Columbo
Produced by the oldest yogurt dairy in the US. Columbo contains only natural ingredients, is manufactured locally, and has an agreeably tart taste. MA
Ex-state Representative Gus Serra
It took history's worst act of terrorism to dislodge him from his $129,000 patronage position as "director of strategy" at Massport.
Red Sox Pitcher Bill Lee
When he's on the mound, few of the women in Fenway Park are thinking about his arm. MA
Rosie's Bakery
The Chocolate Orgasm (that's a brownie, not a sex act) wins for the second year in a row oh-oh. 243 Hampshire St., Cambridge, MA .
Double-Pork Ramen, Yume Wo Katare
We miss waiting for hot bowlfuls of garlicky, pork-fat-drenched noodle soup at this intimate eatery, where the camaraderie in line is part of the fun. 1923 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02140, souskasa.com.
State Medical Examiner
The state medical examiner's practice of selling off body parts without informing the next of kin of the for-profit uses, such as breast and penis enlargements.
Ryan Wading Pool
The Ryan Wading Pool is our pick for the city’s best spray deck, where kids can clean up and cool off after a hard day’s summer play as they get soaked under the buckets that dump water from overhead. 350 River St., Mattapan, MA 02126, mass.gov/locations/ryan-wading-pool.
Saltie Girl
Quick, it’s 3 p.m. and you’re peckish from a grueling afternoon bolstering the Newbury Street economy. Where to pop in for pristine bivalves and a chilly glass of curated Chablis? Saltie Girl, open all day every day, is our favorite solution to the first-est of first-world problems. Here’s to the meticulous shuckery, the handy cheat sheets ("small, briny, cucumber"), and the ingenuity of eye-droppers for doling out hot sauce and bracing mignonette. 281 Dartmouth St., Boston, MA 02116, saltiegirl.com.
Tangierino
Take a trip to Morocco without leaving Bunker Hill: Drinks flow amid desert vibes in Tangierino’s downstairs shisha lounge bar, a low-lit nook perfect for date nights. With a hookah offerings in a wide variety of aromatics (try the strawberry-mint-scented mix), any evening here is sure to be intoxicating. 83 Main St., Charlestown , MA 02129, tangierino.com.
Redd’s in Rozzie
NOW CLOSED Those mourning the loss of Trillium’s winter pop-up should know that Roslindale’s best beer selection has been right here all along. Sample Night Shift and Exhibit A brews at the bar, or head to the patio to sip al fresco. Cocktails skew fruity and herbaceous—a fitting post-Arboretum-jaunt refreshment. 4257 Washington St., Roslindale, MA 02131, reddsinrozzie.com.
Matt Murphy’s Pub
If the sophisticated dark wood paneling didn’t already clue you in, one look at the backlit bar—showcasing a fine selection of whiskeys and excellent draft beers—reveals that this is a pub for the refined Irish drinker. Drop in on Mondays from 5 to 7 p.m. for completely free, no-strings-attached oysters. 14 Harvard St., Brookline Village , MA 02445, .
Bantam Cider Company Tasting Room
With pours spanning the cider spectrum—from the cherry-tinged Rojo to the farmhouse-style Sweet Scrumpy—Bantam’s taproom serves up a refreshing alternative to your typical neighborhood watering hole. Claim a standing table, and make a day of it. 40 Merriam St., Somerville, MA 02143, bantamcider.com.
Aeronaut
Do you possess a surplus of useless knowledge about obscure summer-camp traditions and the classic Oregon Trail computer game? Seize the opportunity to show off your affinity for random factoids at Aeronaut’s weekly “Indie Trivia” nights. The Somerville taproom taps the fiercest trivia competitors in town to create and host ultra-competitive Tuesday-night quizzes complemented by the ultimate brain food: Aeronaut’s signature hoppy brews. 14 Tyler St. , Somerville, MA aeronautbrewing.com.
Saltie Girl
Briny oysters are just the tip of the ice-packed platters here. Sure, restaurateur Kathy Sidell provides an intimate Back Bay port of call for passersby to stop and slurp expertly shucked bivalves—buttery, Duxbury-raised Merry Oysters, sweet South Bay Blondes from a multi-generation Onset farm. But there’s also super-fresh shrimp and crab cocktail, sea urchin spruced up with ponzu sauce from medicine droppers, and a list of bottles for washing them down in crisp waves of wine. 281 Dartmouth St., Boston, MA saltiegirl.com.
Haley.Henry
At this enclave of natural and small-production vino, the cool crew of oenophiles will open any bottle if you commit to two glasses—so uncork that orange wine from Utah or scrappy Loire Valley pinot noir. 45 Province St., Boston, MA haleyhenry.com.