See the best of Allston in the slide show above. Photos by Kalman Zabarsky and Amy Laskowski

Everyone in and around Boston University seems to have a cherished memory of Allston: a too-late night at the Sunset Grill, that first apartment on Glenville Avenue, an encounter with the neighborhood’s late, great, dreadlocked, guitar-toting unofficial ambassador Mr. Butch. It’s safe to say, however, that few recollections involve high-end clothing, artisanal cocktails, and spa treatments. But the new 02134, once called a “student ghetto,” now mixes local mainstays with Boston’s hot shopping and dining.

“I’ve seen a real diversification of the kind of businesses here,” says Katie Reed (GRS’06), a graduate of Boston University’s historic planning and preservation program and executive director of Allston Village Main Streets, a nonprofit neighborhood improvement association. “It’s great to see it becoming a destination.”

While some familiar storefronts have closed in the past year, notably Marty’s Liquors and Economy Hardware, other are thriving — and the newcomers keep on coming.

Clear Flour Bread
178 Thorndike St.
This bakery makes authentic breads, pastries, and cookies using unbleached flour and no preservatives. According to Boston magazine, this is the best bread in Boston. If you’re looking for a certain bread variety — fire-roasted tomato rustic Italian rolls, for instance — be sure to check the day’s schedule. Such staples as French, onion focaccia, sourdough, and whole wheat are available every day.

Model Hardware
22 Harvard Ave.
For 50 years, the Webber family has been supplying Allston with everything for the home, from paint to paper towels. The only thing that’s changed is the look; the store was renovated two years ago. “Allston has a rich cultural diversity,” says current owner Bob Webber, president of the Allston Board of Trade. “We have a lot of people who are committed to this neighborhood.”

At the Buzzer
81 Harvard Ave.
Want to be Like Mike, circa 1996? At the Buzzer brings Harvard Avenue to the forefront of elite sneaker trends. Its walls are lined with limited-edition, throwback, and just plain upscale sneakers and caps.

New England Comics
131 Harvard Ave.
Comic books, graphic novels, T-shirts, games, and toys are yours here. The inventory includes hard-to-find collections, such as Angry Youth Comix, the graphic novels Yards of Knowledge and Wildstorm, and a variety of independent comics. The store gets new merchandise every week and often has unusual promotions.

Ritual Arts
153 Harvard Ave.
For 24 years, Ritual Arts has sold everything you need to be at peace, whether it’s candles, spell-making supplies, books, or incense. The shop also sells one-of-a-kind jewelry and belly-dancing costumes.

Regeneration Tattoo
155 Harvard Ave.
If you’re thinking about a tattoo, this is the place. Friendly, knowledgeable tattoo artists calmly explain the process. Prices are lower than, or comparable to, other tattoo parlors in the area ($100 per hour of tattooing). If it’s your first time, you can flip through portfolios to decide which artist can best draw what you have in mind. It’s helpful to bring a few drawings, too.

The Pet Shop
165 Harvard Ave.
Owner Jim Gentile has sold apartment-friendly pets — fish, hamsters, turtles, and snakes — to hundreds of BU students in his 31 years in Allston. The store also sells pet food, toys, cages, and a selection of aquarium products.

Shabu-Zen
80 Brighton Ave.
Try this authentic Asian hot pot cuisine eatery for a special lunch or dinner. Hot pot cooking refers to food dipped into a boiling pot of broth, eaten with a plate of fresh vegetables, accompanied by garnishes and sauces. Choose Kobe beef ($28), chicken ($10.95), seafood ($11.95), or a vegetarian platter ($11.95). All courses are served with assorted veggies, noodles or rice, and dessert. Fresh sashimi is also on the menu, along with sake, beer, and wine.

International Bicycle Center
89 Brighton Ave.
With the new bike lanes on Comm Ave, you now have no excuse to stay off the bike. This store carries popular brands, including Trek, Gary Fisher, and Ibis. It also carries bike clothes and helmets. Signing up for the e-mail list gives you coupons and special sales.

2nd Cup Café
111 Brighton Ave.
Your goal may be to stop in for a sandwich, but don’t be surprised if you spend the afternoon here. With dark wood floors, leather couches, free Wi-Fi, and a wide assortment of teas and George Howell coffee, it’s easy to forget you’re in Allston. The sandwiches, salads, cookies, and desserts are homemade. Try a tuna sandwich with Brie, sprouts, and honey mustard or a sandwich with stuffed grape leaves, baba ghanoush, and tahini.

Urban Renewals
122 Brighton Ave.
This secondhand store has the feel of a giant yard sale, with clothes, appliances, books, and furniture. Clothing is organized by color instead of size, making your hunt for a good pair of jeans more difficult. Other challenges: it’s cash only and there are no dressing rooms.

Sunset Grill and Tap
130 Brighton Ave.
Big City
138 Brighton Ave.
These two popular bars, offering different nighttime experiences, are in the same building. Sunset Grill and Tap is a restaurant and bar, with 112 beers and 380 microbrews on tap, standard pub fare such as burgers and nachos, and an all-you-can-eat fajita and taco bar. Big City is your more traditional bar (i.e., patrons must be 21 or over to enter), with 80 beers on tap. Sunday through Tuesday, stop in for a game of pool, a pitcher of beer, and pizza for $19.99.

Allston Café
155 Brighton Ave.
Allston Café broke off from the Herrell’s ice cream chain earlier this year, hoping to keep the store’s punk-rock aesthetic alive. The newly named café serves up coffee, ice cream, breakfast, and more.

Rescue
252 Brighton Ave.
The buy-sell-trade boutique Rescue has been bringing high fashion to Brighton Avenue since January. At this secondhand shop, near Twin Donuts, customers can troll for designer and vintage clothes and trade in their own gently worn goods for store credit. Owners (and siblings) Paul and Jeralyn Mason say their focus on inexpensive style makes them a good fit with Allston.

Bazaar on Cambridge
424 Cambridge St.
This grocery store for gourmands imports meats, fish, candies, and cake, and carries fresh fruits and vegetables, salads, take-out, and Kosher foods. The bread is baked on site. Try the bulochki, a sweet Russian tea bun.

DoReMi Karaoke
442 Cambridge St.
If you’ve ever dreamed of recording an album, this is the place. DoReMi Karaoke has 19 private suites that you can rent for yourself or with a group of friends, starting at $30 per hour. They’ve installed a new karaoke system and wide-screen TVs, and you can sing in 13 languages, including Korean, Spanish, and French. You can also bring your own food and (nonalcoholic) drinks. It’s open until 1:30 a.m. every night except Sunday, so get singing.

Twin Donuts
501 Cambridge St.
Dunkin’ Donuts isn’t the only option for coffee and something to soak it up. This mom-and-pop donut shop opens at 4 a.m.; you’re likely to see cabbies and other early risers sitting across the table from students who haven’t been to bed yet. The glazed donuts are what most people come for. Get there early while they’re still warm.

Grasshopper
One North Beacon St.
Vegetarians and vegans flock to Grasshopper. The spicy steak fillet, for example, is actually sliced soft tofu, pan-fried with red bell peppers and onions in a black bean sauce and served over a bed of steamed spinach. The “No Name” — battered gluten in a sweet and sour sauce served with steamed vegetables and sesame seeds — comes highly recommended, but true herbivores, take note: it bothered one BU Today staffer that the dish looked so similar to real chicken. The restaurant offers inexpensive ($5.75) lunch options, which include a main dish, soup of the day, and choice of rice. Read the BU Today food review of Grasshopper.

Allston Farmers’ Market
Corner of North Harvard Street and Western Avenue
Fridays from 3 to 7 p.m. through the end of October this market sells fresh fruits, vegetables, flowers, and more, hosting bakers and specialty vendors, including When Pigs Fly and Plato’s Harvest Organic Farms.

379 Club
379 Cambridge St.
Guys, if it’s birthday time and you’re thinking about what to request from your significant other, a membership to this upscale men’s barbershop and spa may be it. Members can take advantage of haircuts, shaves, and spa treatments. Flat-screen TVs hang on exposed-brick walls, and while waiting, members can pass time with the Nintendo Wii, at the pool table, or over a drink.

Deep Ellum
477 Cambridge St.
High-low cuisine (from homemade charcuterie plate to pretzels with beer cheese) pairs with a long cocktail list at Deep Ellum, a two-year-old Cambridge Street hot spot, named for an artsy section of Dallas, Tex. In Texas-style weather, diners find refuge in the outdoor patio in back.

Getting there: By foot, walk down Comm Ave away from Kenmore Square. You’ll know you’ve reached Allston when the avenue veers left. By train, take the Green Line B trolley to either Harvard Avenue or Packard’s Corner.

Amy Laskowski can be reached at amlaskow@bu.edu. Jessica Ullian can be reached at jullian@bu.edu. Edward A. Brown can be reached at ebrown@bu.edu.

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