Allen Edmonds
Set the kids and their sneakers aside and Boston is a business town. And while you won't see Shaq in Allen Edmonds, at 36 Newbury Street, you'll see some of the legends from the financial district selection from about 50 styles that are fashionable when it comes to making money the old-fashioned way. 36 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
Nancy Garber
Garber combines her natural talents (she's been making predictions since she was a kid) with over a decade of training in England to tap into a world of spirit. Garber, the only medium in the Boston area certified through the Spiritualist National Union, is in high demand at spiritualist churches all over New England.
Mike's Pastry
Boston cream pies are all about ratios: cake to chocolate, chocolate to cream, cream to cake. At Mike's Pastry in the North End, somebody did their algebra homework. More like a cake than a pie, Mike's rendition brings together equal parts satiny custard, rich chocolate frosting, and airy sponge cake. 300 Hanover St., Boston, MA .
Roland Tumble
With a restless slide on a molted guitar, Roland Tumble, who frequently perches in the Park Street Red Line station, plays rubbery melodies with all the melancholy of a heavy-hearted Boston evening rush hour— and just enough bounce to snap us out of the drone of commuting.
Chau Chow
Chau Chow stays open until 4 a.m. most nights, which makes it the best restaurant in Boston after midnight. The rest of the time (from 6 a.m.), it's just the best Chinese restaurant around. 52 Beach St., Boston, MA .
Charlie's Sandwich Shoppe
Muffins and homemade rolls cool aromatically in the window while the Manjourides family flops eggs and pancakes in individual pans on the stove top. This half-century-old Boston institution retains many of the original fixtures, including a wooden refrigerator, and a homeyness that makes the morning bearable. 429 Columbus Ave., Boston, MA .
Bagelsaurus
More than 24 hours of slow fermentation and a decades-old sourdough starter yield handmade rounds so chewy, crackly-crusted, and flavorful that they’ve helped spark a better-bagels movement in Boston. Bonus: spreads we’d eat with a spoon. 1796 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA bagelsaurus.com.
Divine Design + Build
In kitchen design, conceiving the proper layout is half the battle. We’d trust the Divine Design team to lead the charge any day: The Wellesley firm—which also boasts a stunning showroom in Boston—once revamped a local space by swapping a restrictive peninsula for a granite-topped island with storage and seating. Multiple locations. 180 Linden St., Wellesley, MA 02482, divinedesignbuild.com.
PolkaDog Bakery
Pearl, a malnourished rescue mutt, was the inspiration for this Boston-based canine bakery that started in the small kitchen of dog lovers. Made from locally sourced ingredients, the salmon chips and cod skins are accompanied by high-end, natural dog and cat food and a selection of innovative toys for the truly pampered pet. 256 Shawmut Ave., Boston, MA 02118, polkadog.com.
Alpha Omega
Hands down the best selection of watches in Boston. From inexpensive Swatches to twenty-thousand-dollar Vacherons, you're sure to find your new timepiece here. Look for new additions such as Piaget, Ebel, and Corum alongside old favorites like TAG Heuer, IWC, and Rolex. Harvard Square Galeria, 57 JFK St., Cambridge, MA .
Radius
Yes, you'll want fries with—or without—that burger (Radius also took home the award for Best of Boston 2009 Burger). With one genius exception (minced fines herbes), chef Michael Schlow imposes none of his fancy French roots on these golden über-tubers. And thankfully, he's not stingy with the salt. 8 High St., Boston, MA 2110, radiusrestaurant.com.
New approaches of Channel 7
Boston, long a staid TV market, was transformed by new approaches of Channel 7. It de-emphasized the anchor and showed that a newscast is a total marketing package rather than two talking heads. It makes more people remember who was on Healthcast than who the anchor person is.
Blue Nami
A solid sushi bar, with seasonal specialties like soft-shell crab, and traditional Korean dishes like bulgoki, cooked at your table and served with eight separate side dishes, including three kimchis. And you're on a ship docked in Boston Harbor! 310 Congress St., Museum Wharf, Boston, MA .
Jonah's
Chowder, five salads, seven fish entrées, clams and oysters on the half shell, lobster, dessert—all for less than fifteen dollars. And after dinner, you might venture upstairs to the revolving Spinnaker lounge for a trip around the Boston skyline. Hyatt Regency, 575 Memorial Dr., Cambridge, MA .
The Oblate Fathers
Local real estate brokers were impressed with the $1.5 million the good fathers were able to get from the city of Boston for the modest 20-room Curley mansion, on the Jamaicaway. The shamrock shutters are neat, but $1.5 million?