When it comes to Boston, there are many different areas of the city to explore. Personally, my favorite has always been the North End. Living only 35 minutes away, I have been going into the city ever since I was young with my family. Coming here has always been a go-to because my family and I are Italian; this area has some amazing bakeries and restaurants that we love so much. It can be difficult to find the places that are the best, so here is my deep dive into where to go for when you choose to plan your trip here!
Bakeries
- Modern Pastry
Modern Pastry is amazing! They have competition with the other bakery, Mike’s Pastry, across the street, but I think that Modern is better. For starters, they fill all cannolis and lobster tails fresh to order. This makes the pastries much crispier and better tasting due to them not sitting with the cream getting soggy. The bakery has a variety of options that will satisfy your needs; I love the pastries mentioned above, their Italian butter cookies, torrone and florentine cookies. If you don’t know what torrone is, definitely put it on your try list. It is a chewy chocolate nugget that is traditionally white or dark chocolate with almonds mixed in. Modern has different flavored ones as well with the traditional style, but I recommend the dark chocolate almond one. They carry their Italian specialties along with American desserts that are out of this world; my younger sister loves getting their chocolate covered cheesecake! No matter what you purchase, Modern will definitely satisfy your sweet tooth! Before going make sure to bring cash, as this place and many others are cash only; if you need more there are always the various ATMs on Hanover Street.
- Parziale’s Bakery
I love Parziale’s, it is underrated in my opinion! It is this cute little shop on one of the side streets that sells bread, pastries and cookies. Their pizza and dough that they sell are great as well! My family and I always purchase their Scali Bread, some of the cookies in the front case and apple turnovers. They are so light and flaky; the apple filling is just right, not too sweet or bland. They have some of the best M&M cookies too! My older sister loves them; the cookies are a good size, have great taste and the perfect amount of M&M’s scattered across. During Easter time they even make special breads that we always purchase. It is worth it to go on this holiday because they make the frosted Italian Easter Bread with hard boiled eggs in it and Tadals. Tadals are an Italian bread or cracker-like food that are usually plain, with pepper in them or frosted with sprinkles. I loved the peppered and frosted ones! Everyone who works here is so kind and helpful, so definitely don’t miss your stop here to get some of the best bread and pastries!
- Caffe Vittoria
I love coming here for cappuccinos and espresso martinis! The cappuccinos are always hot, creamy and dusted with cocoa. Their martinis are just perfect; it can be hard to find ones that are good, but theirs are not too bitter, sweet and have the perfect balance of coffee/vanilla notes. When I get either of these drinks I usually order their Tiramisu, biscotti cookies or gelato! It is really a cute place to sit at with vintage vibes and all the cute decor on the walls. If you are not a coffee drinker they do have some great alternatives, like their teas and hot chocolate. The place is a decent size, but can definitely get busy. If you do not have time to wait for a table, there is always the option to get your cappuccino to go which is still just as good!
Restaurants
- La Summa
I recently discovered this restaurant in the fall and it is for sure now my favorite restaurant in the North End! This place has perfect variety, amazing quality and it is quite affordable compared to the others in the area. It is located on Fleet Street Which is right off of Hanover and it is a somewhat smaller place, so reservations are necessary if you don’t want to wait. Even if you do have to, the wait is so worth it because the food is a 10/10! My favorite entree is the Pollo Speciale. It is a chicken marsala dish with a big chicken cutlet layered with prosciutto, mozzarella and mushrooms mixed into the pasta. I recommend asking for mashed potatoes on the side instead of pasta, but it all depends on what mood you are in! The wine and drink options are awesome as well to pair with your meal; I like getting a glass of Pinot Grigio. The desserts are super good as well, you can’t go wrong with any of them!
- Giacomo’s
Giacomo’s is a classic! They open for dinner at 4:30 and do not take reservations. The place is tiny, so you need to wait in line at least 30 minutes to an hour early if it is a weekend or holiday. The restaurant is cash only, so you definitely need to bring a good amount. They have lots of entrees and pasta options; I love their Chicken Parm, Shrimp Scampi and Chicken Marsala. What is fun about here is that you can choose whatever pasta and sauce that you want. The menu is definitely accommodating which is always a plus when you are going out! I love having options and being able to create dishes, so this is definitely the place to do that!
- Galleria Umberto
Umberto’s is a casual spot that has the best pizza and arancini balls! They have other foods as well, but those are my favorite. They open at 10:45 AM and are open until they sell out, which usually does not take long! Their pizza is Sicilian style, so it is square shaped and is so light. The crust is a little thick, but not heavy at all and very tasty. It is pretty cheap there too; the slices are about $1.50 and the arancini are maybe $3.00. They have calzones and other Italian eats that are just as affordable. There are some tables there where you can sit, or take it to go and find a nice spot outside to enjoy the greatness! As I have said before, here and most other places are cash only. You can definitely get your money’s worth here though, so hopefully you have time to check it out!