Valter Vitorino opened Cafe Brazil, Boston's home for Brazilian cuisine, in 1986. Much of the clientele consists of the area's substantial Brazilian population (though that has evolved along with the demographics of Alston), who come to enjoy true-to-home versions of Brazilian classics like and Brazil's national dishes, like feijoada, Moqueca, churrasco, black beans, rice, salads, and desserts. Vitorino himself hails form the town of Minas Gerais, and as it is generally accepted that Brazilian dishes tend to differ slightly from place to place, Cafe Brazil reflects the regional cooking Vitorino grew up on in Minas Gerais. Brazilian hospitality abounds from the moment a customer enters the restaurant, and the staff welcomes you as though you were in their home. Service is prompt and friendly, and the entire staff works together to cover the whole restaurant. The food comes out very quickly, too. The menu is quite extensive, and if a diner is unfamiliar with Brazilian cuisine, the staff will happily guide you to something delicious. Many of the dishes come on sizzling plates, and all of the food is very fresh. There's also a karaoke room with a small stage in addition to 2 dining rooms.

973 Commonwealth in Boston, MA has a simple motto. Great Food, Great Drinks, Great People - and that's exactly what you'll find. Located in the heart of the Boston University area, this American Bar & Grill is a favorite of the college crowd. Their menu features a variety of upscale pub fare, including burgers, sandwiches, pizza, pasta, steaks, salads, seafood and everything in-between. Their bar serves up a variety of domestic & imported beers on tap (Guinness, Harpoon IPA, Blue Moon, Sam Adams Seasonal), as well as a fine selection of bottled beer (Budweiser, Miller, Coors, Heineken, Corona). The wine list is none too shabby either, with a great selection of red and whites to accompany your meal. And of course, their menu also features the full gambit of traditional pub appetizers, mozzarella sticks, nachos, potato skins, chicken wings, all perfect to share among friends alongside a pitcher of your favorite beer. In addition to the great food and drinks, 973 Commonwealth also offers a variety of weekly events. Grab the mic at their Karaoke events held every Tuesday, or compete with other bargoers for fame and prizes at Thursday night trivia. Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights all feature a live DJ, so come have a drink and enjoy the music. And any day of the week you can enjoy watching your favorite sports team on 973's giant flatscreen televisions. Simply put, 973 Commonwealth is one of the best Bar & Grills in Boston, well worth checking out.

Expertise without attitude? Yep, it's possible. Brookline Liquor Mart, a wine and spirits staple located at 1354 Commonwealth Ave. in Allston, is one of the larger stores of its kind. But, die-hard patrons have come to expect more than just an extraordinary range of products and services at BLM. For this emporium serving up stellar potent potables since 1934, it's all about service minus the snobbery. “I tend to look for the good things in any bottle of wine I try—the grape flavor, the color, the (real) value of the bottle," says Roger Ormon, BLM's wine manager. "I'm not just interested in fancy or expensive wines. I can get just as excited about a fantastic $15 bottle of wine as I can about the finest vintage from Bordeaux.” BLM is lauded for its convival Saturday wine tastings and expanded calendar of wine-related events, such as their upcoming "Celluloid and Wine" film series perfect for oenophiles. Also, BLM Wine + Spirits specializes in crafting wine cellars as well as offering appraisals on existing cellars. And, extending their "expertise without attitude" approach online, they've launched a new internet sales department perfect for that last-minute gift for a colleague or friend ... or even yourself. For store president Lisa Miller Ryan, it's been a life-long passion to maintain the family tradition of selling the best product and educating wine drinkers for more than half a century. In fact, her father Burton J. Miller is CEO and chairman. "I cut my teeth in the wine business," Ryan says. "I probably took my first steps down the aisle of the store.” Still not sure? Don't pop a cork. Let the knowledgeable team at BLM guide you with their "Vineyard Picks" e-newsletter here.

The Boston Winery was created with one thing in mind: To offer people the unique opportunity to enjoy making their own wine in a lively social setting. At this authentic winemaking facility, wine enthusiasts are given the chance to create their own unique fine wine, guided through the process by a renowned staff of experienced Californian and European wine makers. A great social experience for friends and family to share, the process is both entertaining and enlightening, as you participate in each step of the winemaking process. In addition to the fun of the experience, there are many benefits to making your own wine. The natural process assures that no additional preservatives or chemicals enter into your wine, making it healthier than commercial blends. This traditional method also assures a smoother, less-bitter taste to the wine, leaving a cleaner palate with no bitter after-taste. And perhaps most importantly, making your own is one great way to save on pricey wine costs, cutting out all the distributors, retailers and other middlemen to bring your own wine straight to you. This experience is a great way to celebrate special occasions with friends and family. Whether looking for a unique wedding or holiday gift, a fun event for the family or office staff, or simply an experience to share with fellow wine aficionados both novice and pro -- Boston Winery is an unforgettable experience. Fax: 617-265-9464 E-mail: information@bostonwinery.net

Devlin's calls itself, "A little bit of downtown, uptown," and it definitely brings downtown style, atmosphere and culinary excellence to Brighton Center. Appropriate for business, social or family dining, its cuisine mixes traditional and innovative American fare with a touch of international flavor and an expansive wine list. They offer both a seasonal menu and year-round upscale comfort food (including their exceptional thin-crust pizza). Critics rave about the lush setting and the delicious homemade desserts, but after the meal is when this restaurant really heats up: the tables are cleared away and the dance floor opens for dancing to music provided by live DJs. The patio at Devlin's fills up fast each night (open May-Oct), so get there early if you want outdoor seating. The patio is also the perfect spot for hosting your next function - Devlin's experienced and professional staff will make it a surefire success. Devlin's also offers full catering services for off-site events, individually tailored to your party's needs.

Nationally renowned steakhouse chain's second Boston location, in the seaport district and immediately proximal to the convention center and the waterfront hotels. Morton's is a safe bet for good quality beef and other standard steakhouse offerings, top shelf service, and good atmosphere.

In the home of the old Dottie's, the Hyde Restaurant adds to the growing dining scene of Cleary Square in Hyde Park. Opened on Feb. 2nd, The Hyde and it's Chef/Owner Brian Roskow, aims to offer it's customers a fresh and upscale diner environment. Replete with a menu of artisanal beers and local ingredients, Brian is a classically trained Chef that has spent the last 27 years cooking up and down the East Coast. Back in Boston, he is proud to be back in his hometown and offering great food at reasonable prices. Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner with brunch on weekends, the Hyde is currently a cash only business. Click HERE to read the Boston Globe's June 10th article on The Hyde.

The Leather District Gourmet is a primarily about food, wine, cocktails, restaurants and cooking. My "Dispatches on food and drink posted by a recovering attorney in an old leather manufacturing loft…usually late at night…near a snoring husband and two sleepy cats…" continues as the Leather District Gourmet but now lives in fancier digs! The LDG now lives at my new website: http://JacquelineChurch.com! I write the gourmet food column at Suite101, I'm the Boston Food Culture Examiner, a Foodbuzz Featured Publisher and you can follow me on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/LDGourmet. You can also find me Facebook. So now you have NO excuse not to introduce yourself! Come stop by my site, drop a comment, tell me I'm brilliant of full of bollocks. Just stop by!

The Wine Emporium is a huge wine store with two locations in the South End. This location is on Columbus Avenue (the other location on Tremont St a few blocks down...). The Wine Emporium carries over 100 wines as well as hard alcohols, beers and other licquors. Stop by today for all of your wine and beer needs. Also, make sure to check out their website.

The Wine Emporium is a liquor store in the South End neighborhood of Boston. It features an extensive wine collection, as well as liquor and beer selections. This is one of two locations, the other being 474 Columbus Ave. The Wine Emporium has been here in Boston for more than 40 years and continues to serve to Bostonians. They offer over 1000 (yes, 1000) wines to choose from, as well as a large variery of beers(domestic, micro-brews, and imported varieties). You can also find vodka, gin, rum, tequila, etc... at The Wine Emporium. The Hours Are: Monday through Thursday 9am-10pm Friday through Saturday 9am-10:30pm Sundy 12pm-6pm