Savenor's
Boston has become a bona fide haven for conscientious carnivores, what with Whole Foods boasting displays packed with New England meats and Lionette's Market touting pork from central Massachusetts and Vermont. Still, only Savenor's hits it right on the snout, with its reasonable (for the quality) prices and wide selection, which includes grass-fed Vermont beef and lamb for the leave-tiny-footprints contingent, plus generously marbled wagyu and sweet wild boar bacon for the occasional indulgence. Call ahead to its Cambridge flagship or its smaller shop on Beacon Hill, and they'll prep almost anything you'd want to roast or grill—from a trimmed crown roast to a trussed and ready-to-stuff whole goose. 92 Kirkland St., Cambridge, MA 2138, .
Radius
The circle is a fitting symbol for a restaurant like Radius. This sleek, stylish Financial District hot spot is a dining experience so complete and so completely perfect, that coming to the end of a meal only makes you want to start again. Chef Michael Schlow's sophisticated French cooking makes the most of seasonal ingredients, showcasing them in dishes like this summer's roasted loin of veal with fresh black mission figs, fennel, sweetbreads, and pancetta. The discreet, professional staff moves the meal along seamlessly, while the impressive wine list designed by co-owner Christopher Myers complements each dish. And though beloved pastry chef Paul Connors left Boston earlier this year, Julien Wagner has stepped into his shoes with ease, crafting stunning desserts like the signature goat cheese and huckleberry cheesecake. It all means that a night out at the three-year-old Radius still begins and ends as sweetly as ever. 8 High St., Boston, MA radiusrestaurant.com.
Buk Kyung
With a Korean joint seemingly popping up on every corner, Allston Village is steadily earning its K-town reputation, but the noodle dishes at neighborhood stalwart Buk Kyung still go unmatched. We’re not just talking about pop hits like the inky, pork-rich sauce in the jajangmyeon or the glassy sweet potato threads in the japchae. Because if you haven’t tucked into a bowl of dduk mandoo gook—Korea’s take on beef-noodle soup, carbed up with house dumplings and glutinous rice cakes—or the party-size platter of seafood, stir-fried veg, and potato-noodle shards served with a sweet-hot mustard sauce (otherwise known as yangjangpi), you’re missing out. Multiple locations. 151 Brighton Ave., Allston, MA 02134, bukkyungrestaurant.com.
O Ya
It's been two years since chef Tim Cushman's refined sushi operation made a stealth entrance onto the scene, gradually picking up buzz until being 'discovered' by gobsmacked foodies whose praise launched it to the national stage. Now, even as O Ya's new-kid glow has faded (and despite its stunning price point), the wait list remains impressively long. And we'll tell you why: Visit after visit, the hypnotic beauty of the food, seemingly simple but layered with clear flavors (white soy and yuzu glazing a sweet scallop, Thai basil and Szechwan pepper on sweet-salty eel), never fails to catch jaded palates off-guard—and has even been known to make some diners blush with delight. 9 East St., Boston, MA 2111, oyarestaurantboston.com.
Michael Schlow, Radius
In the four years since Michael Schlow moved to Boston, he has become not just a major figure on the local culinary scene, but on the national ones as well. So when he left Cafe Louis to plan his own place, foodies eagerly awaited his next move. The impeccably designed Radius more than survived the attendant hype to become the restaurant sensation of the year. Offering a distinctive counterpoint to Boston's culinary old guard, Schlow's strength is his understanding of flavors and texture. To that end, he finds the finest ingredients and uses his mastery of technique to treat them with the utmost respect. His pork confit is memorable, meltingly soft and sweet, made in a classic confit technique of cooking the meat in its own fat, which, paradoxically, heightens the flavors without making the confit fatty. As for his striped bass, Corby Kummer wrote that "the impeccable conception, execution, and presentation would be hard to find in any arrondissement [in Paris.]" With food like that, he added, "I'll fight for a table wherever [he's] cooking." 8 High St., Boston, MA .
Erwin M. Liverman
He could sweep even Mary Poppins off her feet. 16 Roosevelt St., Newton, MA .
<em>'night, Mother</em> by the American Repertory Theater, at the Loeb Drama Center in Cambridge.
Sweet dreams.
Kam Lung Bakery
We like the intriguing array of baked goods rarely seen in American shops—the steamed rice dumpling filled with onions, pork, and dried shrimp or the sweet mixed-nut tart. And for timid western palates: the coconut butter roll. 77 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA .
Santarpio's
Just on the other side of the Callahan Tunnel. A tasty thin crust supports the exquisite goo (the tomato sauce is distinctively sweet). Livingston Taylor's wife's favorite comes with onion, mushrooms, and extra cheese. East Boston, MA
Jacob Wirth's
Though they no longer brew their own dark beer in the cellar, Jake's is a true scrap of the past, with atmospheric grime and colorfully rude service. 31 Stuart St., Boston, MA .
The Quiet Few
We’re calling it: If it isn’t already, the Quiet Few will soon be everybody’s favorite spot in Eastie. Since opening three short years ago, it’s already become a vital hub of neighborhood life — a walk-in-only joint watered by 100 whiskeys (one of the city’s best selections) and fed by five-star bar food. See: the “Frito pie” dogs covered in adobo-stewed pork, pickled onions and jalapeños, cumin crema, and corn chips. 331 Summer St., East Boston, MA 02128, thequietfew.com.
Jaffe's Pick-A-Chick
We excuse his overly sweet barbecue sauce. 285 Harvard St., Brookline, MA .
John Lincoln Wright and the Sour Mash Boys
John Lincoln Wright and the Sour Mash Boys are still sweet. MA
Bova's Bakery
In a city that sleeps early, this 24/7 spot is a beacon of light in the middle of a sweets-hankering night. That said, the crunchy, Florentine cannoli and huge, flaky lobster tails are among the best reasons to visit the North End, no matter the hour. 134 Salem St., Boston, MA bovabakeryboston.net.
Prima e Dopo
At Eastie red-sauce palace Rino's Place, patrons can get stuck waiting two hours for huge portions of baked rigatoni and chicken Parm. To accommodate the throngs, the owners opened Prima E Dopo across the street, offering balsamic-glazed wings and $6 cocktails. Now we just skip Rino's altogether and hang here, dining on sausage-and-broccoli-rabe pizza, crispy bruschetta, and perhaps the most flavorful meatballs we've ever had. 300 Saratoga St., East Boston, MA 2128, .