Best of Boston

The Bristol is a refreshing respite from the cigar-chompin’ clubbier bars around town, yet it still manages—with its white-coated waitstaff, marble bar tops, and Vose Galleries art—to maintain a stately feel. Maybe that’s why visiting celebrities (Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jordan, Billy Joel) flock to its sofas and armchairs. Or maybe it’s the signature martinis (stiff and serious, even in the more frivolous forms such as the green apple) and warm nut mix that keeps them coming back for more.