Appleton Bakery Café
Enough with low-fat, no-butter baked goods. Muffins were meant to be savored. Appleton, the friendly, sunlit café, understands this, and answers the call with beauties made from hunks of fruit, rich butter, and inventive flavor combinations. The peach and walnut is cakelike, sweetly fragrant, and nutty. The caramel-and-apple version is a year-round Halloween treat. And the raspberry white chocolate chip is such a sensuous delight, it could double as an aphrodisiac. 123 Appleton St., Boston, MA appletoncafe.com.
Flour Bakery + Café
College dudes and little old ladies alike line up for Joanne Chang's masterpieces, but one creation stands crust and center above the rest: her sandwiches. Bite into a brie, arugula, and smoked chicken number on crusty focaccia, slathered with roasted vegetables and grilled to perfection, and you'll see why. Or go for the country ham and Gruyère, laced with tarragon mustard. The atmosphere is hip but sweet, the prices are reasonable, and the daily sandwich specials are written on a quaint blackboard with a quote of the day and the weather. What could be more delicious? 1595 Washington St., Boston, MA flourbakery.com.
Aujourd'hui
Don't let the name fool you. Aujourd'hui's fare is not so much French as New American, and arguably the New American in town at that. Appetizers include seared foie gras with white-sweet-potato puree, mango and ginger, and house-cured salmon roulade with crab meat, horseradish and cucumber; and entrees include medallions of veal tenderloin and seared ahi tuna. Impeccable service and lovely views overlooking the Public Garden. Pricey, but worth it. Four Seasons Hotel, 200 Boylston St., Boston, MA .
The Rita Moreno, Gargoyles on the Square
A string of too many unfortunately flavored concoctions had put us off anything other than the classics...and then we met the Rita Moreno. A sexy southwestern cousin of the cosmo, it combines vodka, Rose's lime juice, and fresh lemon with sriracha and cilantro. The resulting creation strikes a perfect tart-sweet balance, then takes the experience to the next level with a spicy kick. 219 Elm St., Somerville, MA 2144, .
Symphony Sushi
This place is constantly mobbed with lively diners—a sure indication of its status as neighborhood staple. With reasonable prices, speedy service, and generous portions, the sushi bar does particularly well with the area's college crowd. After gorging on maki, order one or two of the mochi ice cream patties; the light (and lightly priced) sweets are a fine way to end your meal. 45 Gainsborough St., Boston, MA 2115, symphonysushi.com.
Sundae School
Sundae School started as a mom-and-pop operation—and a reason for founders Paul and Andrea Endres, then living in Milton, to spend their summers on the Cape. Three decades and three stores later, it's a full-time family affair (at some point, each of the Endreses' five kids has worked behind the counter). The shop's celebrated ice cream is made fresh, and in limited amounts; among the most heavenly flavors are sweet cream, ginger, créme de menthe chip, and any of the berry blends. 606 Main St., Route 28, Harwich Port, MA 2646, sundaeschoolicecream.com.
Berkshire Ice Cream
You're hot; it's cold. Ice cream in the summer is a no-brainer. Ordering Berkshire Ice Cream, on the other hand, is hardly straightforward: the 67 all-natural varieties—espresso crunch, peach, black raspberry, oh my!—are heavenly. Made from local Golden Guernsey cream, the stuff is so good, and the lines for it so long, that dozens of grocers have started to stock it. Which means you can now taste every flavor in your own sweet time. 56 Main St., Lee, MA 1238, cakewalkbakery.com.
Khao Sarn Cuisine
Order pad thai, if you must. But what makes Khao Sarn worthy are its specialties from the northern reaches of Thailand—miang kum, for example, is a do-it-yourself dish that lets you wrap a few flakes of baked coconut, roasted peanuts, and tiny dried shrimp in a spinach leaf and finish with a dollop of sweet sauce and a squeeze of lime. It's a flavor explosion—and your new must-have at any Thai meal. 250 Harvard Ave., Brookline, MA khaosarnboston.com.
La Campania
From the pizza loaded with sweet figs, rich duck confit, and salty Gorgonzola to the agnolotti stuffed with tender pork cheek, the divine Neopolitan cuisine here tastes like it was made with nothing but amore. Just make sure you savor the cozy atmosphere, too—the butter-hued walls, wooden beams, and fresh flowers will have you feeling the love in no time. 504 Main St., Waltham, MA 2452, lacampania.com.
Ceia Kitchen and Bar
We appreciated the doting service. We marveled at the kitchen's inventive-ness (e.g., the vegan-friendly dish whipped up for our dining companion). We admired the exposed-brick dining room. But we absolutely worshipped Ceia's steak frites: a mouth-watering hunk of tenderloin coated with porcini butter and served with sweet-potato steak fries and chef Patrick Soucy's house-made ketchup. This stuff is so good, he'll soon be bottling it for household consumption. 38 State St., Newburyport, MA 1950, ceia-newburyport.com.
Chez Nous
In his newly renovated restaurant, chef Franck Tessier serves extraordinary French cuisine including goat cheese—and—portobello timbale, scallops with saffron risotto, and chicken fricassée. Guests sit in one of three tasteful dining rooms, and pastry chef (and Tessier's wife) Rachel Portnoy makes a hot chocolate mousse and a banana toffee tart that are sweet bliss. 150 Main St., Lee, MA cheznousbistro.com.
Andover Inn
Andover students and faculty know this hearty buffet rocks, so you can expect a packed house on school-year Sunday mornings. The inn has all the standard brunch items but also includes such gourmet goodies as smoked salmon, fruit, and specialty cheeses. Rounding out the meal are enough sweet danishes, croissants, and freshly baked breads to satisfy any palate. 4 Chapel Ave., Andover, MA andoverinn.com.
Forest Cafe
This cafe's a bit dark, a bit smokey, a bit of a hole in the wall, and a bit more country/western than Southwestern. But it has the most authentic Mexican food in the city— from old standbys like chiles rellenos and burritos to more imaginative creations such as pescado con mole verde (with pumpkin seeds and peanuts) and enchiladas poblanos (with a chile sauce flavored with bitter chocolate and sweet spices). Who says hot has to mean bothered? 1682 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA .
Tremont Ale
A classic pale ale—vaguely sweet, distinctly hopped, and tinged a deep shade of copper—this is the flagship brew of tiny Atlantic Coast Brewing, more commonly known as Tremont Brewery, in Charlestown. The really cool part? After years as a tap-only product, Tremont is finally, thankfully, in bottles available at finer packies everywhere. For a by-the-pint-only treat, look for Tremont's cask-conditioned best bitter of IPA, stocked in small batches at select bars such as Doyle's in Jamaica Plain.
Darryl's Corner Bar & Kitchen
With eats, beats, and spiked sweet tea like this, you’ll never hit the snooze button on a Sunday morning again. Darryl’s all-you-can-eat brunch buffet is a rollicking good time every weekend, a place to feast on mouthwatering southern favorites — say, fried chicken and catfish cheddar grits — to the backdrop of live music from jazz and blues performers. Come hungry, and leave happy (with a very, very, full belly). 604 Columbus Ave., Boston, MA 02118, dcbkboston.com.