Herrell's Renaissance Café
So many flavors, so little Dexatrim. First there are the standards: chocolate, malted vanilla, strawberry. Then come the more esoteric mixes, such as amaretto, carob, and Dutch orange chocolate. They're each the base for Boston's zenith of all things sweet, cold, and frothy: the Herrell's frappe. (A little schooling for confused out-of-towners: In New England, a milk shake is milk and syrup, without ice cream. A frappe is a blend of all three.) And what texture, dense enough to make you work at drawing the first sip through the straw, hit with just the right ice-cream-to-milk ratio, and icy enough to hold up on the hottest day. What else did you expect from local ice cream bodhisattva Steve Herrell? 155 Brighton Ave., Allston, MA herrells.com.
Sofra Bakery and Café
Imagine a flakier, more buttery version of a Pop-Tart, stuffed with finely chopped pistachios and blackberries. A chocolate-hazelnut baklava that is fudgy, not cloyingly sweet. A densely textured yet delicate almond-rose cake. Ana Sortun and Maura Kilpatrick draw on inspiration from the Middle East, Turkey, and Greece to create their café's sweets, and the result is otherworldly. One Belmont St, Cambridge, MA 02138, sofrabakery.com.
Fugakyu
In a town with a few serious contenders, Fugakyu is the closest East Coasters can come to West Coast-level sushi bliss. Bypass the always-epic wait for a table (and, we regret to report, the often snappish hostesses) by heading to the bar, the better to dive straight into a plate of briny sea urchin, savory-sweet broiled eel, or rich and fleshy salmon sashimi punctuated with fresh daikon. If toro (unctuous, sweet tuna belly) is available, don't miss it. It's a raw pleasure. 1280 Beacon St., Brookline, MA fugakyu.net.
Oishii
With a sultry, gilded interior and a menu filled with lavish ingredients—shaved truffle, caviar, foie gras—Oishii is certainly VIP-worthy. But oddly enough, it's the simplest dishes we return again and again for: slices of fresh hamachi that arrive to the table smoking; yellowtail-topped torched maki dressed up with sweet miso and slivers of verdant, citrusy sudachi and yam maki, made extraordinary with wisps of fried sweet potato. 1166 Washington St., Boston, MA 2118, oishiiboston.com.
Manna House
For years we lamented the lack of quality Korean dining in this town. Once Manna House opened its doors, those complaints thankfully came to an end. Now we can dig into tender bulgogi beef and sesame-oil-slicked jop-chae (sweet potato noodles), plus Chinese-influenced dishes like jajangmyeon (noodles with black soybean paste and diced pork) and kan pung gi (lightly fried chicken with a sweet and spicy glaze). And to think that once upon a time, all of this was just a dream. 9 Medford St., Arlington, MA 2476, mannahouse-cuisine.com.
Moona
The flavors of the Arabic pantry shine in the vibrant dishes sent out of chef de cuisine Rory Lee’s small open kitchen, from the fatteh with yogurt, dill, and shiitake mushrooms to the shareable, deeply charred grilled fish shingled with sweet lemons and swimming in peppery harissa. One of the best parts of a meal here, however, doesn’t cost a penny: the za’atar bread with sweet orange-blossom butter that comes compliments of the house. 243 Hampshire St., Cambridge, MA 02139, moonarestaurant.com.
Peking Tom's Longtang Lounge
It may sound tacky on paper, but in person, Peking Tom's is deliciously campy and cool. With colorfully ironic splashes of Asian pop culture, delightful retro tinges, and plenty of room for lounging, this hidden Downtown Crossing destination with its highly competent service is perfect for parties of 2, 12, or 20. The menu relies on a perfect balance of sweet and sour, fried and juicy, meaty and delicate. Just remember—don't overload on kumquat mojitos before digging into the crispy sweet-chili squid or orange and tamarind-glazed spareribs. 25 Kingston St., Boston, MA .
Life Alive
We’d argue that the trend in vegetarian cuisine toward creating foodstuffs that " taste and look just like meat" is a misguided principle. What self-respecting herbivore wants to eat oil-laden faux beef? Life Alive eschews such questionable ingredients, instead showcasing organic produce and grains in concoctions like the " Swami," a sweet-and-salty bowl of tamari almonds, raisins, and a heap of veggies, all doused in sweet curry-miso sauce. Made-to-order juices and smoothies round out the wholesome menu. 765 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge; and other locations, lifealive.com.
Back Bay Yoga, Sweat & Soul Yoga, and Equinox
That Lululemon chose this California-cool yogi to lead hundreds of people in al fresco downward dogs in Copley Square to fete its new Newbury store didn't surprise her devotees: Kaufenberg's challenging hip-hop classes are so much fun, we often forget we're working out. Until the next morning, of course—when we wake up with new aches in our abs and new tunes to download (thanks to her thumping playlists).
Brown Sugar Café
Spicy, sour, salty, and sweet: In Thailand, the perfect meal offers all four tastes. And with its extensive menu, Brown Sugar Café furnishes plenty of options for creating the consummate Thai dinner. Now that a second, larger location on Commonwealth Avenue has joined the charming original spot in the Fenway, the options have doubled. Specialties are all over the map, from comforting dishes for fire-averse tongues (such as the pineapple fried rice, flaky and aromatic steamed ginger bass, and sweet tamarind duck) to more incendiary plates of chili scallops with bamboo shoots and scallions. Try the stir-fried beer with macadamia nuts, and wash it down with a Singha beer. 1033 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA brownsugarcafe.com.
Fugakyu
This giant temple to raw fish may look like a Zen sanctuary, but don't expect any peace or quiet. Between the circular sushi bar's clamor and the bustle of waitresses trying to keep up with the relentless demand for maki, it's difficult to meditate on the menu, let alone anything else. But then the reason for all this fuss arrives at your table: shining piles of pliant, deep ruby mahuro sashimi, briny and sweet abalone, luscious and firm yellowtail maki, and buttery, sweet toro. The exotic and artistically rendered fish here is unrivaled in the city—but even that, like the rest of Fugakyu, is more mind-blowing than mind-clearing. 1280 Beacon St., Brookline, MA fugakyu.net.
Yafa Bakery & Café
Every baked good or sweet treat is a work of art at Yafa, whose menu showcases flavors of the Middle East, from pistachio to orange blossom. A parade of dates — with various nut and citrus fillings and chocolate and gold-leaf wraps — take center stage, surrounded by delicately shaped pastries in a variety of styles. Savory breads, too, are a must-try, especially whichever one just came out of the oven. Linger over a sweet lemonada, and you might find yourself tasting an extra treat or two, courtesy of the incredibly hospitable staff. 594 Somerville Ave., Somerville, MA 02143, yafabakerycafe.com.
Courageous Sailing Center
Whoever said you can't get something for nothing didn't know the Courageous Sailing Center. The center teaches mini-mariners to sail for free thanks to finding form the city, adult membership dues, and private donations. Kids start with a half-day "taste" of sailing and progress through four more steps until they are skilled enough to race and teach other youngsters. They'll have a blast tooting around the harbor all summer, but when they sail to the stacks on an all-day outing to the JFK Library, Courageous proves a real parent-pleaser too. Adults can learn to sail for $199, which includes a two-week membership (other learn-to-sail and membership packages are also available) offering use of J-22s and Rhodes 19s, barbecues, sails to Harborlights concerts, and beautiful Harbor island camping trips. 1st and 8th Ave., Charlestown, MA .
Pentimiento
These not-too-sweet muffins are the most satisfying around. 344 Huron Ave., Cambridge, MA .
The Bar at the Ritz Carlton Hotel
Sweet, but neat, with more bubbles than Lawrence Welk. 15 Arlington St., Boston, MA .