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Some locals must fast on Mondays, since they eat all their other meals – even breakfast – at this family-run local bistro. The emphasis is on Latin American and Mediterranean flavors.

A South End brick townhouse inn with magnificent 19th-century public areas, large suites with contemporary styling, wood-burning fireplaces, and decadent bathrooms. Excellent value for elegant lodgings.

Chef Ken Oringer presides over the grand Eliot Hotel’s claim to culinary fame. Luxurious entrées complement the richly appointed dining room.

One of the country’s most-lauded young chefs, Ken Oringer is dedicated to innovation. With an ever-changing menu he always looks for new flavor sensations. Few Boston chefs would dare to serve bone marrow custard with nougats of wild mushrooms and black truffles.

Live jazz (Thu–Sat) and a popular Sunday brunch infallibly bring out the beautiful boys at this multifunction South End meeting spot. Choose from the casually elegant restaurant, which puts inspired twists on classic continental fare, the mirrored bar area – perfect for scoping the room – and the sleek cocktail lounge out the back.

The subterranean epicenter of New England’s thriving folk music scene regularly welcomes nationally renowned artists. It boasts an inventive vegetarian kitchen, Veggie Planet.

This private club devoted to promoting higher education also has 12 guest rooms available in its sophisticated Back Bay townhouse. Several smaller rooms share baths (only adequate for singles).

Frequently used by upscale bus groups, the Colonnade has some of the largest and most comfortable rooms in Back Bay, as well as the city’s only outdoor rooftop pool. Very family-friendly.

This suave 150-room hotel (opened end of 2002) has all the high-tech essentials but the architecture and decor of France’s Second Empire.

With its leafy pedestrian mall and belle époque -inspired architecture, Commonwealth Avenue aptly deserves its comparison to les rues parisiennes . A morning jog on the mall is a popular pastime, as is the occasional picnic or afternoon snooze on a bench. Highlights include Boston’s first Baptist church (110 Clarendon; closed to non-worshipers) and the pedestrian mall’s stately statues, including the William Lloyd Garrison bronze, sculpted by local artist Anne Whitney.