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.
Sun Tan Van
Look like you’ve been to the tropics without leaving your living room: That’s the goal of Abby Reid’s mobile spray-tan unit. Step into her van (or a portable tent in your home) and let the glow master work her magic from head to toe with a hand-sprayed solution made of sugar, food coloring, and no preservatives. Having worked in the beauty industry for years, Reid will put you at ease while applying a wish-you-were-here tan that’s anything but orange. MA suntanvan.me.
Chatham Gables Inn
When you’re ready to escape to the Cape sans beach toys and boogie boards, book a stay at this 170-year-old former sea captain’s home. Overflowing with New England charm, the retreat is open only to guests 16 and over, and that’s just the way we like it. Tuck into a gratis breakfast, made fresh every morning with veggies grown right on the property, in the breezy sunroom; savor a meditative moment on the tree swing in the perennial garden; or just snuggle into the crisp Matouk sheets. If the goal is to break away from the daily grind, there’s no place better to do so. 364 Old Harbor Rd., Chatham, MA 02633, chathamgablesinn.com.
Matsu
For 33 years, Dava Muramatsu held court on Newbury Street at her beloved apparel and home-accessories boutique, Matsu. After a seven-year hiatus, she’s back, this time in a dark-forest-green-painted, incense-burning, music-flowing space on Charles Street, and her signature multi-sensory style is stronger than ever. Treat yourself to perfectly distressed jeans, ethereal tutus, and diaphanous cashmere sweaters from designers like Louiza Babouryan and Ottotredici. Among the bounty is also her own jewelry line, Nymph Jewels, a gemstone-rich collection including citrine chokers and pink sapphire earrings. Welcome back, indeed. 76 Charles St., Boston, MA 02114, davamuramatsu.com.
Frugal Bookstore
The pandemic deeply challenged the future of Boston’s foremost Black-owned bookstore, with owners Leonard Egerton and Clarrissa Cropper holding online fundraisers to maintain not only their business focused on Black authors and subjects, but also their mission to encourage literacy in kids and adults. We’re so thankful they’ve managed to persevere: After all, where else would we find a wide range of children’s literature, Afrofuturistic sci-fi, memoirs, and local and national history, all lovingly curated by two people who grew up in Boston? 57 Warren St., Roxbury, MA 02119, frugalbookstore.net.