T.W. Food
While some restaurants offer $90-plus takes on set menus, the prix-fixe concept actually originated as a deal. At Cambridge bistro T. W. Food, tradition prevails: Sunday through Thursday, $49 gets you your pick of the menu's starters (we love the silky scrambled farm egg), entrées (like the superb house-made pastas), and dessert (the sorbets are breathtaking)—leaving enough in your wallet for a bottle of good wine. 377 Walden St., Cambridge, MA 2138, twfoodrestaurant.com.
Rio Grande Cafe
No pansy drinks, these. The Rio features big, honkin' 'ritas shaken into those pint glasses most bars reserve for ales. But while size does matter, a perfect margarita is in the mixing. Here, the base is a perfectly tangy blend of lime and lemon juices tweaked with a helping of lime pulp. Take your pick of either Suaza or Jose Cuervo (the house is made with Gold Suaza) to suit your taste. Purists beware, though, of some of the gussied-up 'ritas on the menu: Chambord and Cuervo really shouldn't be mixed in the same glass. 12 School St., Marblehead, MA .
B-Side Lounge
When you order a bottle of hefeweizen at the B-Side, your tattooed waitress pours it for you at your table—slooowly, to minimize the foam—with the know-how of a tuxedo sommelier. That's the kind of thing that repeat patrons have come to expect from this reclaimed dive bar: almost-basic food (try the macaroni and goat cheese), in an atmosphere made all the more convivial by eclectic tunes coming from the sound system. 92 Hampshire St., Cambridge, MA .
Good Times Billiards
If you leave your own couch, bathroom, and refrigerator to enjoy a sporting event, then Good Times (aka The House of Fun) is the place for you. Huge TVs— 12 feet by 12 feet— await, along with rambunctious fans and a couple of bars. You can feed your aggressive streak on the endless pool tables, video games, bumper cars, laser tag, and batting cages. 30 Sturtevant St., Somerville, MA .
Ares Shoe Repair
Stopping by this tiny garden-level shop feels like visiting your friendly but gruff grandfather's house: Cobbler Mike Damirshian won't hide his disappointment in your shoes' subpar appearance, but he will assure you that they can, in fact, be saved. And each and every time, he's true to his word—heels that have been worn to metal posts are miraculously rebuilt, holey soles are replaced, and scuffs are polished away. You'll walk out with kicks that look (almost) brand new. 84 Charles St., Boston, MA 02114, .
New Deal
When trying to lay your hands on the freshest catch in Boston, you could get up at 4 a.m., pull on rubber boots, and clump along to the fish pier to haggle with salty characters. Or you could sleep in until a decent hour, then do what the city's smartest cooks do: head to this venerable storefront in East Cambridge, where owner Carl Fantasia makes buying and preparing seafood a breeze, even for novices. He'll not only steer you to the tastiest specimens in the display case, but also point out which Portuguese olive oil will bring out the best in those bright-eyed sardines, and supply the nori needed to turn that sushi-grade tuna into hand-rolled maki. 622 Cambridge St., Cambridge, MA 2141, newdealfishmarket.com.
Frank Phillips, <em>Boston Herald</em>
Beats the Globe with State House stories weekly, despite being outnumbered four to one by the Globe's reporters.
Bistro du Midi
Any restaurant can decrumb your table or change your silverware 500 times during a meal. True service is something else entirely, and no one does it better than Bistro du Midi. We stumbled in on a rainy night after getting rudely booted from another packed spot. "Make yourself comfortable," the hostess said with a smile. "Mind your knees," a server chirped as he nudged our seat in toward the table. It's the kind of coddling that puts an instant smile on your face—and chef Robert Sisca's coastal-French cuisine keeps it there. 272 Boylston St., Boston, MA 2116, bistrodumidi.com.
State Room
Your parents’ best friends. Your favorite coworker. Your third cousin twice removed. Everyone’s invited to the party when you host it at this State Street standout, where the glass-walled Great Room and adjoining mezzanine offer 9,396 square feet of versatile event space. Of course, it’s not just the scale of the venue that earns our vote: The 21-foot ceiling and unrivaled skyline views have serious wow factor, too. 60 State St., Boston, MA 02109, longwoodvenues.com.
Katerina Kolokotronis, Grettacole
Just about any facial you receive at Grettacole will be head and shoulders above the rest in town. But those at the hands of Katerina Kolokotronis are nothing short of miraculous. The sweet and down-to-earth Kolokotronis swiftly determines the needs of even the most sensitive skin and, using the acclaimed Swiss beauty line Valmont, sets about rejuvenating it with the most luxurious, restorative facial in town. Gentle extractions and calming masks designed to make the skin glow are applied during the relaxing one-hour treatment. (The collagen mask is a surefire way to keep Botox at bay for years to come.) And to keep the rest of you from getting jealous while your face is pampered, Kolokotronis can arrange for a hair conditioning treatment, after-facial blowout, and makeup application. If that's not enough, she's a master at eyebrow shaping and waxing—which is why Kolokotronis is more than just an aesthetician, she's a miracle worker. Westin Copley/Copley Place, Boston, MA .
Franklin Cafe
In a town that goes to bed early, it's nice to know there's still a place where insomniacs can get a decent bite to eat. The Franklin Café, with its candlelit tables and always-packed bar, is that place, serving up a gourmet menu until 1:30 a.m. every day—even in the late hours of a deserted Sunday night. And this is not your ordinary bar food: Chef Steve Ryan serves up sophisticated fare such as garlic grilled calamari with pesto and an unbeatable spicy black pepper—seared tuna. Steak lovers can get their fix here, too—one taste of the bone-in beef tenderloin with garlicky spinach and even the most die-hard night owl will sleep well. 278 Shawmut Ave., Boston, MA franklincafe.com.
Royal Jewelers
This is where to go after you've checked that shiny new Rolex (which Royal doesn't carry) off your wish list and are ready to start building a collection around more-exotic lines. Since 1948, the family-run business has catered to aficionados with hundreds of models from top brands like Ulysse Nardin and Vacheron Constantin—both exclusive to Royal in the Boston area—and an in-house repair service. Plus, the excellent salespeople don't work on commission, so feel free to take your sweet time. 58 Main St., Andover, MA 1810, royaljewelers.com.
Consignment Galleries
If you've tried to furnish your first apartment or even looked for that much-needed desk or even a lamp, you know what the prices are. And we're not even talking period pieces— just something of a certain age, with that certain feel, at just the right price. We've found a good selection of four-drawer chests between $220 and $450; a mahogany twin-pedestal dining table for $550; a carved oak mirror for $95; and a set of 10 Maddox cups and sauces for $65. If your grandmother did not leave you anything, this is for you. 2044 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA .
Dropkick Murphys at Fenway Park
With our beloved ballpark’s 37,000-plus seats empty during prime baseball season this spring, what did Boston’s other hometown team, the Dropkick Murphys, do? They descended on the diamond to play a show, Streaming Outta Fenway, to raise money and spirits. The rocking two-hour set, which featured remote appearances from Bruce Springsteen and Fenway organist Josh Kantor, attracted more than 9 million viewers worldwide—and collected more than $700,000 for organizations such as Boston Resiliency Fund, Feeding America, and Habitat for Humanity in the process. dropkickmurphys.com.
Good Vibrations
Whether you're a novice curious about spicing up your bedroom activities or a veteran dominatrix looking for new shackles, Good Vibrations has the right amount of kink to satisfy your inner freak: toys, how-to books…well, we're not sure how much more we can tell you without the good-taste police's raiding our office. Suffice it to say that this place has plenty of merchandise that will make your sex life more interesting. And the prices are reasonable enough that you'll get some serious bang for your buck. (Sorry. Couldn't help ourselves!) 308A Harvard St., Brookline, MA goodvibes.com.