Idle Hands Craft Ales
Since Idle Hands arrived early into the Boston area’s craft-brewery explosion in 2011, times have certainly changed: Plenty of other makers have joined the game, and you can now find a juicy, locally made IPA on every corner. But founder Chris Tkach continues to set the pace by adding trendier brews, such as the Kill Your Idles sour beer series, to a lineup distinguished by exemplary European styles. His flagship hop bomb Four Seam, meanwhile, is still one of the best hazy IPAs around. 89 Commercial St., Malden, MA 02148, idlehandscraftales.com/site.
The Eliot Hotel
If you want blinking neon welcome signs, uninspiring neutral furnishings, and tasteless room service in an anonymous structure, don't come here. The four-star Eliot is an intimate and cozy home away from home (we should all live so well) with a decidedly European flair. Its beautifully furnished one- and two-bedroom suites, featuring living rooms and private pantries, are the perfect respire following a day exploring the Back Bay or simply as an urban retreat with your honey. And right downstairs is the nationally acclaimed restaurant Clio. 370 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA .
Fred Donovan and John Dewar
The John Dewar & Company operation has been in business only since October, but already its commercial clients include Front Street, the Hermitage, and Jason's. The Dewar company also encourages retail business at its 753 Beacon St., Newton, address. According to Fred Donovan, the vice-president and chief meat cutter of the store, "We're not trying for the strong sell. We just want to satisfy the customer. We don't care if they come in for one hot dog or four ounces of hamburger. We treat all our customers the same." John Dewar & Company, .
Tim's Bar & Grill
No two ways about it: Tim's is a dive. Not a dressed-down yuppie hot spot marketing itself as "casual" and "unpretentious," but an honest-to-goodness greasy spoon. But where else would you find the low-priced burgers in the city? Tim's are so enormous—a full pound of beef for four bucks—they make your jaw ache. They're the kind of burgers that, with each bite, send pink juice running down your arms. The kind where your napkin is in tatters after five minutes. And Tim's is the kind of place where when you ask for medium-rare, it comes medium rare. 329 Columbus Ave., Boston, MA .
Crane Beach
The white sand goes on forever—or at least for four-and-a-half miles. This North Shore strip has the dunes, the best-blended concession stands, the most peaceful ambience—all in a preserved marshland setting that makes the parking fee ($9 to $15—half price after 3 p.m. every day) worth it. Besides, proceeds go to the Trustees of Reservations to protect historic homes in the area. If the greenheads are getting nippy, as they can in August, head uphill and tour the grounds of the historic Crane estate, and make a pit stop for fried clams at Woodman's around the corner. Argilla Rd., Ipswich, MA .
New England Mobile Book Fair
The up-and-comer in this category is the nearly four-year-old Newtonville Books, but while that otherwise admirable small shop considers its lack of organization quaint and quirky, we just think it's confusing. The system at our pick, the family-owned New England Mobile Book Fair, also doesn't seem at first to make a lot of sense (the books are shelved by publisher) but turns out to be a piece of cake. Plus the relevance for books among the customers and knowledgeable staff is palpable, new hardcovers are discounted 20 to 30 percent, and you can spend contented hours in the endless warehouse-style stacks. 82-84 Needham St., Newton, MA nebookfair.com.
Au Soleil Catering
Turning out memorable meals in private homes—which often means tight quarters and picky palates—is a task that could sap any chef's muse. No surprise the catering arm of the vaunted L'Espalier/Sel de la Terre group is more than up to the challenge. Planning a small fete, we laid out the hurdles: seafood allergies, vegan diets, decorating don'ts. Au Soleil fired back with scads of ideas, including using petits fours as favors and dressing the table with bouquets of our favorite blooms. From intimate dinners to 600-person galas, this event-maker handles every gathering with aplomb. 148 Hampden St., Boston, MA 2119, ausoleilcatering.com.
The Foundry
The city of Cambridge transformed this former factory into a gorgeous, multipurpose creative hive with the explicit goal of offering accessible space to artists and artisans in a city that, more often than not, prices them out. Among the Foundry’s public amenities are reservable conference rooms; four makerspaces offering workshops for fi ber arts, woodwork, and more; a demonstration kitchen; a dance studio; and a 115-seat black-box theater. Not artistically inclined? No problem — you’ll also find Zumba classes, gallery shows, and guitar festivals, all open to the public. 101 Rogers St., Cambridge, MA 02142, cambridgefoundry.org.
Silver Whisk Bake Shop
You personalize so many elements of your wedding day—why have a basic cake? Silver Whisk Bake Shop works with each couple to create a confection unique to their style, with two constants: understated elegance and surprising flavors (think: matcha and lychee). And while COVID-19 temporarily puts a pause on parties, the Stoneham bakery has been staying busy delivering wedding-cake tasting boxes and packaged petit fours—jewel-like sponges coated in Swiss-meringue buttercream and sealed with chocolate that are a perfect taste of sweeter times to come. silverwhiskbakeshop.com.
Bristol Lounge
Like early 19th-century vintage and all the glamor it entails, the Bristol Lounge is back. Actually, like the classic pearls and impeccably cut suits you'll find around its tables, the Bristol never really went away. But after losing this category last year to the Harvest, the Four Seasons' lounge and its burger have reclaimed their places in our hearts, and the reason why is simple: sweet beef that fills your mouth with so much flavor it's almost surreal. Toppings—from the thick and fruity slice of ripe tomato the specialty mustards and perfectly toasted bun—are first rate. Service is prompt and polite, and the setting is pure suave sophistication. Four Seasons Hotel, 200 Boylston St., Boston, MA fourseasons.com/boston/dining/the_bristol_lounge.
Casa Romero
A good rule of thumb for determining whether or not a restaurant serves authentic Mexican cuisine is to scan its menu for ceviche, pozole, flan, and café de olla. Casa Romero, tucked into a tiny Back Bay alleyway, has all four, as well as nicely executed traditional main courses such as enchiladas, verde or poblano; chicken mole; and tenderloin of pork marinated in orange and smoked chipotle peppers. The margaritas are tasty; the service is, well, serviceable enough; and the atmosphere, mellow and intimate. Hit Casa Romero during summer and you can dine in its lovely courtyard. 30 Gloucester St., Boston, MA casaromero.com.
The Urban K9
A wag-worthy alternative to the city's many well-intentioned but hospital-like kennels, the Urban K9 is based in a Roslindale home that owners Karen Donoghue and Erika Forssberg are happy to share with their four-legged clients. After being dropped off (or fetched by the duo's 'pet taxi' service), Fido is let out on his own schedule, taken to the park for group romps, and tucked into his very own doggy bed at night. For owners who prefer not to board, the Urban K9 will make dog-sitting (or cat-, bird-, fish-, or hamster-sitting) house calls, too. 129 Malden St., Boston, MA 2118, theurbank9.com.
Sportello
It's a puzzle, how Barbara Lynch can manage to launch four restaurants, a bar, and two retail operations, all in different genres, while preserving the quality and essential Lynchness of each. And so we come to her most casual spot, Sportello, a minimalist midprice Italian diner—only here, the line cooks sling hiramasa crudo, chicken with dates and pine nuts, and mustard leaf agnolotti. It's a testament to the power of the gnocchi alone that the place is bouncing, despite the surrounding Fort Point Channel neighborhood's still-delayed gentrification. No other startup exhibited so much polish out of the gate, or such a pitch-perfect sense of the way we're eating now. 384 Congress St., Boston, MA 2110, sportelloboston.com.
New England Soup Factory
You must take seriously any soup shop that boasts "Triple Strength Chicken Vegetable Available Daily." The Factory means business, with four alternating selections of more than 75 varieties every day. Cool down on a summer evening with a chilled bowl of Blueberry Peach or serve some Gazpacho to guests. When winter rolls around, be ready with Hot Carrot and Ginger, Double Onion with Sherry, or Classic Lentil. The only Soup Nazi-esque thing about this place is the price: a slightly steep $4.25 for a 12 oz. bowl. 2-4 Brookline Place, Brookline, MA .
Ed Owens
When Ed's father, Henry, started the business in 1927, his equipment consisted of one horse and one buggy. Today, the list reads: seven vans, four trailer trucks, two pickups, two cranes, and a thirty-thousand-square-foot warehouse. Affiliated with Global Van Lines, Owens Movers (129 Sherman St., Cambridge, 876-8390) will handle everything from moving large companies (Prudential and Gillette have been moving their customers) to moving pianos (a specialty). "Even so," Ed Owens says, "we're a small, union firm, basically a father-and-son operation. We're honest with folks. We have more to lose, and everything to gain." Owens Movers, 129 Sherman St., Cambridge, MA 617-876-8390.