What to Eat in Boston's North End: 10 Must-Try Dishes (and Where to Get Them)

Boston is one of America's best-kept foodie secrets. From fresh seafood to legendary sandwiches, the city is packed with incredible culinary experiences, but nowhere shines brighter than the North End. Home to some of the finest Italian cuisine in the country, Boston's oldest neighborhood is a paradise for anyone who loves good food.

Known today as Boston's "Little Italy," the North End is the perfect place to grab a slice of pizza, sip an Aperol Spritz, or settle in for a classic Italian dinner. But with more than 100 restaurants, bakeries, and cafés packed into just a few blocks, deciding where to go and what to order can be overwhelming. If you're feeling spoiled for choice, don't worry. Here are 10 dishes you absolutely can't miss in Boston's most delicious neighborhood.

*Disclaimer: Despite what our accountant keeps hoping for, none of the restaurants below paid to be included on this list. They're simply places we know, love, and recommend wholeheartedly. Some of them are featured on our North End Food Tour.

1. Cannoli

Kicking off our list is the humble Cannoli! Cannoli, originating from Sicily, are an iconic Italian dessert featuring a sweetened ricotta filling stuffed into a fried, flaky, crispy shell. Wait a minute, did you just say Ricotta? Like the cheese? That’s right! The same cheese that makes a wonderful lasagna or savory stuffed ravioli is actually a sweet tooth’s dream when a little sugar and vanilla are added. 

Every Italian bakery in the North End has a different recipe for its ricotta filling and its crispy shell, so it can be difficult to know where to go for the best Cannoli. There are 3 big contenders: Mike’s, Modern, and Bovas. Mike’s is the most famous, but in our opinion, Modern has the best classic cannoli recipe. Modern fills every cannoli fresh to order, so the filling is never stale, and the outer shell is always crunchy. Our favorite is the classic cannoli with almonds. Mike's is definitely worth a visit if you’re willing to brave the line; their limoncello and Nutella cannolis are both out of this world. If you find yourself in the North End late at night and all of the other options are closed, head to Bova’s, open 24 hours, and if you’re lucky, they might still have a Florentine cannoli for sale!

Fun fact: Cannoli is actually plural; the singular, Cannolo, means “little tube” and can make for a fun insult to call someone if you’re in a pinch. 

2. Brick Oven Pizza

What could be more Italian than pizza? An authentic brick oven pizza! If you’ve never had brick oven pizza, now is the time. The brick oven cooks each pizza evenly, consistently, and at a super high temperature. Why is that important? Because you end up with a perfectly cooked pizza with a crust beyond compare! The crust retains some of its moisture due to the speed of the cooking process, resulting in the perfect balance of chew, softness, and crispness. 

Ok, so now your mouth is watering thinking about this famous pizza. You’re dying for a slice. Where to go? Well, the good news is that the North End has no shortage of amazing pizza restaurants! But for our money, the two best for the brick oven style are Quattro and Pizzeria Regina. Two best? That’s right, and it’s because they offer two very different pizza experiences. Pizzeria Regina is our personal favorite; it’s the OG on Thacher Street (no relation) that has been serving pies for 100 years. Their no-frills pizzeria offers whole pies as well as by-the-slice grab-and-go options. You can’t go wrong. Quattro, on the other hand, is more of a classy sit-down restaurant. You can order appetizers, cocktails, dessert, as well as one of their many Neapolitan pizzas in a more traditional dining experience.

If you're on our North End Food Tour, we take you to Bencotto for a wood-fired margherita instead — just as good, and it can be paired with an Italian wine or beer.

3. Lobster Roll

Ah, yes, the crown jewel of Boston cuisine. The Lobster Roll. Arguably, this is Boston’s most famous dish, and it is certainly a New England classic. The eternal debate is whether a lobster roll should be enjoyed Connecticut style, which is hot lobster covered in clarified butter on a buttered and toasted roll, or Maine Boston style, which is cold lobster tossed with mayo, celery, parsley, and creme freche also served on a buttered and toasted roll. Both of course should always be accompanied by a slice of lemon. Our team is split on which we prefer. I prefer the cold lobster roll because I think it showcases the flavor of the lobster better, and Cam prefers the hot, buttery lobster roll because he loves butter thinks lobster is better warm. 

But where to get one? While a lobster roll really isn’t Italian in any way, it just so happens that one of the best places to get a lobster roll in Boston is in the North End. Neptune Oysteris famous, and it’s famous for a reason. They serve both the hot and cold style lobster rolls, as well as a variety of other delicious seafood. Try to go during off hours, though, as the place is often packed and they do not take reservations. 

There you have it. If you are a lobster lover, you should be in jail; that’s illegal and you want to branch off from purely Italian offerings, you definitely don’t want to miss this one.

On our tour, we go a different route for lobster roll — a stop at Red's Best for lobster fresh off the docks.

4. Arancini

Arancini! The golden fried ball of deliciousness! An arancini is a ball of risotto (Italian rice cooked in broth), usually with a filling of meat sauce, cheese, or veggies, and then breaded and fried until it is perfectly golden brown and crispy. Think of it almost like an Italian hushpuppy. Arancini is another dish coming from Sicily, and the name arancini means “little orange” owing to its shape and color. 

Arancini are occasionally seen in nice restaurants as an appetizer, but they are more common as a street food, often sold to-go in pizzerias and Italian bakeries. Our favorite place to grab an arancini on the go in the North End is Galleria Umberto, it's a hidden gem but locals know it very well. Be sure to go earlier in the day, they tend to sell out!

5. Fresh Pasta

No visit to the North End would be complete without fresh pasta. A staple of Italian cuisine, almost everyone is familiar with pasta, but the trick is to get the real stuff, authentic fresh pasta noodles. Made that day.

We have another two way tie for recommendations here. BenCotto, and La Famiglia Giorgio’sare my top two restaurants in the North End for the real deal. BenCotto offers three choices for fresh pasta: fusilli, gnocchi, and ravioli, all of them are incredible. My personal favorite is their fusilli, my girlfriend’s favorite is the gnocchi, and the ravioli is so good, we have friends travel from out of town just to get it. You cannot go wrong with any of them. La Famiglia Giorgio’s offers a wider variety of fresh pasta, enough that I won’t go into them here. What puts them on this list is their bolognese. It is absolutely divine. If you have the opportunity, do not miss trying their bolognese and pay the extra few bucks to upgrade to a fresh pasta of your choice, you won’t regret it. 

6. Italian Sandwich

Maybe you don’t have the time for an extended Italian dinner, maybe you have places to be, people to see, and freedom trails to get back to. Maybe you’re in the mood for something cheap, easy, and delicious. You’re looking for an Italian sandwich and you don’t even know it yet. One of my favorite ways to experience the North End is to walk over to an Italian sandwich shop with a friend or two, order different sandwiches, ask for them cut in half or thirds, and then walk them back to the Rose Kennedy Greenway to mix and match in the park.

There are many places to grab an Italian sando in the North End, but our favorite is hands down Salumeria Italiana. Their menu consists of only 7 different sandwiches, but all of them are incredible. Seriously, they don’t miss. For 5 years I debated which of their sandwiches was the best between the classic Italian and the La Donna. The Italian features the perfect blend of meats, aged provolone, white vinegar, and the crunch of lettuce and onion. The La Donna is a little outside the box, it features prosciutto, mozzarella, fresh basil, tomato, and their specialty balsamic vinegar. However, just last year I finally tried their 7th sandwich, the Chunky Tuna, and it has quickly become my new favorite. It is perfection in sandwich form.

7. Espresso

Feeling like a nap after all of this food? Do as the Italians do, and have an espresso after your meal to aid in digestion and keep you on your feet. Most visitors associate Boston with a large iced coffee from Dunkin’ filled to the brim with sugar and flavor shots, and that’s all well and good, but sometimes you want something a little more classy. So what is Espresso? Espresso is a concentrated shot of coffee goodness. A small amount of hot, but not boiling, water is forced under pressure through extremely finely ground coffee beans to produce a 1 oz shot of rich coffee in its purest form. 

It would almost be easier to write down the places you can’t get an espresso in the North End. Almost every restaurant in the neighborhood will offer you an espresso after your meal. Our favorite place to experience an espresso is Caffe Vittoria, it’s an old world coffee shop that feels like you’ve been transported back to Italy during the roaring 20’s. Try the espresso shot with a spoonful of sugar, it's always a hit. If you’re feeling foxy, they also serve a mean espresso martini!

8. Gelato

Who would have thought you could make ice cream better? The Italians apparently, because gelato is freaking amazing. What’s the difference between gelato and ice cream? Without getting too technical, they both share the same base of milk, sugar, and cream, but gelato adds egg yolks resulting in an even creamier frozen treat. If you haven’t had gelato before, it is simply not to be missed. You must take every opportunity you can to enjoy this classic Italian dessert. 

Chances are high that if you are walking down Hanover Street in the North End that you’ll notice local gelaterria Dolce, and that is a fine option, however we recommend walking a little further, past all of the restaurants at the end of the street you’ll find a small shop called TABLE. Their gelato is incredible. Our favorites are the tiramisu, pistachio, stracciatella, and even though it isn’t gelato, I love the lemon sorbet. 

9. Ricotta Pie

By now, if you’re working through this list, you’ve already had a cannoli. But what if I told you that cannoli wasn’t the best sweetened ricotta dessert from Italy? I’m not telling you that. Cannoli are amazing. However, if you loved their ricotta flavor and want something even more rich and decadent, then ricotta pie is for you.

We’re going to head back to Modern Pastry for this one. Modern pastry has been in business since 1850, but they only started selling cannolis in the 1930’s when the came to Boston and had to compete with neighbor Mike’s Pastry. Their original specialty is their ricotta pie, which they bake fresh each day in the dozens. Next time you stop in for a cannoli, grab a slice of ricotta pie to go with it and compare the two yourself. Be warned, you’ll be back for a whole pie soon enough.

10. Chicken Parmesan

Italian-American comfort food at its finest. If you’ve never had chicken parm, you need to fix that asap. The best chicken parmesan recipes start with a high quality chicken cutlet which is then breaded and fried until crispy, topped with rich tomato sauce, melted mozzarella, and a generous sprinkling of parmesan cheese before being served on a bed of pasta . Though inspired by traditional dishes from southern Italy, chicken parm evolved into the hearty classic we know today after Italian immigrants arrived in America and embraced the abundance of meat and cheese available in their new home. Equal parts crispy, cheesy, and satisfying, you will absolutely need a nap after enjoying this iconic dish. 

Finding a good chicken parm in the North End is easy, but finding the best one? Not so much. Luckily, a fairly well known tire company did the searching for us! Carmelina’sis one of the most well known restaurants in the North End and they just received one of Boston’s first Michelin recommendations. Everything on their menu is fantastic, or at least that’s what I’ve heard. I always tell myself I’ll try something new, but every time I go I just can’t help myself from ordering their outstanding chicken parmesan.

There you have it. 10 must try foods and where to try them. Of course you can try and hit them up one by one, or you could grab a ticket for our Mostly Accurate North End Food Tour where you’d have the opportunity to savor 5 of these must-try dishes while also learning about the enchanting history of Boston’s oldest neighborhood. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Boston’s North End

• Mike's, Modern, or Bova's — which North End bakery has the best cannoli?

  It's the North End's oldest debate. Modern Pastry fills every cannoli fresh to order for a crisp shell, Mike's is the most famous and has fan-favorite flavors like limoncello and Nutella, and Bova's is the only one open 24 hours if you're out late. Our pick is Modern's classic almond cannoli — but we recommend trying all three.

• Can I try these dishes on a guided food tour instead of finding them myself?

  Yes — our North End Food Tour takes you to 5 of the must-try stops on this list, including a wood-fired pizza at Bencotto and fresh lobster roll from Red's Best, plus the history behind Boston's oldest neighborhood.

• Do I need reservations for restaurants in the North End?

  It depends on the spot. Sit-down restaurants like Neptune Oyster and Carmelina's get busy and don't take reservations (or fill up fast), so off-peak timing matters. Counter and grab-and-go spots — Modern Pastry, Galleria Umberto, Salumeria Italiana — are walk-in only.