Tea-Tray in the Sky
Boston has long had a stormy relationship with tea, but this Alice in Wonderland-inspired joint puts all bad memories to rest with its 80-plus flavor selections. The menu offers authentic choices—black, green, white teas—and otherworldly flavors, including Russian Caravan and Madagascar Vanilla. Tea-Tray's innovative tendencies extend to brewed edibles including Earl Grey truffles and Jasmine tea tarts. 1796 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA .
Verrill Farm
For the absolute best in seasonal vegetables—think asparagus in May, strawberries in June, and carrots and potatoes through February—Verrill Farm can't be beat. Just ask Hamersley's Bistro, Chez Henri, Salamander, and every other fine Boston restaurant that purchases Varrill's produce. When you add homebaked country desserts, grass-fed beef that's raised and frozen on the farm, and backwoods family fun like strawberry "feastivals," hayrides, bands, and barbeques, you may never go home. 11 Wheeler Rd., Concord, MA .
David Carlson
The longtime head instructor at the Boston Sailing Center, Carlson—a sailor since age 6—knows the Charles and the harbor inside and out, and has novices jibing and tacking like old hands after just two weekends of instruction. Free advice: "One of the biggest mistakes people make is to overtrim the sails—the boat tends to heel over or stall out. It's more efficient to keep the boat flat, and let the foils on the rudder do their work." Boston Sailing Center, 54 Lewis Wharf, Boston, MA 2110, .
Taqueria La Mexicana
Don't let the hairnets scare you: This Union Square joint is the closest you'll find to authentic Tex-Mex in Boston. It even saved one of our friends from moving back to the land of the Rio Grande. The red peppers and zucchini used for the veggie burros are grilled to a juicy crispness while you watch. Don't miss the fabulous homemade corn tortillas! 247 Washington Street, Somerville, MA cantinalamexicana.com.
Georgetown Cupcake
In this, the age of the bacon-topped cupcake, it's nice to know that a simple vanilla confection can still be done right. At Georgetown's first Boston outpost, the Madagascar-bourbon-vanilla cake is delicate and moist, and the cream cheese frosting is fluffy and rich. If you do have a craving for something a touch more exotic, the specialty cupcakes (fresh strawberry, Earl Grey-lavender) are praise-the-heavens delicious, too. 83 Newbury St., Boston, MA georgetowncupcake.com.
Drink
Drink is a bar of firsts—the first high-profile craft-cocktail joint in South Boston; the first place that some of the city's top bartenders worked; and, most notably, the first place that many people discover their favorite cocktail. There are usually a few drink suggestions on the board behind the bar, but don't miss out on chatting with the expert mixers, who will design a sipper based on your preferences. 348 Congress St., Boston, MA drinkfortpoint.com.
Eastern Standard
Every evening, somewhere around midnight, a magical—if vaguely treacherous—moment occurs in Boston. High up onto the back bar of one of the city's most beloved restaurants clambers an employee who, teetering precariously, writes the late-night specials onto a gargantuan mirror. The items differ—flatiron steak with bérnaise, or maybe a Cubano with house spicy mustard—but what remains constant is the anticipation generated, and the rush of orders that inevitably follows. 528 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 2215, easternstandardboston.com.
Casa Romero
With a rash of Mexican and Latin-inspired restaurants invading Boston in recent months, there's finally some competition in this category. But sometimes shiny and new can feel cold or corporate. And a see-and-be-seen scene doesn't mesh so well with oozy plates of homemade enchiladas verdes and tamales. So let the cool kids have their herb-infused mezcaltinis for now. Until the hype dies down, we'll be at this homey little spot in a Back Bay alley, downing sangria and ceviche with a smile. 30 Gloucester St., Boston, MA 2115, casaromero.com.
Formaggio Kitchen
Craving a tangy taste of ash-coated chevre? A mouthful of manchega? A genuine Gorgonzola? Proceed directly to Formaggio Kitchen, the closest you'll come to a European cheesemonger on these shores. A recent addition to what is already a mecca for Boston chefs and epicures is an innovative cheese-ripening cave, the first of its kind in a retail store in this country. A 100-pound wheel of Beaufort, still not quite ready, has been down there for two years. 244 Huron Ave., Cambridge, MA .
Babycakes from Brian's
He wants the Boston Cream Pie, she likes the Lemon Custard cake, their dinner guests are partial to mousse cakes and fruit tarts. How to make everybody happy? Order little individual cakes for each person in his or her favorite flavor. They're all so good, you'll be tempted to swap samples. 8 Elm Street, Braintree, MA .
Santarpio's
Who knows pizza better than teenagers? We sent four teenagers who had trained on a field trip to Italy to sample pies in the North End and East Boston. Their pick: Santarpio's, with caveats. The wait staff is surly, the dining room is grungy, and the location is convenient only if you're heading to Logan. But the pizza is still the best. We suggest takeout. 111 Chelsea St., East Boston, MA .
Sel de la Terre's Lunch Prix Fixe
It's easy to get a great meal in Boston if you've got money to burn. But frugal gourmets need an assist from benevolent restaurateurs. At bustling Sel de la Terre, the three-course lunch menu changes daily but always costs just $19 and includes expensive-tasting dishes like asparagus-lemon soup with crab dumpling; a grilled sausage, prune, and pine nut tajine; and strawberry cream cheese chocolate torte. 225 State St., Boston, MA 2109, seldelaterre.com.
Matthew Pearl
Cambridge's Matthew Pearl has combined literary mystery with historical fiction in such best-selling novels as The Dante Club and Poe's Shadow. He recently released his fourth novel, The Technologists, a big, burly thrill ride of a book that takes readers back to 1860s Boston, where students in the inaugural class of MIT seek the cause behind a series of catastrophes in the city. MA matthewpearl.com.
Barbara Krakow Gallery
When the MFA has an Alex Katz retro-spective, this Newbury Street gallery has the clout to run its own Katz portraiture show at the same time. Bold, courageous, and experimental, Krakow has brought Boston the finest contemporary works in every medium since 1964. Mixed in with the big names (Sol LeWitt, Chuck Close, and Tara Donovan) are exciting newcomers poised to break out onto both the local and national scenes. 10 Newbury St #5, Boston, MA 2116, barbarakrakowgallery.com.
WMBR (88.1 FM) and WZBC (90.3 FM)
They aren't just a whole lot cooler than 'FNX, 'BCN, and all the other top-40 alterna-drivel, these college stations aren't even allowed to broadcast commercials. From M.I.T. and Boston College respectively, these kids pump out a wild array of shows, often with scary bands like Neutral Milk Hotel and Slits.