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Let’s Toast The Best!
The readers have spoken! The time has come to toast the winners of South Shore Living’s 2010 Best of the South Shore Awards. Once again, the response to our online reader survey was amazing, with thousands of you sending your ballots pouring into our inbox. The result of this community outpouring is the latest and greatest list of your favorite businesses and services. In addition, our Editor’s Picks spotlight
a few unique categories. Join us as we celebrate the many deserving winners.
Editor’s Choice
Best Place to Pick Your Own
C.N. Smith Farm, East Bridgewater
With over 90 acres of fruitful farmland, C.N. Smith Farm in East Bridgewater offers an extensive selection of pick-your-own fruits and vegetables. Depending on the season, you can pick fresh strawberries, blueberries, peaches, raspberries, apples, pumpkins, peas, beans, or even sweet corn in the fields at the farm, which has been in the Smith family for three generations. You pay by the pound, but don’t be surprised if some of the delicious produce finds its way into your mouth instead of the bucket as you pick!
Editor’s Choice
Best Handmade Pottery Selection
Local Pottery, Pembroke
The selection of artisan made pottery packed into this tiny gift shop is astounding. Shop owner Lisa Howard sells her own pottery in the shop as well as the work of many other local artists. The back of the shop serves as her studio as well as a location for clay classes. Local Pottery is a great destination for gifts for the home, as the artistically shaped and glazed earthenware always makes a statement. Whether it’s a set of beautiful ceramic mugs, decorative tiles, serving bowls, or an elegant flower vase, each and every piece has been touched by an artist’s hands and is one of a kind.
Editor’s Choice
Best Custom Leather Shop
Renaissance Leather, Hingham
Sitting at his 1909 foot-pedal Singer sewing machine, Patrick O’Callaghan is a humble artisan, but in the world of leather craft
he’s a legend. He and his wife Barbara have owned their custom leather shop in Hingham for 37 years and have a loyal
following of customers. He’s made countless briefcases for high power businessmen,
guitar straps for musicians like Bob Seger, as well as stylish handbags for local moms.
In addition to the belts, wallets, and sandals that fill his shop, O’Callaghan is also
the go-to man for leather upholstery on chairs, motorcycles, and even car interiors.
If you’re lucky, you might catch him
playing the guitar while the glue dries.
Editor’s Choice
Best Handmade Donuts
Coffee Shack, Marshfield
A long line stretches out the door of this popular Marshfield donut shop every day of the week. The shop sells 36 varieties of delicious donuts that are all freshly prepared by hand on site every night. Try the honey dip jelly (a classic favorite), the whoopi pie, or the new banana crème donut, which is filled with banana crème and finished off with chocolate and a piece of real banana on top. The sweet treats pair perfectly with a selection of flavored iced coffees.
Editor’s Choice
Best Way to Catch Air
Sea Side Kites, Hull
Children of all ages can appreciate the thrill of launching a colorful kite into the
air and watching it soar above sea and sand. Located across the street from Nantasket Beach, Sea Side Kites is a one-stop shop for single line kites, competitive quad line sport kites capable of impressive aerial acrobatics, as well as colorful windsocks and lawn ornaments. The regional director for the American Kitefliers Association and the local authority for all things kites, shop owner Greg Lamoureux also runs a popular Kites for Kids program that teaches kids from around New England the joy of making and flying their own kites.
Editor’s Choice
Most Sustainable Beach Stone Jewelry
Bound Earth, Cohasset
A lifelong beachcomber, jewelry designer Andrea Williams creates high-end contemporary necklaces, rings, and earrings using beach stones and reclaimed precious metals. Her latest Starry Night series has been getting lots of attention; the necklace was a finalist for the 2010 Niche Awards. Inspired by nature, her stone jewelry is inlaid with reclaimed precious metals and lab grown white sapphires, which glitter like a night sky and are stunning reminders of the beauty of nature.
Editor’s Choice
Best Subs for Sharing
Monster Subs, Plymouth
Measuring an astounding three feet long and eight inches wide, this monster of a roast beef sub could feed a football team. Owner Erika Locke often makes the subs for parties, as a single sandwich will serve 10-12 people. Often a stop for people heading to the beach, this popular sandwich shop also serves a variety of normal sized sandwiches and salads and is known for its high quality roast beef, which is slow cooked for three hours and sliced to order. Topped with your favorite veggies, cheese, and sauce, it’s a mouthful you won’t easily forget.
Editor’s Choice
Best Frozen Dog Treat
Wishbones, Scituate
During the steamy dog days of summer, this popular pet boutique dishes out cold, refreshing frozen yogurt treats for dogs. You can walk your dog right into the shop, which sells a range of cute pet supplies, and ask the owner for a dish of their all natural soft serve frozen yogurt. Flavors rotate between vanilla, peanut butter, and peanut butter banana and are served in an edible handmade biscuit cup and topped with a crunchy biscuit. Your dog will beg for more.
Editor’s Choice
Best Green Gear
G Green Design Center, Norwell
Eco-conscious homeowners, builders, and designers can access a wide range of sustainable building materials, house wares, and clever “green” gifts at this unique shop. Check out samples of beautiful ice stone countertops, made from recycled glass and concrete, sleek renewable bamboo flooring, or recycled denim home insulation (who knew?) and discover how to make your next remodeling project both attractive and environmentally-friendly.
Editor’s Choice
Best Animal Encounter for Kids
Dalby Farm, Scituate
Pet a goat named Nate, see Gypsy the peacock show off his feathers, and meet Stella the hen at Dalby Farm in Scituate. The farm specializes in the care of rare breed farm animals and offers hour-long group tours by appointment, as well as birthday parties, school field trips, and summer programs. The hands-on tour offers kids the chance to interact with the animals while learning about endangered species and environmental conservation.
Editor’s Choice
Best Beach Delivery
Hull’s Kitchen, Hull
The soft Baja tacos at this Caribbean-colored beachfront eatery are irresistible; choose from chicken, beef, or fish. Located across the street from Nantasket Beach in Hull, guests can relax on the bright yellow porch, and on weekends with a low tide, they can flag down one of the waitresses who walk the beach taking orders. This special service is cash only, but you can’t beat sitting in the sun and getting your lunch delivered right to your beach towel.
Editor’s Choice
Best Cycling Supply Shop
Cohasset Cycle, Cohasset
Whether you’re training for a triathlon or just looking for a cruiser to pedal around town, this family friendly bike shop has the gear to get you going. Owners John and Janet Wilkie have run the shop for 25 years and stock everything from fire engine red tricycles and versatile hybrid bikes that go on or off road, to helmets, reflective clothing, and bike baskets. A 20-year veteran volunteer mechanic for the Pan-Mass Challenge, John Wilkie can also tune up that old bike you have stored in the garage.
Editor’s Choice
Best Wool Handcrafts
Alpaca Suri, Hingham
More durable than cashmere and extremely soft to the touch, high quality alpaca fiber products are simply luxurious. Susana Tavara Hasting, owner of Alpaca Suri, travels to her native Peru a few times a year to select high-end alpaca products for her unique Hingham boutique. Blankets are big sellers, as are sweaters, elegant winter coats, and colorful hats and scarves. This year she also brought back a designer scarf made from the extremely rare fiber of the vicuna, a smaller cousin to the alpaca. If the friendly-faced alpacas can keep warm in the Andes Mountains, you’ll be more than ready for a New England winter.
Editor’s Choice
Best Alternative Happy Hour
Acupuncture Healing Center, Plymouth
Forget about cocktails, when Happy Hour rolls around, think alternative medicine. Leslie Gray, owner of the Acupuncture Healing Center
in Plymouth, hosts a half hour long drop-in acupuncture session where relaxation is achieved by placing five tiny needles in each individual’s ear and one at the center of the forehead. Gray offers happy hours on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday evenings from 5-6 p.m. as a quick painless way to melt away stress.
Editor’s Choice
Best Cozy Bakery
Blue Blinds Bakery, Plymouth
The air inside this friendly bakery is always filled with the enchanting aroma of freshly baked rustic breads; flavors include jalapeno cheddar, sun dried tomato mozzarella, honey oatmeal, and cranberry almond. Open from 6 a.m.–
9 p.m. on most days, you can enjoy a plate of homemade pancakes or French toast at a table in a cozy room with a fireplace and wall murals, have a soup or sandwich at a table on the porch, or even stop by for an evening snack and
a cup of Yerba Matte. The bakery is closed on Saturdays but you can come by as early as 7 a.m. on Sunday and pick up a few of their massive muffins.
Dining
Chowder
Legal Sea Foods
Braintree
Wine List
Tosca
Hingham
Bakery
French Memories
Duxbury/Cohasset
Burger
Burtons Grill
Hingham
Pizza
The Upper Crust Pizzeria
Hingham/Plymouth
Ice Cream
Peaceful Meadows
Multiple Locations
Sports Bar
The Four’s
Norwell/Quincy
Irish Pub
The Snug
Hingham
Mexican
El Sarape
Braintree
Seafood
Jake’s Seafood
Hull
Lobster Roll
Lobster Hut
Plymouth
Fried Clams
Hingham Lobster Pound
Hingham
Dessert
Square Cafe
Hingham
Cocktail Bar
Scarlet Oak Tavern
Hingham
Deli
D’Orazio’s
Duxbury
Sandwich Shop
Circe’s Grotto
Scituate
Sunday Brunch
Strawberry Fair
Norwell
Breakfast
Toast
Hull
Donuts
Dunkin Donuts
Multiple Locations
Family Restaurant
Polcari’s Bridgewaye Inn
Marshfield
Lunch Spot
5 South Main
Cohasset
Date Spot
Tosca
Hingham
Coffee Shop
Coffee Break Cafe
Quincy
Italian
Mia Regazza
Abington
Chinese
Feng Shui
Cohasset
Sushi
Fuji 1546
Quincy
Steak
Burtons Grill
Hingham
Late Night Hangout
McGuiggans Pub
Whitman
Outdoor Dining
Olde Salt House
Cohasset
Appetizers
Hola
Marshfield
Soups
Panera Bread
Multiple Locations
Ribs and Barbeque
Frankie D’s BBQ
Pembroke
Raw Bar
Summer Shack
Hingham
Hot Wings
Pizzings Pizza and Wings
Abington
Margaritas
El Sarape
Braintree
Martinis
Ember
Marshfield
Fish and Chips
Jake’s Seafood
Hull
Tapas
Hola
Marshfield
Bagels
Atlantic Bagel
Hingham/Cohasset
Waitstaff
Blue Pointe Bistro
Weymouth
Chef
Tosca
Hingham
Bartenders
McGuiggans Pub
Whitman
Scenic View While Dining
Atlantica
Cohasset
Ambiance
Solstice
Kingston
Beer Selection at a Restaurant
British Beer Company
Multiple Locations
Beer Selection at a Liquor Store
Lukes Liquors
Rockland
Juice Bar
Planet Smoothie
Braintree
Restaurant for Kids
Friendly’s
Multiple Locations
Fish Market
Mullaney’s
Scituate/Cohasset
Gourmet Prepared Meals to Go
Whole Foods Market
Hingham
Gourmet Food Shop
Fruit Center
Hingham
Gourmet Grocer
Fruit Center
Hingham
Organic Grocer
Whole Foods Market
Hingham
Wine Shop
Bin Ends
Braintree
Produce Selection
Fruit Center
Hingham
Place for Ladies’ Night Out
Expressions
Duxbury
Place for Mens’ Night Out
The Four’s
Norwell/Quincy
Health, Beauty & Fashion
Day Spa
Spa-tique Day Spa
Marshfield
Facial
Bella Derma Aesthetics
Braintree
Wax
Charles David
Salon and Spa
Hanover
Manicure
Charles David
Salon and Spa
Hanover
Pedicure
Bodywork Day Spa
Hull
Massage
Spa-tique Day Spa
Marshfield
Eyebrow Shaping
In Touch Advanced Skin Care
Marshfield
Hair Colorist
Lemon Lime Salon
Cohasset
Hair Cut (women)
Lemon Lime Salon
Cohasset
Hair Cut (men)
Charles David Salon and Spa
Hanover
Makeup Counter
Beauty and Main
Hingham
Chiropractor
John Daoust
Hingham
Orthodontist
Siobhan Sheehan
Duxbury
Cosmetic Surgery Office
Christine Hamori
Duxbury
Personal Fitness Trainer
Balance Studio
Cohasset
Zumba Class/Studio
Weymouth Club
Weymouth
Martial Arts Studio
Jade Forest
Cohasset
Fitness Center/Gym
Weymouth Club
Weymouth
Golf Clubhouse
Black Rock Country Club
Hingham
Golf Course (private)
Hatherly Golf Club
North Scituate
Golf Course (public)
Widow’s Walk
Scituate
Tennis Club
Weymouth Club
Weymouth
Weddings
Invitations
Social Graces
Hingham
Reception Venue (intimate)
Barker Tavern
Scituate
Reception Venue (large)
Red Lion Inn
Cohasset
Occasion Cakes
Veronica’s Sweetcakes
Marshfield
Tux Shop
Mr. Tux
Hanover
Wedding Dress Shop
Lillian’s Fashions and Bridals
Norwell
Stationary Shop
Social Graces
Hingham
Florist
Winston Flowers
Hingham
Limo Service
JB Livery Service
Weymouth
Business & Services
Pool and Hot Tub Store
The Pool Place
Abington
Electronics Store
Best Buy
Multiple Locations
Appliance Store
George Washington Toma
East Weymouth/Brockton
Furniture Store
Boston Interiors
Multiple Locations
Traditional Furniture
Jordan’s Furniture
Multiple Locations
Contemporary Furniture
Boston Interiors
Hanover
Outdoor Furnishings
Lowes
Multiple Locations
Outdoor Grills
Lowes
Multiple Locations
Tile Store
Snug Harbor Tile
Duxbury
Framer
Frame Center
Hanover
Lighting Shop
Fleming’s Lighting
Cohasset
Local Hardware Store
Curry Hardware
Multiple Locations
Home Accessories
Home Goods
Multiple Locations
Kitchen Accessories
Williams Sonoma
Hingham
Rug Merchant
The Rug Merchant
Rockland
Garden Shop
Kennedy’s Country Gardens
Scituate
Antique Shop
Salvage Chic
Pembroke
Place to Spend the Night
Clarion Nantasket Beach Resort
Hull
Daycare
Early Childhood Preschool and Learning Center
South Weymouth
Marine Supplies
Bayside Marine
Duxbury
Cleaning Services
Merry Maids
Multiple Locations
Nutrition Center
Infinite Health and Wellness
Hanover
Gift Shop
Mono Mono Boutique
Marshfield
Jewelry Store
Cohasset Jewelers
Cohasset
Bookstore
Barnes and Noble
Hingham
Outdoor Adventure Shop
REI
Hingham
Bath and Body Shop
Bath and Body Works
Multiple Locations
Bike Store
The Bicycle Link
Weymouth
Golf Store
Edwin Watts
Hanover
Cookware Shop
Williams Sonoma
Hingham
Winter Gear
REI
Hingham
Teen Clothing
CT Outfitters
Scituate
Department Store
Nordstrom
Braintree
Sporting Goods
The Good Sport
Cohasset
Dry Cleaner
Dependable Cleaners
Multiple Locations
Pet Specialty Store
Maggie’s Dog House
Hingham
Toys and Hobbies
The Toy Box
Hanover
Candy Store
Hillard’s
Hanover
Music Store
Music Unlimited
Kingston/Hanover
Children’s Clothing
Children’s Place
Hingham
Art Gallery
The Focus Gallery
Cohasset
Vintage Clothing Shop
Sea Chest Consignments
Cohasset
Consignment Shop
Cohasset Consignment Shop
Cohasset
Fitness wear
Lululemon
Hingham
Lingerie
Victoria’s Secret
Multiple Locations
Men’s Clothing
Jos A Bank
Hingham
Women’s Clothing
Ports and Company
Cohasset
Women’s Specialty Shoe Store
Shoe Market
Hingham
Entertainment
Local Radio Personality
Matty in the Morning
Radio Station FM
Kiss 108
Radio Station AM
WBZ 1030
Place for Kids’ Parties
Expressions
Duxbury
Performing Arts Venue
South Shore Music Circus
Cohasset
