South End

South End has come into its own, and local restaurateurs are racing to set up shop. Myers + Chang (operated by a husband-and-wife team) was one of the first in. It’s like a South Asian diner with great street food. And don’t be fooled by the casual, graffiti-laden setting. The food is incredible. The menu is laid out by dietary restriction—nut-free dinner, gluten-free dinner, shellfish-free dinner—to address how many of us eat today. It can be tough to eat in Boston without pasta or fish taking center stage, but the vegetable dishes at Myers + Chang put to rest the notion that meals need animal meat (although the chicken wings and pork belly buns are heaven). Try the red-miso-glazed carrots or any of the noodle dishes. Spice- and herb-soaked vegetables sautéed in a piping hot pan and twirled with noodles is possibly the perfect meal. And the dim sum brunch on weekends is a welcome change of pace from eggs and bacon.

Whether you're dining in or grabbing an order to go, this Fort Point spot is unapologetically pro oysters and beer. However, we’d be remiss not to mention that the menu does take into account that we can’t all live on mollusks alone. The eye-wateringly hot fried chicken and bacon burger (with fried oysters, if you must) are stellar options, too. The beer menu is one of the best in town and the high-ceilinged, unpretentious industrial room is casual enough to never make diners feel rushed. Spend a slow afternoon working through the chowders, the Old Bay–spiced onion rings, the buttery lobster rolls, and, of course, a dozen or so Massachusetts oysters with a full sampling of craft beers on the side.

Pizza and ice cream play equal starring roles at Picco in the South End, although it should be noted that they have a great draft beer list, as well. The pizza is wood-fired with Picco's signature well-done crust, and the ice cream list covers all the essentials from plain dishes and cones to brownie sundaes, plus some desserts geared specifically to the 21-and-over crowd, like The "Adult" Ice Cream Soda: raspberry Belgian Lambic poured over vanilla ice cream. There's a casual outdoor patio, along with a small interior that reads like a cozy bistro.

While Boston isn’t known for its tapas scene (though there is more than one option in the South End), Toro serves truly good Barcelona-style dishes using locally sourced ingredients. A collaboration between noteworthy Boston chefs Ken Oringer and Jamie Bissonnette, Toro is open for dinner every night (no reservations), weekday lunches, and Sunday brunch. Big on sustainability, the restaurant composts all biodegradable waste, makes its takeout products from renewable or biodegradable materials, and serves organic, biodynamic wines and spirits.

FoMu (pronounced like “faux moo”) is made from a coconut milk base, making it completely vegan and allergy friendly in addition to being non-GMO. If you can't visit one of their three cozy shops, you’ll also find it on the menu at most of the vegan restaurants in town. Besides this new outpost, there are locations in Allston and Jamaica Plain.

Table & Tulip is known for their whimsical, romantic designs. Their fresh-cut floral arrangements, which you can pick up in the store or order online, are stunning and often fabulously inventive (for example, artichoke stalks mixed with roses). Also great: Table & Tulip offers a two-hour floral design workshop where you can learn the craft of arranging flowers with their design experts while enjoying some apps and champagne—and the arrangement you make is yours to keep.

A neighborhood shop located in Boston's South End, Lotus Designs welcomes walk-ins and also delivers all over town (about a twnenty-mile radius from the store) provided your flower order is a minimum of $60-plus. And you can place orders online, too. Their cut-off for same-day delivery is 3pm. Lotus Designs carries a little bit of everything but they specialize in fresh cut flowers and orchids. And they also do weddings and events.

A neighborhood shop located in Boston's South End, Lotus Designs welcomes walk-ins and also delivers all over town (about a 20-mile radius from the store) provided your flower order is a minimum of $60-plus. And you can place orders online, too. Their cut-off for same-day delivery is 3pm. Lotus Designs carries a little bit of everything but they specialize in fresh cut flowers and orchids. And they also do weddings and events.

Table & Tulip is known for their whimsical, romantic designs. Their fresh-cut floral arrangements, which you can pick up in the store or order online, are stunning and often fabulously inventive (for example, artichoke stalks mixed with roses). Also great: Table & Tulip offers a two-hour floral design workshop where you can learn the craft of arranging flowers with their design experts while enjoying some apps and champagne—and the arrangement you make is yours to keep.

Flour Bakery is best known for its pastries and desserts (owner Joanne Chang famously beat Bobby Flay when he tried to take on her sticky buns in Throwdown), which are more than enough to justify a visit. Less famous but equally good are the lunchtime sandwiches and salads, which can be ordered at the counter and taken to go. Needless to say, the bread on the sandwiches is game-changing—we’re partial to the focaccia—and it’s kind of sinful to leave without taking dessert to go, also. There are locations Downtown, in Cambridge, and in the Back Bay.