Meghan Thompson, Townsman
Meghan Thompson’s seasonal desserts aren’t merely a source of Instagram envy—there’s nostalgia and accessibility beneath the aesthetic. Take her frozen yuzu soufflé with poached quince, wild-bay-leaf ice cream, and toasted meringue shards, scattered like a broken robin’s egg. It looks like a late-era Metzinger, but swipe your fork through each element and take a bite. Yep, tastes like lemon meringue pie. This avant-garde ingenuity is everywhere on her menu, from the jerk-spiced bagels at brunch to the complimentary brown bread augmented by Korean doenjang. 120 Kingston St., Boston, MA 02111, townsmanboston.com.
Steel & Rye
All of Milton (and a good chunk of Boston) flock to chef Chris Parsons's sprawling fiefdom in a former car showroom and ambulance garage. They come for creative craft cocktails and local beer on draft. They come for the rustic-meets-sophisticated ambiance. Most of all, they come for Parsons's whimsical, honest-to-goodness American fare—spaghetti with green garlic, broccoli rabe, bacon, and a poached egg; grilled smoked-chicken flatbread with homemade ricotta; and a juicy Niman Ranch burger on brioche, presented with a side of house pickles and potato chips in an adorable metal box. 95 Eliot St., Milton, MA 02186, steelandrye.com.
Speedy Ortiz
The commonwealth's next great rock ’n’ roll band? That'd be Speedy Ortiz, a quartet secretly amped on pop but swinging its guitars with a raw, righteous roar. The new Speedy album, Foil Deer, gives the same goosebumps you got back in college when you first heard Pavement and Helium. At the front: Sadie Dupuis, a former UMass Amherst poetry MFA who was raised on Top 40 R & B, sang in a children's choir that toured internationally, and has admitted to asking herself, when writing a verse, "What would Fiona Apple do?" The bandwagon is boarding...now.
Cape Cod Baseball League
Excuse the pun, but the Cape Cod Baseball League hits it out of the park. Every summer for the past 100 years, the nonprofit organization has brought high-level baseball to the Cape with teams boasting the best-of-the-best collegiate athletes in the nation — many of whom go on to the major leagues, including alums like the Red Sox’s Chris Sale and the Yankee’s Aaron Judge. The free (yes, free, though donations are encouraged) games are played at 10 local fields across the Cape — so pack a few lawn chairs, park yourself right behind home plate, and let your kids watch near-pro baseball up close and personal. capecodbaseball.org.
The Official Rock Song of Massachusetts
One, two, three, four, five, six! That’s not only the opening countdown of Natick native Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers’ 1976 classic “Roadrunner,” it’s also the number of times state lawmakers have tried to pass legislation making Richman’s ode to Route 128 night-driving “the official rock song of the Commonwealth.” Ten years since former Boston Mayor Marty Walsh introduced the first fail bills in 2013, Natick Representative David Linsky filed another one in February. Maybe the sixth time is the charm? Radio on!
Airi Jewelry & Gallery
We all have go-to ensembles, the ones we pull from the closet at least once a week because they make us feel good. But when you need just a little something extra to make yours special enough for [insert occasion here], a pair of statement earrings goes a long way. Enter the wearable art from Boston-based Airi. Crafted from stainless steel and tarnish-resistant brass, founder Maya Alia’s geometric wired pieces — we especially love the golden arches and the floral-shaped “ear jackets” — make even the simplest outfit look chic. shopairi.com.
Bos. Shop South End
Since it replaced the beloved Olives & Grace last summer, this sweet boutique, which showcases goods from Black-owned businesses, has taken over the mantle of Boston’s most thoughtful — and beautifully merchandised — gift shop. Drop in for a bag of loose-leaf herbal tea, a box of locally made chocolates, or a cute little “plant baby” for your dinner-party host (even better, spring for the curated gift box). No matter what you choose, you can be confident you’ll always get the same thing from the person receiving it: another invite. 623 Tremont St., Boston, MA 02118, blackownedbos.com/bos-shop.
Long's Jewelers
Buying big-ticket jewelry can be stressful. After all, that Rolex or radiant-cut engagement ring is hopefully going to be worn for many years to come. For 145 years, customers have been putting their trust in Long’s Jewelers, and for good reason. The team here will not just help you pick out a stunning piece but will also repair your jewelry, treating the oldest family heirlooms with the best care. And even after more than a century in business, the local chain keeps growing. After 75 years in South Shore Plaza, the jeweler is moving to a new freestanding location in Braintree, giving locals a new spot to shop for something sparkly. Multiple locations, longsjewelers.com.
Mooncusser
Since chef Carl Dooley’s 2021 arrival at this seafood-focused fine-dining gem, the restaurant has featured a rotating four-course tasting menu that highlights the best of seasonal, local ingredients. Diners can choose from two or three options per course, leaving the rest up to Dooley, who is outstanding at sneaking bursts of bold, globally inspired flavors and heat into dishes that sound simpler on paper. A recent spring menu, for example, featured glazed tilefish with asparagus and crispy tortilla, enhanced with some surprising fire from green chili. 304 Stuart St., Back Bay, MA 02116, mooncusserboston.com.
Roadrunner
“Allston Rock City” is thrumming louder than ever thanks to the 3,500-capacity general-admission club from the Bowery Presents, the same folks who brought us the beloved Sinclair in Cambridge. Boasting a massive standing-room floor and a seven-row balcony, the venue’s world-class design ensures there isn’t a bad viewing spot in the house. Its impeccable sound, meanwhile, guarantees you’ll hear every lyric, instrument, and pin-drop from the stage. Pro tip: The line for the upstairs bathrooms is almost always shorter. 89 Guest St., Boston, MA 02135, roadrunnerboston.com.
Cicada Coffee Bar
At a time when sleek, international coffee chains seem to be touching down on every corner, Cicada is a throwback to indie coffee houses of the pre-Starbucks invasion, complete with dog-eared paperbacks for caffeinated perusing. Come for the cozy ambiance and backyard patio; stay for Vietnamese specialty coffees prepped with sweetened condensed milk (and maybe some foamed Maine sea salt). Stay later for an unexpectedly awesome dinner service — try the sushi-grade baked salmon with black rice, shallots, and cashew pesto — plus around-the-world wines, beer, and sake. 106 Prospect St., Cambridge, MA 02139, cicada-coffee-bar.square.site.
Boston JerkFest
The annual gathering celebrating Boston’s Caribbean food scene is on the move, taking over bigger digs at the Harvard Athletic Complex and adding a hot-sauce fest to this month’s event. Visitors can vibe to live reggae music and browse craft vendors while chowing down on a vast array of expertly spiced foods and sipping libations from the Rum & Brew Tasting. And speaking of rum, you can raise a glass to the talented mixologists competing to craft Boston’s best Caribbean Rum Cocktail. Ready to take on a recipe of your own? Don’t miss the chef demos. 65 N Harvard St., Allston, MA 02134, bostonjerkfest.com.
Tawakal Halal Café
You’ll soon need to adjust your GPS to get the city’s best soor iyo maraq, grits cooked with coconut milk and served with spicy fish, spinach, or chickpea stew: This family-owned Somali restaurant is leaving its small digs just outside Logan airport for a TBD new home later this year. One thing we definitely know: Somalia native Yahya Noor’s fabulously fragrant cooking — try the spaghetti with cumin- and cinnamon-seasoned beef, his nod to Italian East Africa — will take off wherever he lands. 389 Maverick St., Boston, MA 02128, tawakalfoods.co.
Marvelous Barber Lounge
Ready to make a statement? Trust your next ’do to Lex Andre Daluz and his team of artist-slash-barbers, who have taken Boston’s barbering world by storm since expanding here from Brockton two years ago. While they’re deft with standard cuts for all hair textures, the showstoppers are their custom designs, for which they shave complex geometric patterns and draw lifelike portraits on the backs of clients’ heads — all with just a set of clippers and a straight razor, and maybe a pop of attention-grabbing hair dye. They also operate the single most impressive hair-related Instagram account we’ve seen … ever? Multiple locations, marvelouscuts.com.
Laura Preshong
Looking through this South End designer’s compendium of engagement rings and wedding bands, two words spring to mind: heirloom quality. Gleaming and guiltless thanks to the brand’s exclusive use of conflict-free and lab-grown diamonds, the wide array of locally made bling runs the gamut from art deco-inspired sparklers boasting emerald-cut center stones to simple solitaires paired with knife-edge bands in rose gold. Opt for a “prix-fixe” style, choose your setting and stones separately via the à la carte service, or custom-design something entirely new. 558 Tremont St., Boston, MA 02118, laurapreshong.com.