Brant Rock Fish Market
Brant Rock Fish Market owner Henry Dunbar is a world traveler. He's been to Tanzania, Madagascar, and Puerto Rico. Before going on his journeys, he posts a poem in his shop window about his latest adventure. But when it comes to fish, Dunbar knows that the best-tasting stuff is found close to home: Some of the fresh cod, haddock, and flounder he sells are caught right in Duxbury Bay. 267 Ocean St., Marshfield, MA 2020, .
Steven Valenti Clothing for Men
So many men's stores have forsaken good, old-fashioned service for the ubiquitous bottom line. But integrity still means something at this North Street shop, where customers can choose from among Coconut Grove silk sport coats, XMI dress shirts, Barry Bricken cotton trousers, and Cole Haan loafers. And shopping at Steven Valenti ensures a flawless fit: An on-site tailor will adjust your purchases. 157 North St., Pittsfield, MA stevenvalenticlothing.com.
SoundBites
Open 7 a.m. - 3 p.m. Now here's a concept: buttery but not greasy breakfast. SoundBites may be a little out of the way for your day's start, but the restaurant gives up as delicious and fresh an omelet as you're likely to find. The mashed home fries, Wonder Waffles, and serve yourself coffee are so good that they take the guilt out of loading all your calories and caffeine into the morning hours. 708 Broadway, Somerville, MA .
Mistral
This beautiful space—with its soaring vaulted ceilings, off-kilter, oversize chandeliers, rattan seats, and sandstone walls—is the place to be seen these days. The big, comfy seating areas in the front are the perfect place to hang out with a few friends while you wait for a table; the bar is wall-to-wall action and buzz; and the dining room is open and spacious without swallowing you whole. 221 Columbus Ave., Boston, MA .
Sharrock's English Bakery
Forget "English muffins" and get a hold of the original article. These crumpets are filling enough for a decent breakfast (and, if you have the power to skip butter, they're fat- and cholesterol-free), yet light enough to leave plenty of room for lunch. Ex-pat Brits swear they're the only "real" crumpets this side of the Atlantic. If mail order's not your bag, the bakers also market their goods under the Trader Joe's label (at all Trader Joe's stores in the area). 1649 Wheeler St., North Dighton, MA .
Mike & Patty's
Tinier than many walk-in closets and closed by 2 p.m. each day, Mike & Patty's isn't your typical café. But it's home to the most satisfying handheld breakfast around—the "fancy" egg sandwich, a pile-up of bacon, cheddar, avocado, house-made mayo, and red onion on crisp multigrain bread. 12 Church St., Boston, MA 2116, mikeandpattys.com.
Simcha
Simcha is the Hebrew word for joy — and what joy we find in chef-owner Avi Shemtov’s Middle Eastern restaurant, ensconced in a tiny shopping plaza in Sharon. Inspired by the home cooking of his grandmother, who left Turkey for Israel in 1949, Shemtov puts his own unique spin on the cuisine of his ancestors: In his hands, couscous becomes arancini drizzled with smoked-egg aioli, and chickpea-flour fried chicken is served over a sweet-potato purée. The superb falafel, however, is a classic that requires no reimagining. 370 S. Main St., Sharon, MA 02067, simcharestaurant.com.
O Ya
How to lure people back downtown? Pristine nigiri — say, wild squid brushed with smoky bonito soy and flecked with salted cherry blossom — certainly seems to do the trick at O Ya, where seats for the omakase, now the sole offering, are booking a solid two months in advance. Fifteen years after opening and $400 (if you opt for wine pairings) later, it’s still the city’s favorite destination for any night you need to turn into a special occasion. 9 E St., Boston, MA 02111, o-ya.restaurant.
Museum of Fine Arts
What keeps the MFA fresh after all these years? Start with the wide-ranging exhibitions, which this year alone highlighted the role of tattooing in 19th-century Japanese prints, showcased quilting as a historical artform, and revived the much-loved Art in Bloom, which pairs works — like the museum’s Kehinde Wiley piece — with floral arrangements from local designers. It’s efforts like these that keep giving us new reasons to go back year after year. 465 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02115, mfa.org.
Simon Pearce
Though widely regarded as the master of handcrafted glassware, and rightfully so (see: its shapely decanters, artistic champagne flutes, and soapstone-bottomed whiskey tumblers, to name just a few), Simon Pearce’s Boston and Chestnut Hill showrooms also offer an array of other tantalizing tableware. The Vermont-made stoneware bowls, minimalist dinner sets, and freehand-style coffee mugs beg to be admired (and brought home), too. Multiple locations, simonpearce.com.
Table & Tulip
No cookie-cutter bouquets here: At this floral haven, owner Andrea Halliday and her team transform everyday blooms into extraordinary masterpieces filled with color and life. And Boston has taken notice; the shop recently doubled its design team to meet the demand for its work and has even introduced a monthly subscription service for those who like to beautify their home on the regular. 461 Shawmut Ave., Boston, MA 02118, tableandtulip.com.
Casa Design Outdoor
Looking for an easy way to channel the tranquil vibes of that tropical vacation you were supposed to take this year? Pop into Casa Design Outdoor. Part of Casa Design Group’s family of showrooms, the petite SoWa space is outfitted with a lush faux-plant accent wall, artfully styled outdoor-furniture vignettes, botanical-print wallcoverings, and windows that stream in sunlight. Take a slice of paradise home with patio pieces that range from city sleek (Royal Botania dining tables) to coastal chic (braided Kettal daybeds, pictured), all so luxurious you’ll forget you’re not actually at a posh resort. 460 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA 02118, casadesigngroup.com.
Grainmaker
Finally, Bostonians with gluten allergies can grab fantastic fast-casual meals without fear of cross-contamination. At Grainmaker, guests fill rice, noodle, or salad bowls with vibrantly flavored fixings like sweet-chili shrimp, lemongrass steak, pickled veggies, and zippy sauces such as spicy hoisin — all with absolutely no gluten (or dairy) in sight. It’s a surprisingly hard-to-find concept we hope catches on, and here’s another: Grainmaker’s pioneering approach to reusable packaging, which gives customers discounts for choosing the restaurant’s returnable glass takeout containers and, in the process, saves thousands of pounds of waste. Multiple locations, eatgrainmaker.com.
Welch Company
For almost as long as there’s been a Scituate Harbor, it seems like there’s been a Welch Company. What started as a general/hardware store during the 19th century is now a staple for home décor and gifts. Alongside the requisite seashell-patterned accessories, you’ll find locally made Matouk linens, ultra-soft Brahms Mount blankets, and pretty Mariposa tableware ripe for the picking. And with a bridal registry program for the next generation of South Shore denizens, it’s safe to say this local gem will continue to shine well into the 21st century. welchcompany.com.
Huntington Theatre Company
There’s plenty of good theater in Boston, but if you want to see something really innovative, chances are you’re going to the Huntington. Its most recent season included a production of a Sherlock Holmes play melded with Fujiko Nakaya’s wildly popular outdoor fog sculptures, as well as the brilliantly staged Indecent. The company has also proven it can attract—and retain—big names: Pose star and Met gala trendsetter Billy Porter will be returning this fall to direct The Purists. We can’t wait to see what the Huntington thinks of next. 264 Huntington Ave. , Boston, MA huntingtontheatre.org.