FAN is thrilled to present our 2023 Best of Winchester Guide.  The Best of Winchester (BOW) Guide provides you and your family with local recommendations from FAN members and members of the Winchester community, supporting all of your needs--family, home repair, dining, entertainment, and more!  We emphasize local businesses in and around Winchester.  Many of these businesses support FAN and our mission to serve Winchester families with infants and young children.  Among other things, we support those families with this Guide.

So, how does a business make it into the BOW Guide?  Earlier this year, we sent a survey to all FAN members and other Winchester community members, asking them to vote on the best vendors for a variety of categories.  The businesses that received the most votes in each category are listed below.  Businesses that came close to the winner in their categories are listed as runners up.  Voting was anonymous and available to everyone in the community; although we assume that all participants had good intentions, we did not restrict the number of times participants could submit votes.

We hope you find this to be a useful resource.  FAN members can access additional resources on the members-only portion of FAN's website, including our "FAN Favorites" resource guides.  That directory lists local playgrounds, pools, local fairs, family-friendly activities, healthcare providers, and more that FAN members have recommended.  

If you would like to learn more about FAN or become a FAN member, please reach out to us at info@fanwinchester.org.  And you have any feedback about the BOW Guide, please contact FAN at surveys@fanwinchester.org. 

Best of Winchester Categories:

Shopping

Kid-Friendly Activities and Childcare

Eating

Health & Self-Care

Home Services

Miscellaneous Adulting

BEST SHOPPING

Bookstore

Book Ends Winchester

559 Main Street, Winchester

https://bookendswinchester.indielite.org/

Children’s Clothing/Gear

Winner: The Red Wagon

68 Leonard St, Belmont

https://theredwagon.com/ 

Runner-up (with just one vote less than the winner!)

Fox & Robbin Shop  Inside the Fox Library, 175 Massachusetts Ave., Arlington https://foxrobbinshop.com/

Consignment Store
Revolve Winchester
24 Thompson St. Winchester
https://revolveboutiques.com/ 

Runner-up: 

Enka Exchange

1037 Main Street, Winchester

https://enkasociety.org/exchange-shop/

Toy Store
Catch a Falling Star, Winchester/Lexington
532 Main St, Winchester / 7 Depot Square, Lexington

https://www.facebook.com/catchafallingstartoys/ 

BEST: KID-FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES & CHILDCARE

Childcare Provider for Infants & Toddlers

Preschool Social Academy*

50 Cross Street, Winchester 

https://www.preschoolsocial.com/ 

Preschool

Little Planet Preschool

29 East Street, Winchester

https://littleplanetps.com/

Runner up: Preschool Social Academy*

50 Cross Street, Winchester

https://www.preschoolsocial.com/ 

After School Program

Winchester Recreation Afterschool Program (WRAP)

263 Main Street, Winchester

https://winchesterma.myrec.com/info/default.aspx

Runner up: Kids' Corner

263 Main Street, Winchester

https://www.kidscornerwinchester.org/

Vacation Day Programming 

Kids' Corner

263 Main Street, Winchester

https://www.kidscornerwinchester.org/

Runner Up: Kidstock! Creative Theater*

50 Cross Street, Winchester

https://www.kidstocktheater.com/

Summer Camp for Elementary School Aged Kids

Kids' Corner

263 Main Street, Winchester

https://www.kidscornerwinchester.org/

Runner Up: Winchester Recreation

263 Main Street, Winchester

https://winchesterma.myrec.com/info/default.aspx

Local Beach

Wingaersheek Beach (Good Harbor)

Gloucester

https://gloucester-ma.gov/299/Beach-Information 

Runner-up: Crane Beach 

Ipswich

https://thetrustees.org/place/crane-beach-on-the-crane-estate/

Hair Salon/Stylist for Children

Fantastic Sams Cut & Color

84 Washington Street, Suite B, Woburn

https://www.fantasticsams.com/about/regions/boston-ma-manchester-nh/fantastic-sams-woburn-ma

Runner up: The Cutting Studio @ Shear Perfection (Christine)

8 Mt Vernon Street, Winchester

https://www.christinescuttingstudio.com/

Ice Skating Rink & Lessons

Flynn Rink

300 Elm Street, Medford

https://flynnrink.com/ 

Ski School/Ski Lessons for kids

Nashoba Valley Ski Area

79 Powers Road, Westford

https://skinashoba.com/

Kids Gymnastics/Movement/Dance/Fitness Classes

Sweet Peas Educational Gymnastics

29 East Street, Winchester

https://sweetpeasgymnastics.com/

Runner-up: Winchester Gymnastics Academy

70 Cross Street, Winchester

https://winchestergymnasticsacademy.com/ 

Music/Art Classes/Lessons

Winchester Community Music School

407 Highland Ave., Winchester

https://www.winchestermusic.org/

Studio on the Common

22 Church Street, Winchester

https://www.studioonthecommon.com/ 

Place to Have a Child’s Birthday Party

Studio on the Common

22 Church Street, Winchester

https://www.studioonthecommon.com/ 

Runner up: Launch Trampoline Park

366 Cambridge Road, Woburn

https://launchtrampolinepark.com/woburn/ 

Playground in Winchester

Stone Family Playground at Ginn Field

Bacon Street/Mystic Valley Parkway, Winchester

Indoor Playspace

Vinkari Safari

10 Micro Drive, Woburn

http://www.vinkarisafari.com/wp/ 

Runner up: Launch Trampoline Park

366 Cambridge Road, Woburn

https://launchtrampolinepark.com/woburn/ 

Sports/Martial Arts Programs for Kids

WinRec Programming

Around Winchester

https://winchesterma.myrec.com/info/default.aspx

Runner up: Winchester Soccer Club

https://sites.google.com/view/winchestersoccerclub/home 

Swim Facilities/Lessons

Little Flippers

29 East Street, Winchester

https://www.littleflippersswim.com/winchester-classes/ 

Nanny/Night Nurse/Au Pair Placement Service/Lactation Consultant

Nurture By NAPS

https://www.nurturebynaps.com/

Runner up: Boston Baby Nurse & Nanny

https://bostonbabynurse.com/

BEST: EATING

Bakery

Mamadou’s Artisan Bakery

63 Swanton Street, Winchester

Runner up: Gingerbread Construction Co.

562 Washington Street, Winchester

https://gingerbreadusa.com/pages/winchester

Caterer

D’Agostinos Deli

11 Waterfield Road, Winchester & 1297 Massachusetts Ave., Arlington

​​https://www.dagostinos-deli.com/ 

Coffee Shop in Winchester

The FULLer Cup

11 Thompson Street, Winchester

https://www.thefullercup.com/ 

Farm Share/CSA

Wright Locke Farm

82 Ridge Street, Winchester

https://www.wlfarm.org/csa-sign-up/ 

Runner up: Wilson Farm

10 Pleasant Street, Lexington

https://www.wilsonfarm.com/v2.0/csa.html

Pizza in Winchester 

Andrea's Pizza Winchester 

883 Main Street

Runners up: 

Gloria's Pizzaria

920 Main Street

https://www.gloriaspizzeria.com/

Lucia Ristorante

13 Mt Vernon Street

http://luciaw.in/

Restaurant in Winchester

A Tavola

34 Church Street

https://www.atavolawinchester.com/

BEST: HEALTH & Self-Care

Gym/Fitness Center

Turbo Crossfit

70 Cross Street Unit B, Winchester

https://www.turbocrossfit.com/

Runner up: LifeTime 

186 Middlesex Turnpike, Burlington

https://my.lifetime.life/clubs/ma/burlington.html

Massage

Bella Sante 

76 Bedford Street, Lexington/ 38 Newbury Street, 2nd Floor, Boston/ 190 Linden Street, 2nd Floor, Wellesley

https://bellasante.com/ 

Nail Salon

Bisou Nail Bar

10 Mt. Vernon Street, Winchester

http://www.bisounailbar.com/

Place to Give Birth

Winchester Hospital

41 Highland Ave., Winchester

https://www.winchesterhospital.org/ 

Pediatric Dentist

PDA Dental Group

955 Main Street #101, Winchester

https://pdadentalgroup.com/ 

Spa

Bella Sante 

76 Bedford Street, Lexington/ 38 Newbury Street, 2nd Floor, Boston/ 190 Linden Street, 2nd Floor, Wellesley

https://bellasante.com/ 

Yoga, Pilates, Personal Training, or Health Coaching

LPY Yoga & Barre 

356 Cambridge Road, Woburn - Whole Foods Plaza

https://www.lpyyoga.com/woburnstudio 

Runner up: Fit Life (Winchester & other locations)

1026 Main Street, Winchester; 22 Corey Street, Melrose

https://www.fitlifema.com/