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 .
Café Vanille
Most bakeries aim for French authenticity, but few this side of the Atlantic succeed as completely as Café Vanille. Choosing between the flaky, airy, and flawlessly textured chocolate croissants and blissful fresh-fruit custard tarts is an exercise in futility: Just take one of each. The setting, an almost impossibly charming little Charles Street storefront, also sports a sunny brick patio, the ideal perch for tucking into a decadent mocha crème-filled pâté à choux while watching all of Beacon Hill stroll past. Now you know what Proust was fussing about. 70 Charles St., Boston, MA frenchmemories.com.
Craigie On Main
Tony Maws isn't one of those chefs who tries to make it look easy. In his new Central Square digs, the open kitchen takes center stage, providing an unobstructed view of exactly how that (Vermont organic) lamb three ways and (Maine dayboat) halibut get onto the plate. Maws even spells out his principles on the Craigie website, including 'First we find the ingredients, then we create the menu'—which means that every day he's sourcing what's local, in season, and, for the most part, organic. By degrees, Maws takes it further than anyone else in town, and his work is your reward. 853 Main St., Cambridge, MA 2139, craigieonmain.com.
Summer Shack
Talk about knowing your audience. With its giant bucket of crayons on the hostess stand and army of highchairs standing at the ready, this seafood favorite not only welcomes tots with open arms—there's even a balloon sculptor and free sundaes on Sunday evenings—but it also serves the grownups in tow some very respectable chow (think ceviche and wood-grilled lobster). The latter accommodation, in fact, nudged the Summer Shack ahead of perennial pick Full Moon, which, while wonderful for its party vibe and fully stocked play area, keeps the food on the so-simple-you-could've-made-it-at-home side. 149 Alewife Brook Pkwy., Cambridge, MA 2140, summershackrestaurant.com.
51 Lincoln
Earthy-crunchy' isn't how we'd describe 51 Lincoln, a polished little dining room and bar serving craft cocktails and schmancy cheeses. Unless by 'earthy' we meant the wild mushroom ragout that chef Jeff Fournier spoons over scallops, and 'crunchy' referred to his famous polenta fries. Sure, he adores local ingredients from sustainable farms and grows produce in his own garden. Yet his greenness is cleverly packaged in a changing lineup of dishes like carrot-ginger soup with smoked-paprika crème fraîche, and flatiron steak with jalapeño jam—making him a perfect match for the yuppie-hippie types in this part of town. 51 Lincoln St., Newton Highlands, MA 2461, 51lincolnnewton.com.
Green Home Solutions
Increasingly popular in commercial projects, green renovations are still relatively rare for private homes, which is odd, considering they cut utility costs, boost resale value, and, oh yeah, help keep the planet from dying. With more than 25 years' experience under his belt, Paul Marquis is doing his part to change that, as he takes homeowners through the entire project—from recommending eco-conscious architects and contractors to finding landfill alternatives for construction materials—with a thoroughness that any home consultant, green or otherwise, should aspire to. P.O. Box 164, Arlington, MA .
George's Island
This splendid island is part of the Massachusetts State Park System and its only residents are two knowledgeable park rangers. In addition to spectacular views of the inner and outer harbor, the Civil War-era Fort Warren on the island is full of charming and frightening history, told in great detail on guided tours. You can also lie on the grass, picnic on the rocks, or play frisbee on the beach if you want recreation rather than education. Summer ferry service runs hourly on weekends from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Maps and tourist information: MDC Reservations and Historic Sites, 98 Taylor Street, Dorchester, 727-5290. Bay State Cruise Company, 67 Long Wharf, Boston, MA .
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.
Christina's
Bostonians, you may have heard, eat more ice cream per capita than anyone else in America. That makes us a tough bunch to wow—which is exactly what Christina's does with its 40 rotating offerings, many created with ingredients from its spice shop next door. The malted vanilla is made with Madagascar beans, the tart kaffir lime with the freshest leaves, the carrot cake with…well, you get the gist. Above all, Christina's keeps the flavors sharp and bright, even in kid-friendly ice creams like cookie dough and peanut butter chip. 1255 Cambridge St., Cambridge, MA christinasicecream.com.
Sydney Smith Design
These days, designing floral arrangements for weddings means so much more than fashioning bouquets and centerpieces. Lush flower walls, bloom-dotted ceremony arches, and gravity-defying ceiling installations are all part of the job — and we know Sydney Smith is just the pro to pull it off. Whether she’s crafting succulent-filled charger boxes, greenery-forward garlands, or refreshingly simple bud vases with sunset-hued roses, the Roxbury native never misses an opportunity to show off her creativity and flawless service (as many glowing reviews attest). sydneysmithdesign.com.
Umami Omakase
Uni alum Gary Lei opened this exceptional North Cambridge sushi destination in late 2019, so perhaps it escaped your notice in the turmoil of the next few years. Now it’s waiting for you with 18 delightful courses of sashimi, sushi, Wagyu, and more (sake pairings optional but very recommended). The space is fairly no-frills — all the better to train your full attention on exquisite bites like a spoonful of quail egg, ikura, and tuna tartare, and luscious chawanmushi with shrimp and scallop. À la carte takeout is available, but this is a worthy splurge for a dine-in omakase feast. 2372 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02140, umamiomakase.com.
Kent Stetson
Not content to simply create bags that make socialites ask, “Where did you get that?” at local galas, Stetson has recently been upping the ante on his quirky, personality-filled clutches. The fashion maverick is making bags for the LPGA team heading to this summer’s Solheim Cup in Spain (peep the patriotic flag design) and working on a collab with Grey Goose — all while finding new ways to wow his core customers. He recently snagged exquisite hide remnants from a top-notch tannery and is turning those tiny treasures into one-of-a-kind masterpieces. 1005 Main St., Pawtucket, RI 02860, kentstetson.com.
Things We Can’t Wait to Eat Again
The Kobe cap steak at Grill 23: We’re jonesing for the primal pleasures of a deep-charred steak crust that doesn’t involve sweating bullets over a home grill. The charred avocado nigiri at Café Sushi: Precise applications of lemon, salt, truffle oil, and fire-breathing blowtorch yield a showstopper too delicate for takeout travel. The quail kebobs at at Oleana: Ana Sortun’s elegantly boned-out game-bird skewers taste best in the urban paradise of Oleana’s gorgeous garden. The double-pork ramen at 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. The “Royal Chocolate Cake for Two, Kween” at Orfano: The indulgence is available in sensible slices for the social-distancing era, but you can’t top the hedonistic joy of double-teaming an entire cake with a close friend.
Toro
Though the menu incorporates tot pleasers like a Kobe mini burger and glasses of eminently slurpable banana milk, Toro doesn't exactly break out the crayons and coloring books for its brunch service. For certain parents—specifically, those who secretly miss their carefree nights out at places like Toro—that's part of the charm. They get to enjoy a midday meal in an atmosphere that, if more laid-back than the frothy vibe that takes over the restaurant during the dinner shift, is pleasantly grownup. And so long as they get there shortly after the doors open at 10:30 a.m. (not a problem, thanks to the little early risers!), they'll likely be seated right away, sparing Junior the risk of suffering a class 5 meltdown while the family waits for a table. 1704 Washington St., Boston, MA 2118, toro-restaurant.com.
Paul Connors, Radius
Like his longtime collaborator, Michael Schlow, Connors focuses on pushing techniques to their limits in the interest of maximizing flavor and perfecting texture. His chocolate cake is not just a chocolate cake. Connors has figured out how to bring out the acidity of the Valrhona Manjari cru chcolate in the ganache, while making a thin layer of caramelized banana the perfect counterpoint. His other creations? A grapefruit tart with Muscat sorbet, red-wine-basted pear on black walnut cake with star anise ice cream, Tahitian vanilla creme brulée, and hot apple soup with candied pecans and vanilla ice cream. Connors, in short, is a great talent who often creates dishes that you will remember for years. 8 High St., Boston, MA .