Hilton’s Tent City
After seven decades in Boston, this iconic outdoor outfitter packed its bags last summer and made the epic voyage across the Charles River, where it set up camp in a huge storefront in the heart of Central Square. Other than the location, not much has changed: The store is still stuffed with a gazillion backpacks, boots, headlamps, and everything else you’ll need for your next outdoor adventure. Go ahead, climb every mountain. 565 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139, hiltonstentcity.com.
Trunk Club
One visit to Trunk Club’s recently opened Boston clubhouse and you’ll be inventing occasions to have a suit made. The swanky digs are just one perk of this personal-styling service’s merger with Nordstrom; another is the access clients have to designer accessories in the department store’s catalog. Sip a cocktail while your stylist takes 26 precise body measurements and then helps you choose everything from the buttons and fabric lining right down to the Gucci loafers. 501 Boylston St., Boston, MA 02116, trunkclub.com.
Bodega
This Best of Boston Hall of Famer clearly wears the crown for cool streetwear and footwear, but with the opening of its Los Angeles sibling this past year, the brand’s influence has officially gone bicoastal. The new Bodega may draw in A-listers such as Jamie Foxx, Maya Rudolph, and Cameron Diaz, but thankfully, the buzziest lifestyle launches from Adidas, Nike, and Karhu are still happening right here in our own backyard. 6 Clearway St., Boston, MA bdgastore.com.
Pennypacker's
Part of the first fleet of food trucks to hit Boston streets in 2011, Pennypacker’s has grown to include a small Somerville restaurant, a selection of online-ordered prepared meals, and a forthcoming stall at High Street Place food hall, opening this fall. But its signature porchetta sandwich—slow-roasted pork marinated in garlic and rosemary, and tarted up with a zippy mostarda—remains a must-try, as do detours like fried-chicken sammies topped with slaw and herb vin. 514C Medford St., Somerville, MA pennypackersfinefoods.com.
Lisa Jean-Francois (@LisaalaMode)
Boston gal Lisa Jean-Francois longed for a place where she could share her love of beauty and fashion from her viewpoint as a black feminist—so she created one, launching her website to dish on pop culture, natural hair, and Beyoncé as well as post photos of her head-to-toe outfits. Almost seven years and 35,000-plus Instagram followers later, Francoise is a full-time content creator who’s served as an official influencer for companies such as Procter & Gamble and Johnson & Johnson. N/A, .
Wally’s Café
At the crossroads of the next John Mayer and the original Bleeding Gums Murphy stands a music club that could only live in Boston. Still going strong after 67 years, Wally’s is famously where the city’s old-guard musicians meet the new kids, forging a musical alchemy exclusive to the South End. It’s where the Berklee kids drop in before they inevitably drop out, and jazz and blues fans are the beneficiaries. Any night, no cover and a chance to catch greatness on the cusp—how do you argue with that? 427 Massachusetts Ave., Boston, MA 2118, wallyscafe.com.
Angela's Cafe
Owner Angela Atenco Lopez’s rich, complex mole poblano is one of the dishes you must try before you can claim your Boston food-geek merit badge. On second thought, actually, perhaps we meant Lopez’s citrusy, onion-studded guacamole. Or maybe the plate of chilaquiles, with its crisp tortilla chips, fresh tomatillo sauce, and toppings of crema and queso fresco. Erase any doubts by doing what we do: order them all. 131 Lexington St., East Boston, MA 2128, angelascafeboston.com.
Clover
This sneakily vegetarian chainlet may have brick-and-mortar locations everywhere from Brookline Village to Burlington, but it got its start as one of the first important food trucks in the Boston area. And Clover’s fleet of six restaurants on wheels is still a leader when it comes to truck-side fare done right—easy-to-eat, inspired, and (bonus!) relatively healthy creations like the sabich-inspired egg-and-eggplant sandwich, rosemary-scented fries, and one of the finest breakfast sandwiches around. Various locations, cloverfoodlab.com.
Rafanelli Events Management
Bryan Rafanelli is the Keith Lockhart of party planning: able to orchestrate a dizzying number of players to masterful effect. Even more impressive is his repertoire. He and design partner Billy Everse have personalized and pulled off nearly every memorable wedding modern-day Boston has seen, from the stately and elegant to the outrageous. With impeccable taste and a knack for details, the team provides everything from invitations and tunes to food and decorations. All you have to provide are the tears and hugs. 450 Harrison Ave., Suite 401, Boston, MA rafanellievents.com.
Dependable Cleaners
Maybe you sipped cabernet on your wedding day—and spilled. Maybe, three years later, your stained, crumpled gown is still gathering dust in your closed. Dependable Cleaners has seen worse. There's not an "oops" moment these pros can't handle, and with more than a dozen outlets in and around Boston, you won't have to drive far to complete this most essential errand. dependablecleaners.com.
Cafe Barada
In Boston, it wouldn't seem far-fetched to believe the only food to come out of the Middle East is falafel. Caf Barada disproves that notion, though, with its spicy mujeddara, a blend of lentils, rice, and onions; shish kebabs; and lubia, a comforting lamb stew. Not everything is available every day, but that just gives you an excuse to go back. And you'll want to—because, actually, its falafel alone is worth the trip. 2269 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA cafebarada.net.
Allandale Farms
Straddling the Brookline-Boston line, Allandale offers workshops for urban refugees, summer programs, even a farm stand. We particularly enjoy visiting the bucolic setting for the impressive supply of perennials, herbs, trees, and shrubs: An on-site nursery produces New England-hardy varieties, and sells locally sourced soils and mulches, among other gardening staples (no chemical-laden bags of "dirt" lurking here). 259 Allandale Rd., Brookline, MA allandalefarm.com.
East Coast Alpine
East Coast Alpine, which made its Boston debut last fall, carries a truly comprehensive array of top-name snow-carving equipment, clothing, and accessories. Staffers, meanwhile, are adept at customizing your purchase to your skill level, ensuring that you leave perfectly primed for the mountains (or less terrified about your maiden voyage on the bunny slopes). 860 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 2215, eastcoastalpine.com.
Hudson
Jill Goldberg's four-year-old shop perfectly captures the new Boston aesthetic: a charming balance of country chic (whitewashed woods, salvaged signs), old-money signifiers (vintage French settees), and a touch of modern chrome. Few homeowners can nail the upscale-casual look without a pro's help—Goldberg offers styling services, too—but a couple of well-placed items from Hudson are an excellent start. 12 Union Park St., Boston, MA 2118, hudsonboston.com.
344
As local shoe fetishists know, most reasonably priced footwear in Boston is usually too young, too tacky, or too shoddy. Trend-pusher 344 delivers a surprisingly solid range of grownup kicks—from $39 Novela gladiator flats to $99 Lovely People sequin pumps—that rest comfortably in the "just cheap enough" bracket. 344 Newbury St., Boston, MA 2116, shop344.com.