The Green Briar
It's not much of an Irish bar, what with all the natty brick and brass, but its pint is as good as you'll find anywhere: properly cooled and poured, creamy, fresh and full-bodied. 304 Washington St., Brighton, MA .
The Irish éclair
A St. Patrick's Day creation by Faneuil Hall Marketplace's In a Pickle, consisting of a half-sour pickle smothered in garlic and herb sauce. Wash it down with a pint of green beer and go bragh.
Ciro & Sal's
It used to house a Howard Johnson's. Now it's gourmet Italian for Provincetown refugees (and anyone else who appreciates fine modern art and an attractive setting, and who has the patience to wait out the sometimes agonizingly slow service). 500 Boylston St., Boston, MA .
Longview Farm
State-of-the-art facilities (two complete studios, synthesizers, in-house musicians and engineers) on a hundred-year-old farm. Sauna, Jacuzzi, horses, the works. It was good enough for Stevie Wonder. West Brookfield, MA
Dok Bua
A confession: We're still working our way through Dok Bua's marathon menu. (This is partly because we're compelled to order the sublime mango curry and the miang cum appetizer—betel nut leaf filled with ginger and shallots—at least every other visit.) But any questions about whether an unassuming storefront in Brookline can whip up more than 100 authentic Thai dishes—employing everything from catfish to duck to a veritable garden of vegetables—with consistent aplomb are answered by the scraped-clean plates that we always spy on the tables of our fellow contented diners. 411 Harvard St., Brookline, MA dokbuathai.com.
Neiman Marcus
When we want to mindlessly browse shadows and powders, we hit Sephora. When we need to self-medicate with new lip gloss, we stop by Beauty and Main. But when we get serious—as in, restock-our-entire-makeup-bag serious—we hightail it over to Neiman Marcus's Copley Place outpost. Its selection of top brands (Chantecaille, Dior, Nars) and less ubiquitous lines (Kevyn Aucoin Beauty, Jemma Kidd) makes it a grown woman's playground. What's more, the sales professionals are themselves impeccably made-up, so we feel completely comfortable putting our face in their hands. Copley Place, Natick Collection, Boston, Natick, MA 02116, 01760, neimanmarcus.com.
L.A. Burdick
The first retail outlet for the New Hampshire-based artisan who makes bonbons for New York's most chichi restaurants, this is an adult chocoholic's nirvana. Our first addiction was the Hot Chocolate, basically a full-size chocolate bar lovingly melted, then served in a birdbath-size white china cup and saucer. We progressed on to the handmade chocolates, which remind you that cocoa beans, not sugar, are the most important ingredient. These indulgences pack a long-lasting taste wallop; the Baton with cinnamon—a dark ganache of chopped hazelnut, cinnamon, and lavender—is our personal favorite. 52 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA .
Grill 23 & Bar
It’s notoriously difficult to unseat an incumbent. Such is the case with the city’s standard-bearer steakhouse, a Best of Boston winner year after year (after year, after … ). Look, we’d love an excuse to vary our endorsement, but — straight talk, people — nobody throws red meat to the voters (i.e., our stomachs) like this chief-executive-courting chop shop with a world-class wine program and hand-rolled cigars. And besides, as those famous 100-day-aged rib-eyes make clear, some things only get better with time. 161 Berkeley St., Boston, MA 02116, grill23.com.
Mystic Brewery
In 2011, Bryan Greenhagen founded Mystic on saisons, gruits, and other Old World styles. So when trendy, hop-forward beers such as Voltage IPA first hit shelves last year, he certainly had our attention. The brewmaster’s fruity, dry, farmhouse-style Table Beer is still our favorite, but even with a generous dose of hops, his suds are balanced, aromatic, and lush like no others. 174 Williams St., Chelsea, MA 02150, mystic-brewery.com.
GreenOp
This team can mow, mulch, and garden with the finest of green thumbs, but it’s the crew’s refreshing customer service that truly sealed the deal. When we left a message about our troublesome yard, we were delighted to receive an immediate reply — and carefully considered feedback on why our shaded space hasn’t been able to support a lawn. green-op.com.
Landry & Arcari
At first glance, we were overwhelmed by the sheer number of options at Landry & Arcari (15,000 rugs and counting across its three showrooms — not including the infinite custom options). That is until we got a little help from the experts, who guided us through the seemingly endless piles of beautiful handwoven rugs and helped us decide on our perfect match: a lattice-woven, silk-piled masterpiece straight from India. It was like finding our needle in a well-appointed haystack. Boston, Salem, and Framingham, landryandarcari.com.
Monique's Bath Showroom
When we called Monique’s for help with our ancient bathroom, the sales associate listened carefully as we described our chipped fixtures and tiles — and immediately set aside time for a one-on-one appointment to browse the company’s showroom, where modern MTI Baths sinks mingle with Gatsby-esque Jaclo faucets in gold. The consultation felt so comfortable, it was like sinking into a warm bubble bath. 123 N Beacon St., Watertown, MA 02472, moniquesbathshowroom.com.
Capers Catering
After nearly three decades in the biz, Capers knows how to whip up one hell of a spread. And with a “farm-to-fork” philosophy, it’s a safe bet your meal will be totally fresh, too. 21 Emerson Street, Stoneham, Massachusetts 02180, caperscatering.com.
Ashmont Cycles
Count on owner Jack Pelletier and his team to help you find a ride that fits your needs (new or used, hybrid or mountain, Fuji or Linus), as well as accessories like helmets and gloves. ashmontcycles.com.
Fabrizio Construction
South Shore's architects appreciate Fabrizio's ability to turn intricate drawings into homes built to last for generations. The crew is equally adept at building from the ground up and renovating existing houses. Duxbury, MA fabrizioconstruction.com.