Monica Cannon-Grant
See the People Who Gave Us Hope for more. monicacannongrant.com.
Cambridge School of Weston
It holds its own Punk Day. MA
Woods Hill Pier 4
Seasons change, and so does chef Charlie Foster's phenomenal farm-to-table menu, which sources many of its ingredients from Woods Hill's own farm in New Hampshire. One thing that always stick around at the Seaport restaurant, though, is the year-round (!) patio dining experience, thanks to heated translucent igloos that keep us warm once the waterfront breeze cools to a winter chill. 300 Pier 4 Blvd., Seaport, MA 02210, woodshillpier4.com.
The Proprietors
Flavor and creativity go hand in hand at this island eatery, where dishes such as mushroom-pâté-slathered focaccia and cheesy fried-green tomatoes set the tone for the most innovative brunch menu in town. Top it off with one or two of the Proprietors’ signature drinks (a sparkling rosé cocktail with vodka, passion fruit, and vanilla, perhaps?), and start your Sunday Funday off right. proprietorsnantucket.com.
The Mapparium
The three-story stained-glass-and-bronze globe depicting the world as it was in 1935 is a quirky introduction to the oft-overlooked history of Mary Baker Eddy and the Christian Science movement in Boston. Designed to capture the spirit of Eddy’s publishing empire, the globe is a snapshot of a moment, one informed by her goal of building a transparent, positive press in the era of tabloids gone wild—a goal that might feel just as urgent today. 200 Massachusetts Ave., Boston, MA marybakereddylibrary.org/project/mapparium.
The New School of Music
In one room, you might find tots trying to vocally or physically interpret instrumental sounds as part of the school's popular Dalcroze Eurhythmics program; in another, grade schoolers might be exploring the cultural roots of playground songs. Once they're hooked, sign them up for group or private lessons on instruments ranging from the piano to the didgeridoo. 25 Lowell St., Cambridge, MA 02138, newschoolofmusic.org.
Ventuno’s Back Bar
The al fresco bar tucked behind Ventuno is less polished than the anchoring Italian restaurant, but that’s part of the charm. With a beachy-casual vibe owing to a cover of vines and an ever-so-random crowd that could, on any given night, include Patriots owner Robert Kraft, pop star Meghan Trainor, one-time frat boys, and a crew of local fishermen, it’s the rare local’s hangout that’s welcoming to outsiders. Bonus points for an unbeatable selection of craft beer. 21 Federal St., Nantucket, MA 02554, ventunorestaurant.com.
Johnny's Luncheonette
On weekends, Johnny's teems with families. But step in for any pre-workday fuel-up and you'll encounter an entirely different feel. The retro red vinyl booths and bright checkerboard floor are still there, of course, but the chaos is gone. Patrons linger over porridge with apples and cranberries, and plates heaped with feather-light buttermilk pancakes. Splurge on the oversized servings of cheese blintzes or catch one of the breakfast specials for $4 or less. It's all so good, you may just find yourself craving French toast come dinnertime. 1105 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA johnnysluncheonette.com.
Ten Tables
Barely bigger than a trophy wife's walk-in closet, the original Ten Tables delivers one of the most divine but relaxed meals around. Charcuterie boards bear house-cured meats and rich patés, bacony collards cozy up to pan-seared bluefish, and orange and bay leaf infuse a crème brûlée, none of it overreaching, all created by chef Sean Callahan's able team. 597 Centre St., Jamaica Plain, MA 2130, tentables.net.
Rowinsky's
Back in 1971, Dave Rowinsky's pièce de résistance was called Mustard Kup cheesecake, after the Cambridge deli where he worked and baked. The name was unappetizing, but the cheesecake was sublime; Rowinsky's fans once picketed a deli that employed him but wouldn't let him bake cake. Now he has his own shop, selling the all-natural cheesecakes in twenty flavors and as many sizes (one to 150 pounds). Other establishments he supplies include Papillon, Bette's Rolls Royce, and the Harvard Business School. Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA .
The "10 Miles West of Boston" Incident
HBO’s 2023 series The Last of Us depicted a present-day dystopian Boston in which the North End was a heavily militarized quarantine zone, and Quincy Market was a wasteland of fungal zombies. But the post-apocalyptic storyline required a greater suspension of disbelief in the third episode, when an establishing shot identifi ed a coniferous forest landscape and steep mountain range as “10 Miles West of Boston.” The Internet wasn’t having it. As one local cracked on Twitter, “I [love] to take my family skiing in the mountain wilderness of Waltham.”
Obosá Restaurant
It says a lot about Obosá that it got foodies raving despite opening just one month before the 2020 COVID shutdown. As it turns out, the only timing that really matters is in the kitchen, where chef-owner Gloria Omoregbee patiently coaxes deep flavor from Nigerian recipes — slow-simmered soups of goat with grilled plantain, and signature nkwobi, bone-in cow foot in a peppery sauce — that always meet guests piping hot and right on time. 146 Belgrade Ave., Roslindale, MA 02131, obosafoods.com.
Cookie Express from Karen's Kitchen
If everybody's mom made cookies this good, nobody would ever leave home. Area stores, .
Rocco's
Big, fat and juicy—the sort of burgers that made America the home of the brave. 5 Charles St. South, Boston, MA .