Sophie T’s: A classic, family-run pizza parlor that has long been our go-to for pizza and subs （for a stretch of maybe ten years, every sleepover party involved a run to Sophie T’s）。 I love the ACK Mack pizza, a play on a Big Mac with ground beef, American cheese, onions, pickles, and a sesame crust, drizzled with special sauce. It’s delicious! Website: Sophietspizza.com; Instagram: @sophietspizza.
I Love the Nightlife, I’ve Got to Boogie!
The Chicken Box: And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for: the Chicken Box! A few things you should know: It’s best referred to as simply “The Box.” If you say, “I closed the Box last night,” you’ll sound like a Nantucket local. Also: There is no chicken, not one piece of chicken. It’s just a bar, the best dive bar in America, with beer-sticky floors and beautiful people three-deep at the bar and terrific bands, including headliners like G. Love, Grace Potter, and Donavon Frankenreiter, who come （I believe） because of their love of the venue. When I go, I don’t mess around; I can be found in the front row, dancing. The trip to the Box is the most popular event during the Elin Hilderbrand Bucket List Weekend and it is the most visited place by people who come to the island looking for all the spots mentioned in my books. （It appears in The Love Season, Beautiful Day, The Identicals, The Perfect Couple, 28 Summers, and Golden Girl, among others.） Website: Thechickenbox.com; Instagram: @theboxnantucket.
The Gaslight: Want to hear live music but don’t want to leave downtown? You’re in luck! The building that used to house the Starlight movie theater was reimagined a few years ago to become the Gaslight, a bar, restaurant, and live-music venue. The food is nothing short of amazing—it comes to you from Liam Mackey, the chef of Nautilus—and at ten o’clock, the music kicks in. If you need one more reason to check it out, there’s also a champagne vending machine! Website: Gaslightnantucket.com; Instagram: @gaslightnantucket.
The Club Car piano bar: The Club Car is a fine-dining restaurant that incorporates one of the train cars from the old Nantucket Railroad as its bar （hence the name）。 The food at the Club Car is fresh and inventive but the real star of the place is the sing-along piano bar. Plan to tip twenty bucks if you want to hear “Tiny Dancer,” “Shallow,” or “Piano Man.” （Other songs—I like to request “Rich Girl,” “Home Sweet Home,” and the theme from Welcome Back, Kotter—are free.） Website: Theclubcar.com; Instagram: @nantucketclubcar.
Salons
R. J. Miller Salon: This has been my salon for over fifteen years—hair, nails, facials—and I love it. There are scenes in this salon in my novels Silver Girl and Beautiful Day, and of course, this is where Amy and Lorna work in Golden Girl. Website: Rjmillersalons.com; Instagram: @rjmillersalonspa.
Darya Salon and Spa at the White Elephant: I love Darya! And for those paying close attention, she’s the one who dyes Kimber’s hair orange in the novel. Her salon can now be found at the White Elephant, right down the street from the Hotel Nantucket! Website: Daryasalonspa.com; Instagram: @daryasalonspa.
Working Out
Forme Barre: Forme Barre can probably be called my home away from home. I go every day （assuming I’m not traveling）。 I have stated on my social media that the best way to see me on Nantucket is to attend the daily 9:30 a.m. barre class at Forme during the summer. We can plié together! In the summer, Forme also offers Beach Barre classes with the barre bus at Nobadeer Beach. I go to barre on the beach at least once per summer. （Forme also has virtual classes, which I take when I’m traveling.） Website: Formebarre.com; Instagram: @forme.nantucket.
Nantucket Cycling and Fitness: If you’re looking for a spin class, this is the place! Before I bought my Peloton, this was where I would spin. The studio is tucked back off Old South Road and can be tricky to find, but once you know where it is, you’ll be charmed. The space is appealing, the instructors are tough, and you will get your money’s worth. Website: Nantucketfitness.com; Instagram: @nantucketcyclingfitness.
The Nantucket Hotel: The Nantucket Hotel has one of the best fitness centers on the island and they offer memberships to the public. They also have a magical yoga instructor in Pat Dolloff. Follow Pat on Instagram: @patricia_dolloff.
Other Fun Stuff!
Cooking classes at the Nantucket Culinary Center: On the corner of Broad and Federal is the Nantucket Culinary Center. The NCC offers cooking classes, many of them taught by my friend and culinary hero Sarah Leah Chase. （Sarah developed recipes for my novel Here’s to Us and I used her Nantucket Open House Cookbook extensively throughout 28 Summers.） On the lower level of the NCC is the Corner Table Café. Website: Cornertablenantucket.com; Instagram: @cornertablenantucket.