no more than 105 fans. Adding to the club's character are the laid-back punks behind the bar who dole out boutique draft beers such as Mojo IPA and Victory Golden Monkey. 1667 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 2138, lizardloungeclub.com.
Parsons Table
It's teensy. It's not fancy. It's in sleepy Winchester, where the nightlife scene doesn't exactly buzz. And yet this place is near the top of our reservation wish list, in the city or in the 'burbs, because the food is so reliably good. Chef Chris Parsons makes a revelatory burger, crowned with portobello mushrooms and tangy balsamic onions. When he steams Maine mussels in lobster broth, they're sop-up-the-juices good. And the farm-egg-and-bacon-topped frisée salad makes you wonder why other restaurants even bother. 34 Church St., Winchester, MA 1890, parsons-table.com.
Get Konnected!
There would be a lot more strangers in Boston without this multicultural networking group, which aims to remind business leaders of all backgrounds that our economy is a web, stronger when we work together. Run by public relations maven Colette Phillips, the organization has long linked a diverse range of professionals through job listings, a digital magazine, and high-profile events honoring influential people of color. Now it’s doing so through webinars about how small businesses can survive the pandemic, mentoring sessions with senior execs, and more—all online for everyone to take part in. getkonnected.com.
Sheherazad
Call it meal-on-a-bun fatigue: Occasionally we grow weary of gyros, grilled cheeses, and Maggi-splattered bánh mì—no matter how good they are. Hence our obsession with this truck’s Iraqi and Middle Eastern street food, which features feta-stuffed phyllo, fattoush salads stippled with sumac and fresh herbs, and Persian specialties like khoresht-e bademjan brimming with hunks of beef and roasted eggplant. Correction, July 1, 9 a.m.: A previous version of this post stated that Burke Weston is the chef of Sheherazad food truck and that the truck serves no sandwiches. In fact, Weston is no longer the chef, and the truck serves wraps. We regret the error. sheherazadfood.com.
Christina's
Partisans know Christina's does weird very, very well. Honey-lavender? Refreshing. Kaffir lime? Luscious. What truly sets it apart, however, is its finesse with more-familiar flavors, like coffee, pistachio, even vanilla—not to mention a frozen chocolate mousse that's better, and cheaper, than any we've found on a restaurant dessert menu. Our favorite scoop, peanut butter chip, is so thick and creamy you half want to eat it with a knife and fork, though in the end the standard cone does the job nicely. 1255 Cambridge Street, Cambridge, MA 2139, christinasicecream.com.
EHChocolatier
Whether you’re a cacao purist or someone who thinks outside the standard chocolate box, you’ll no doubt find something to savor from this Somerville-based online chocolatier. Cofounders Elaine Hsieh and Catharine Sweeney have a knack for inspired flavor pairings (pomegranate, jasmine tea, and Guinness Stout have all shown up in their chic bonbons), but their more-traditional varieties—hazelnut bark, single-origin dark chocolate "pods," chocolate-chew candy bars—are just as fun to savor. And because the duo recognizes that we eat with our eyes first, each handcrafted confection is as strikingly beautiful as it is delicious. ehchocolatier.com.
Robert Sisca, Bistro du Midi
Boston is blessed with a bumper crop of young culinary talent injecting our food scene with energy and enthusiasm. But while many seem to spend as much time on the party circuit as they do in the kitchen, Robert Sisca has retained a singular focus: turning out exacting Provencial fare. The deceptively simple plates he creates at Bistro du Midi—pan-roasted cod with golden raisins and chorizo; grilled Mediterranean sea bass with slow-cooked fennel—employ the meticulous French technique he honed under chef Eric Ripert at Le Bernardin in New York. 272 Boylston St., Boston, MA 2116, bistrodumidi.com.