Comedor
The toasted meringue rests, like a stormy cumulus cloud, atop the thick piece of buttery brioche, daring you to break into it and let the molten chocolate ganache underneath flow freely. This is Comedor's s'mores French toast, and it's brought us back for Sunday brunch again and again. But there's so much more to love at this Chilean-American restaurant in Newton Centre, from the scrambled-egg tacos with cotija to the gut-busting breakfast burger, topped with a fried egg and scallion salsa. For those who still haven't satisfied their sweet tooth, the house-made doughnut, which arrives dripping with dulce de leche and more of that chocolate ganache, should do the trick. 105 Union St., Newton Centre, MA 2459, comedornewton.com.
Knight Moves Café
Not technically a bar (it's BYOB), New England's only board-game café offers gamers the opportunity to hang out in a comfier version of their living room while kicking their friends' asses in rounds of Settlers of Catan. A $5 or $10 drop-in cover is all you need to play any of the nearly 1,000 games neatly stacked from floor to ceiling, from Cards Against Humanity to Battleship to your favorite cult Euro import. Also featuring: comforting steampunk-lite décor, a Nutella milkshake, and fresh-baked pastries. 1402 Beacon St., Brookline, MA 02446, knightmovescafe.com.
Wequassett Resort and Golf Club
Here it's all about hospitality, from thoughtful kids' offerings like mini beach chairs and cabanas to a program that tracks repeat guests' preferences. Want a rare book delivered to your room? They thought so. Planning to propose—but need a violinist? She'll be right over. It doesn't hurt that Wequassett's on-site restaurant, Twenty-Eight Atlantic, is helmed by L'Espalier alum James Hackney, or that a roving Good Humor truck doles out post-swim snacks. At sunset, a newly expanded veranda with fire pits offers serene views of Pleasant Bay. 2173 Route 28, Harwich, MA 02645, wequassett.com.
Honeycomb Creamery
Former Union Square Donuts kitchen manager Kristen Rummel and her husband, Rory Hanlon, started churning up batches of ice cream for deliveries and pop-ups in 2015. Now their new Cambridge brick-and-mortar dishes out even more of those sweet, fluffy scoops, made with milk and cream from Mapleline Farm in Hadley. Seasonal flavors like Meyer lemon-ginger and cookie-laden alfajores make it tough to choose just one, which is why we usually opt for Honeycomb's ice cream flight—a four-flavor assortment sprinkled with waffle-cone chips. 1702 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138, honeycombcreamery.com.
Alan Bilzerian
Ready to move beyond the little LVs and Gs? Pay a visit to Alan Bilzerian’s Newbury Street storefront. Together with his daughter Harley, the sophisticated shop owner has curated a collection of handbags and accessories you won’t find anywhere else, whether you’re in the market for a high-end classic (Lanvin ostrich-leather purses), an ultramod design (geometric wallets from esteemed Japanese designer Issey Miyake), or a statement piece (Emmanuelle Khanh’s fish-shaped purses). For something with a local angle, check out the in-house line of crocodile- and python-leather hobo bags and backpacks. 34 Newbury St., Boston, MA alanbilzerian.com.
Akris
This Swiss fashion house does many things well, but it’s the ultra-contemporary everyday women’s wear that really shines, pushing boundaries with funky patterns and unusual details (think brightly colored tulip-field prints and daring clusters of cutouts). The streamlined trench coats, tunics, and tailored pants are the stuff dream closets are made of. Correction, June 28, 2016, 4:30 p.m.: The address for Akris has been updated. It is located at 29 Newbury Street, not 16 Newbury Street. We regret the error. 29 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02116, akris.ch.
Bliss Home
If happiness is platinum-rimmed white porcelain from northern Italy, then joy is a set of four ultrasuede coasters in seven different color combinations. Together, they represent the half-modern, half-classic nature of Bliss, a home-goods emporium that incorporates everything from chaise longues (made in Milan) to stainless steel—lined doggy bowls. Bliss earns the nod for best bridal registry not only because of the unusual and international flavor of its stock, but also for its accommodating employees, who are more than happy to educate the bride (and clueless grooms) about the difference between Waterford and Wedgwood. 121 Newbury St., Boston, MA .
Bliss Gift & Bridal Registry
Rather than furnishing newlyweds' houses from top to bottom, Bliss concentrates on outfitting them with some of the most exquisite and stylish tableware available. Feeling overwhelmed by the shelves of Alessi kettles, graceful Iittala glasses and vases, Bernardaud china, and CJ Vander flatware? Worry not. The staff here not only knows everything about this merchandise but also is well trained in the art of guiding couples through the selection process. Furthermore, the Web site lets guests easily make their purchases from afar, all registry gift wrapping is complementary, and there's a registry completion program that includes 10 percent off anything a couple purchases themselves after the wedding. 2257 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA blisshome.bridgecatalog.com.
Phoenix Landing
Discussions of Boston’s Irish pubs typically involve squirrely notions of authenticity. The problem is, no such thing exists, and most attempts ring about as true as some "Ireland-land" simulacrum at Epcot. So this year we decided to give the nod instead to the best pub, period, which just so happens to be Irish (a subtle but important distinction). The Phoenix Landing is like four bars in one: You can go for a quiet afternoon pint alone, brunch with the family, crack-of-dawn soccer broadcasts, or nighttime dancing to some of the best DJ talent around. 512 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 2139, phoenixlandingbar.com.
Belly Wine Bar
This city has no shortage of fab cellars boasting wine menus as thick as a midsize town’s phone book. But lately we’ve been digging vino programs that trade exhaustive depth and range for singular points of view. At Belly Wine Bar, co-owner Liz Vilardi (who also owns the shop Central Bottle) crushes hard on old-world beauties with brash, tart, and downright dirty tendencies: lambruscos, Beaujolais, orange tannin-bombs, funky Savoie whites. All of which just so happen to pair beautifully with the house-cured salumi. Go figure. One Kendall Sq., Cambridge, MA 2139, bellywinebar.com.
Wulf's Fish Market
We like to think of this Brookline mainstay as the ultimate neighborhood monger, one that demonstrates its openness to the community through its displays: Pristine whole black bass, local squid, and carefully portioned fillets of sole and salmon are all laid out on ice for close inspection rather than hidden behind panes of glass. Local chefs have taken notice of Wulf’s wares as well, and the shop is angling for a restaurant distribution license. In the meantime, we suggest throwing one of their signature halibut steaks on the grill for your next seafood feast. 407 Harvard St., Brookline, MA 2446, .
L'Espalier
Order a cheese course at L'Espalier and you'll get something far more interesting than a few hunks of blue and Brie. Maitre d' and house fromager Louis Risoli tends to his selection of little-known artisanal cheeses like babies. And, proud father that he is, he can tell you where each wedge and wheel on his gorgeous trolley was born and raised, be it a Cheshire from England or Hannahbells from right here in Massachusetts. It's a delightful way to finish a multicourse meal, but if it's just cheese you're after, you can also request a flight to nibble in the restaurant's salon. 744 Boylston St., Boston, MA 2199, lespalier.com.
Bread & Chocolate
With the steady proliferation of Whole Foods, Bruegger's, and Panera, there's no shortage of places to stock up on baked goods out west. Bread & Chocolate, a three-year-old independent outfit in Newtonville, rises above all that mass-produced stuff on the strength of such house-made offerings as fluffy Irish soda bread, pecan-studded sticky buns, glossy fruit tarts, whoopie pies, and gigantic coconut cupcakes filled with lemon curd. The coffee shop atmosphere here goes a long way, too—and the ultracreamy cappuccinos help wash down every last bit of those oh-so-crumbly raisin scones. 108 Madison Avenue, Newtonville, MA 2460, .
Drink
The previous generation (Eastern Standard, the sadly defunct B-Side Lounge) may have planted the seeds for a cocktail revival, but Fort Point newcomer Drink—with its house-made liqueurs and garnishes, mid-bar herb garden, and bespoke ice cubes—presents the modern imbiber's paradise in full flower. The brilliantly designed winding bar hides the bottles and puts the bartenders front and center as they work off of their imagination, rather than preconceived menus. Everything from the custom drinks to the linen-and-mini-water-glass setup at each seat is meant to focus the patron's attention on the matter at hand: the serious art of cocktail making. 348 Congress St., Boston, MA 2210, drinkfortpoint.com.
Xinh Xinh
This spanking-clean Chinatown eatery makes neophytes feel welcome without sacrificing neighborhood authenticity. Even better, the food leaves us so invigorated that we'd swear it has health-boosting effects—xinh xinh means 'young and beautiful,' after all. Start with the fortifying chicken or beef pho (sure to put a glow in your cheeks), move on to more-substantial dishes like ca kho to (caramelized catfish) and banh mi bo kho (beef stew with crusty rolls), and head home in a perfect harmony of serenity and satiety. 7 Beach St., Boston, MA 2122, .