Rubin's
There's a reason places like the Harvard Club and the Four Seasons Hotel send out to Rubin's when their guests want kosher meals. This is homemade food the way your bubbie used to make it. Sure, the prices are a little steep, but the brisket melts in your mouth and the knishes are to die for, even since the deli changed hands for the first time in its 70-year history. And the guys behind the counter have that distracted "Hurry-up-and-order, I've-got-a-county-to-run" attitude that can make the hardiest New Yorker homesick. 500 Harvard St., Brookline, MA .
Bantam Cider Company Tasting Room
Here, genre-bending hard cider is finely crafted in gorgeous steel tanks or a phalanx of barrels. A visit to the tasting room ($6 per pour, or $10 for a flight of five tastes) is the best way to swirl and sip the vast spectrum of Bantam's oeuvre—from a lightly effervescent cider with hibiscus flowers and fresh mint to a sour, funky wild-yeast variety. Snack away on complimentary pretzel rods stylishly splayed in Mason jars, and once you've identified your new favorite cider, take home a bottle, a four-pack, or a growler for the perfect souvenir. 40 Merriam St., Somerville, MA 02143, bantamcider.com.
The Official Rock Song of Massachusetts
One, two, three, four, five, six! That’s not only the opening countdown of Natick native Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers’ 1976 classic “Roadrunner,” it’s also the number of times state lawmakers have tried to pass legislation making Richman’s ode to Route 128 night-driving “the official rock song of the Commonwealth.” Ten years since former Boston Mayor Marty Walsh introduced the first fail bills in 2013, Natick Representative David Linsky filed another one in February. Maybe the sixth time is the charm? Radio on!
Mooncusser
Since chef Carl Dooley’s 2021 arrival at this seafood-focused fine-dining gem, the restaurant has featured a rotating four-course tasting menu that highlights the best of seasonal, local ingredients. Diners can choose from two or three options per course, leaving the rest up to Dooley, who is outstanding at sneaking bursts of bold, globally inspired flavors and heat into dishes that sound simpler on paper. A recent spring menu, for example, featured glazed tilefish with asparagus and crispy tortilla, enhanced with some surprising fire from green chili. 304 Stuart St., Back Bay, MA 02116, mooncusserboston.com.
Boston Calling
The Killers. Paramore. Eminem. This year Boston Calling welcomed some of its biggest names to date. It also finally settled into its new digs at the Harvard Athletic Complex after a few growing pains in 2017. The sprawling grounds gave the fest the chance to add a third venue for even more concerts as well as ample open space for seriously upgraded food options, from the Smoke Shop’s barbecue-brisket sammies to Area Four’s garlic knots. And for those in need of a break from rocking out in the sun? An indoor comedy venue offering a rotating array of top-notch performers and soothing AC. MA bostoncalling.com.
Honeycomb Creamery
Former Union Square Donuts kitchen manager Kristen Rummel and her husband, Rory Hanlon, started churning up batches of ice cream for deliveries and pop-ups in 2015. Now their new Cambridge brick-and-mortar dishes out even more of those sweet, fluffy scoops, made with milk and cream from Mapleline Farm in Hadley. Seasonal flavors like Meyer lemon-ginger and cookie-laden alfajores make it tough to choose just one, which is why we usually opt for Honeycomb's ice cream flight—a four-flavor assortment sprinkled with waffle-cone chips. 1702 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138, honeycombcreamery.com.
Bliss Home
If happiness is platinum-rimmed white porcelain from northern Italy, then joy is a set of four ultrasuede coasters in seven different color combinations. Together, they represent the half-modern, half-classic nature of Bliss, a home-goods emporium that incorporates everything from chaise longues (made in Milan) to stainless steel—lined doggy bowls. Bliss earns the nod for best bridal registry not only because of the unusual and international flavor of its stock, but also for its accommodating employees, who are more than happy to educate the bride (and clueless grooms) about the difference between Waterford and Wedgwood. 121 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
Phoenix Landing
Discussions of Boston’s Irish pubs typically involve squirrely notions of authenticity. The problem is, no such thing exists, and most attempts ring about as true as some "Ireland-land" simulacrum at Epcot. So this year we decided to give the nod instead to the best pub, period, which just so happens to be Irish (a subtle but important distinction). The Phoenix Landing is like four bars in one: You can go for a quiet afternoon pint alone, brunch with the family, crack-of-dawn soccer broadcasts, or nighttime dancing to some of the best DJ talent around. 512 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 2139, phoenixlandingbar.com.
Redbones
Trust us: Don't take your Redbones carryout on the T. At best, your bag of slow-smoked, spice-rubbed, damn-tasty barbecue will have fellow passengers growling like wild beasts; at worst, you've got a mob scene on your hands. Better to get delivery, or just pull up a seat at this noisy, vibrant wannabe roadhouse and dig right into the succulent meats (standouts: pulled pork, all four styles of ribs) and can-I-get-a-witness versions of corn pudding, potato salad, and other southern trimmings. 55 Chester St., Somerville, MA 2144, redbones.com.
Season to Taste
This full-service company can handle everything from bar mitzvahs to barbecues to prepared dinners for families of four. And while the menus have plenty to swoon over—passed apps like mini latkes with smoked salmon and chive crema, or entrées like fig-glazed lamb sirloin—it's what goes on behind the scenes that captured our heart. Started by East Coast Grill and Evoo alum Robert Harris, Season to Taste is one of the greenest companies around, delivering drop-off meals by bike, sourcing primo ingredients from New England farms and stores, and composting to reduce waste. If anyone can make a feast for 100 feel virtuous, it's them. 2447 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 2140, seasontotastecatering.com.
LuxeBeautique
Paying someone just to hand you towels (Mariah) or perfume your path with gardenia (J.Lo) is a bit whoa!crazy. Still, Hollywood divas, with their creamy complexion and velvety skin, are testament to the very real benefits of an aesthetics entourage. Rent your own at Luxe-Beautique: Intimate at a mere 1,000 square feet, it's packed with both swag-bag exclusives (Becca and Jelly Pong Pong makeup, Malie Kauai skin care) and expertise in using them. Can't choose among facials, massages, body bronzing, and makeup? Accede to your inner A-lister and go for all four, in—what else?—the signature Red Carpet Treatment. 222 Humphrey St., Swampscott, MA 1907, .
West Newton Cinema
There are three key criteria that elevate a cinema to superior status: the caliber of the screenings, the comfort of the seats, and perhaps most importantly, the quality of the concession stand. West Newton Cinema's management mixes art house releases with a few mainstream flicks and serves popcorn that's decidedly above average. And while four of the six auditoriums have been updated with Star Trek-style seating (renovations of the remaining two are under way), the exterior and the foyer still retain their old-fashioned character. With Lumière right across the street, it's a recipe for the perfect date. 1296 Washington St., Newton, MA westnewtoncinema.com.
Brown Sugar Café
Spicy, sour, salty, and sweet: In Thailand, the perfect meal offers all four tastes. And with its extensive menu, Brown Sugar Café furnishes plenty of options for creating the consummate Thai dinner. Now that a second, larger location on Commonwealth Avenue has joined the charming original spot in the Fenway, the options have doubled. Specialties are all over the map, from comforting dishes for fire-averse tongues (such as the pineapple fried rice, flaky and aromatic steamed ginger bass, and sweet tamarind duck) to more incendiary plates of chili scallops with bamboo shoots and scallions. Try the stir-fried beer with macadamia nuts, and wash it down with a Singha beer. 1033 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA brownsugarcafe.com.
Bia Bistro
That contented sigh that comes with shucking off the 9-to-5 suit in favor of jeans and a tee? It's the same one you might hear any night at this four-year-old bistro, as diners relax into its placid charms. Dusky red walls and buttery candlelight set the scene for chef Brian Houlihan's contemporary versions of European comfort-food classics, like duck confit with poached figs, steak au poivre, and tarte Tatin. Figure in a modest but irreproachable wine list, and a night at Bia goes down easy in every sense. 25 N. Main St., Cohasset Village, MA 2025, biabistro.com.
Perfect 10 Unisex Salon
The name says it all: Catering to all hair types and textures, this small but mighty team of stylists score the highest marks for their gorgeous weaves, silk presses, locs, and braids. And that’s not the only way in which they’re giving Bostonians a boost: The salon was recently the only small business in Massachusetts to be awarded a HartBeat of Main Street grant from Main Street America, thanks in part to owner (and mother of four) Kanessa Alexander’s efforts to give back to the community. Now that’s what we call beautiful. 1896 Centre St., West Roxbury, MA 02132, perfect10hairsalon.com.