Banq
You could go for the smoked quail and date appetizer. You could go for the now-famous undulating wood ceiling. But the best reason to go to Banq is to simply sit, and watch the social hopefuls preen. When the French-Asian fusion spot made its debut in the South End this winter, boldfacers came from far and wide. These days, Banq still draws its share of top chefs, fashion insiders, and media darlings—who cluster around the low-lit tables, sipping Collalbrigo prosecco and air-kissing passing acquaintances—but the dressed-to-the-nines newcomers looking to hobnob are themselves the best show on all of Washington Street.
John Weiners
The Poet Laureate of Beacon Hill, the Oracle of Joy Street belongs in the ranks of Boston's most distinguished literati. His remarkable first book, The Hotel Wentley Poems (1959), made him an overnight star of the Beat generation. He hobnobbed with Ferlinghetti during San Francisco's late 1950's Poetry Renaissance, and was a longtime crony of the late Allen Ginsberg. Known as both Genius and Holy Mad Man, he inspired an entire generation of younger poets with his wit and delicate lyricism. This year, after more than a decade of silence, he published a splendid new collection, 707 Scott Street.
Tracy Bonham
Tracy Bonham began her career in music playing violin at age 9. Originally from Oregon, Bonham came to Boston to attend Berklee, and paid her tuition by recording jingles for radio airplay. But true success came when she picked up a guitar and began writing her own songs. She was discovered quickly and hyped madly until, after a bidding war, she landed on Island Records (home of U2 and PJ Harvey). But Tracy has not forsaken her fiddle—her violin is still omnipresent in her first CD, The Burdens of Being Upright.
La Royal
The third time is most definitely another charm for husband-and-wife team chef JuanMa Calderón and Maria Rondeau. This year they followed up their nationally acclaimed restaurants Celeste and Esmeralda with La Royal, a Peruvian dinner party—pink neon bathes the back-bar’s Pisco bottles—in Cambridge’s quaint and quiet Huron Village. Between the stemmed glasses overflowing with sweet, citrusy ceviche and the feasts of whole branzino grilled in plantain leaves, it further elevates Calderón’s already artful cooking. Three words: We’re dazzled again. 221 Concord Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138, laroyalcambridge.com.
The Nantucket Hotel
Very few hotels these days leave us with a deep feeling of appreciation — that bittersweet sadness we experience upon checking out that we don’t actually live there. Maybe it’s the complimentary antique fire-truck rides for the kids, or the plush robes offered in each room for the adults, or the two heated pools and the spa. Or maybe it’s all of those things combined that make this place feel so special — not to mention the overwhelmingly helpful, attentive staffers who seem like family by the time you sadly make your exit down the grand front stairway to head home. 77 Easton St., Nantucket, MA 02554, thenantuckethotel.com.
Jean Wang
Dudes want to marry her. Dudettes want to befriend her. Everyone follows her — 733,000 people on Insta, to be exact. Maybe that’s because this fashion influencer’s classic-with- a-little-funk style perfectly fits the aesthetic of the Boston woman. Her roles as wife and mother also make appearances on her Extra Petite blog and Instagram page, where she offers cooking tips, lifestyle advice, date-night recommendations, and kids’ wardrobe ideas. You may find yourself asking, What would Jean do? The answer is a click away. extrapetite.com.
Family Dinner
Attention, proud commitment-phobes and control freaks: If you’ve previously held back from buying CSA shares because you didn’t want to get stuck in a fixed subscription term — or with mystery boxes of useless items — know you can skip weekly home deliveries from Family Dinner any time. Or just treat it like a grocery-ordering service, with single, customizable shipments of everything from butter to blueberries to ground bison from small New England farms that share your fiercely independent streak. 155 New Boston St. Ste. F, Woburn, MA 1801, sharefamilydinner.com.
La Royal
Every dinner feels like a party at this Cambridge showstopper, the follow-up to Maria Rondeau and JuanMa Calderón’s Somerville gem Celeste (which, incidentally, was born out of actual dinner parties in the couple’s home). Their sparkling hospitality is the perfect complement to sips of pisco, citrusy bites of ceviche, and hearty sirloin-stuffed polenta cakes with cheese. And let’s not forget the gorgeous entrées that bring diners on a journey through several Peruvian cuisines, from the Amazonian fish dish patarashca to arroz con pato from Chiclayo in the north. 221 Concord Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138, laroyalcambridge.com.
The Pheasant
Does food taste better in an old red barn? If it’s served by husband-and-wife team Adam and Erica Dunn, the answer is a definitive yes. The Cape-sourced, shareable menu here changes with the seasons, but expect artfully plated dishes like scallop ceviche and oysters with lemon-seaweed mignonette served with a side of five-star hospitality at this hidden gem, which reopened in 2018 under new ownership. And don’t forget to check out the “living wine list” — the small wine shop in the dining room — for a bottle of natural vino to enjoy at your table or back at home. 905 Route 6A, Dennis, MA 02638, pheasantcapecod.com.
Jessica Thornton, Green Room
It’s a sunny Friday in May, and hairstylist Jessica Thornton is talking to me about a tree stump. Not just any tree stump, mind you: At 4 feet across, the hulking piece of wood is a souvenir she picked up in New York years ago in hopes of eventually creating some kind of art installation in her Beacon Hill salon, Green Room. She’s still not exactly sure what she wants to do with it, but her latest idea involves elevating it on Lucite legs and building a “really cool 3-D moss garden” on top of it, she says. Read more here. 40 River St., Boston, MA 02108, greenroomboston.com.
MiniLuxe
Getting a weekly manicure is one of life’s little luxuries, and this local chainlet has the process down to a science—literally. The salon’s "Clean Lab" uses hospital-grade sterilization techniques to make sure your polish job doesn’t come with a side of someone else’s germs. Of course, manicures are also an art, and technicians here are experts in shaping, filing, and polishing nails to perfection. And with add-ons like an extended massage and warm-oil and paraffin treatments, your experience can be as luxe—or as simple—as you’d like. 296 Newbury St., Boston; and other locations, miniluxe.com.
T. Wyatt Ltd.
There's not a hoe or shovel in sight, but this charming assortment of gurgling fountains, small statuary, painted birdhouses, baskets, and other bric-a-brac is sure to win the heart of every gardener. 106 Charles Street, Boston, MA .
Masse Hardware Company
With its hardwood floors and terrestrial aromas of peat and pine, this Cambridge company feels more like an old-time Vermont general store than a busy urban garden and hardware center. It should: Masse has been delving out seeds, hoes, and sage gardening advice since 1888. 249 Walden Street, Cambridge, MA interiorpainter.com/masse.
Maggie Kesler, The Sports Club/LA Splash Spa
You don't have to belong to the Sports Club/LA to experience the stress-relieving, muscle-soothing magic of a massage by Maggie Kesler at the health club's on-site Splash Spa. Of course, after an hour or so having each and every tense muscle manipulated into relaxation (Kesler's technique combines a therapeutic blend of traditional Swedish strokes with pressure-point work and shiatsu), and a few minutes in the oversized steam and sauna rooms, you might find yourself signing up for a membership—or at least another massage appointment. Kesler has a way of leaving clients' previously aching muscles rejuvenated, restored, and ready for action, whether that's a heart-taxing spinning class or simply the long drive home. 4 Avery St., Boston, MA .
Flat Top Johnny's
Pool halls pop with American romanticism: Fast Eddie Felson, bourbon, the small-time hustle. They're supposed to be stark, shadowy places with heroin jazz playing softly, and a slow-twirling fan in the corner. And even though it's air-conditioned, with comfortable couches lining the back wall, Flat Top Johnny's can hold its own. It's tucked away in Kendall Square, with an unpretentious bar area and a laid-back mix of regulars who enjoy Coltrane as much as the Foo Fighters. For a first date on a Saturday night or for playing hooky on a Tuesday afternoon, it's a great spot to hide away and imagine, when you finally hit that bank shot in the corner, that you've just beaten Minnesota Fats. One Kendall Square, Cambridge, MA flattopjohnnys.com.