Getting to Know Your Neighborhood: The North End
A guide to shopping, eating, and sightseeing in Boston’s “Little Italy”
The North End abounds with cultural and historical attractions, and of course, restaurants, restaurants, restaurants. Photo via Wikimedia Commons/Epicsunwarrior
Getting to Know Your Neighborhood: The North End
A guide to shopping, eating, and sightseeing in Boston’s “Little Italy”
Unofficially known as Boston’s “Little Italy,” the North End is one of the Hub’s smallest neighborhoods—a one-square-mile area jutting into Boston Harbor. But it has played an outsized role in the city’s cultural, historical, and culinary history. Within a convenient walking distance of Government Center, it’s Boston’s oldest residential area, with a history of European settlement stretching back to the early 17th-century Puritans.
Over the past 400 years, the area has been home to an early African American community and to waves of Irish, Eastern European Jewish, and, more recently, Italian immigrants. By 1930, almost all inhabitants were Italian, and it had gained its reputation as “Little Italy.” Today, it continues to be a popular destination for Bostonians and visitors from across the globe who come for the food, the sites, or the neighborhood’s summer street festivals honoring revered saints.
Boston’s popular Freedom Trail, which leads to significant American Revolution sites, winds through the North End to historic destinations like the Paul Revere House and the Old North Church. And one of the most popular sections of the city’s extensive Harborwalk is here, skirting the water’s edge along the wharves, residences, and businesses, the US Coast Guard base, and Langone Park.
“While the Italian and Italian-descended population is not the majority, they are still a larger percentage of the population than we find in other so-called Little Italys,” says James Pasto, a College of Arts & Sciences Writing Program master lecturer and cofounder of the North End Historical Society, who teaches a summer course about the social history of the North End. “This Italian presence is felt in the community groups, businesses, and on the streets, in the bocce games. It helps to promote community integrity and neighborliness.”
Despite the changing demographics—less than a third of the population today is of Italian descent—it’s still possible to get a feel for the community. The neighborhood boasts more than 100 restaurants, cafés, and bakeries, and the rustic Italian street signs, indicating imaginary routes to real Italian cities, give the area an even more authentic feel.
BU Today has compiled a list of some of the best places to explore, eat, and shop when you visit.
Boston Public Market
100 Hanover St.
Established in 2001 by a group of passionate foodies, the Boston Public Market gives shoppers a permanent year-round indoor market for fresh produce, meat and poultry, eggs, milk and cheese, fish, baked goods, and specialty and prepared foods. The market, featuring over two dozen vendors who fill a 30,000-square-foot building at Haymarket station, is open seven days a week. All the wares are locally sourced. Among the food vendors are Crescent Ridge Dairy, from Sharon, Mass., with 40 inventive ice cream flavors (try the popular campfire s’mores: marshmallow ice cream swirled with graham cracker variegate and fudge bits). More must-tries: the fresh Moroccan cuisine courtesy of Mo’rockin Fusion and the hand-carved sandwiches from Beantown Pastrami Company. You’ll also find vendors selling handmade cutting boards and bowls, fresh flowers and produce, donuts, ice cream, jewelry, art, and more.
Improv Asylum
216 Hanover St.
One of Boston’s most storied comedy clubs, Improv Asylum has been providing laughs and entertainment since 1998. There are improvised or sketch comedy shows most nights of the week. Many shows sell out, so purchasing tickets online or by phone is recommended. The club also offers professional improv and sketch comedy writing classes for adults, and hosts several popular weekly performances, including the main stage improv shows and the NXT Cast series on Wednesdays and Sundays.
Parla
230 Hanover St.
The speakeasy décor at Parla makes it feel like it’s been around since Prohibition (it opened in 2014). The small Italian eatery’s menu is a departure from traditional Italian fare, with innovative pastas and appetizers. Its imaginative cocktail menu has more than 50 house-made shrubs, infusions, and tinctures. It’s open for dinner and cocktails daily and has a weekend Great Gatsby–themed brunch—with the menu cleverly split into East Egg (timeless brunch options) and West Egg (iconic main dishes). Be sure to try the cinnamon-sugar beignets and the Slumberin’ Piglets (waffle-battered sausage links on skewers served with Aleppo honey butter). The restaurant has a patio for outdoor dining during the warm-weather months.
Tresca
233 Hanover St.
Legendary 21-season Boston Bruins defenseman Ray Bourque, inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2004, opened this traditional Tuscan eatery in 2005. Tresca serves established Italian fare, has a large selection of antipasti, homemade pastas, and rare Italian wines. Popular entrées include a black truffle ricotta gnocchi and the Ray Bourque Special (veal chop parmesan served with a side of pasta Bolognese). The restaurant offers open seating, as well as options for private and semiprivate dining rooms for parties ranging from 2 to 75. They also have a reception hall that can host as many as 120 guests.
LIT Boutique
236 Hanover St.
This women-led, minority-owned trendy boutique carries a selection of bright and colorful women’s apparel from hundreds of labels—including NIA, Dala, and WeWoreWhat—designed for the office, nights on the town, vacations, and more. Prices lean toward the expensive side, so if you’re on a budget, head to the sale rack at the back of the store. The boutique also sells accessories, including purses, jewelry, sunglasses, and more. Check out LIT’s rewards program to earn additional savings.
Bricco Ristorante & Enoteca
241 Hanover St.
Distinguishing among the North End’s many Italian restaurants isn’t easy, but Bricco is a standout. It’s popular for its contemporary cuisine, an award-winning wine list—with vintners from California and Italy—and a late-night menu (brick-oven pizzas and innovative cocktails) Fridays and Saturdays from 11:30 pm to 2 am. The restaurant bills its cooking style as “sophisticated ‘boutique’ Italian cuisine,” but you’ll also find traditional dishes, like meatballs and shrimp scampi, as well as seafood, chops, and artisanal pastas. The desserts, which include a mouthwatering bread pudding, deconstructed tiramisu, and several flavors of gelato, are superb. Down a narrow alley at the rear stands a separate panetteria that sells delicious artisanal bread daily.
Arya Trattoria
253 Hanover St., second floor
Arya Trattoria is steeped in history for owner and chef Massimo Tiberi. It’s on the site of the former Scalinatella restaurant, where he once worked as a bread boy. And more than 30 years ago, when it was known as Il Sole restaurant, his family held his baptism reception there. The current restaurant—named for Tiberi’s daughter—is a blend of old-world Italian and modern sophistication. The menu changes with the seasons, but expect to find entrées like handmade oyster mushroom ravioli with truffle mascarpone, grilled local sea scallops, and rigatoni served with pancetta, caramelized onion, and tomato. The signature dish is the Osso Buco di Maiale, a braised pork shank soaked in tomato sauce. Arya also offers a prix fixe three-course meal designed by its culinary team for $70 per person.
Caffé Paradiso
255 Hanover St.
A North End staple since 1962, this intimate café is a relaxing place to enjoy an espresso and cannoli. Its cocktail list includes a pistachio martini made with vanilla vodka, amaretto, Midori, and a scoop of pistachio gelato. All gelato is made on the premises, and among the flavors are tiramisu, nocciola (hazelnut), and zuppa inglese (a custard-based house creation with chocolate, cinnamon, and pieces of rum-soaked sponge cake). The dazzling pastry case offers everything from baba rum (a yeast cake soaked in rum) and frutti di bosco (a tart filled with sweet custard cream and topped with fresh berries) to profiteroles and other treats. The cafe also hosts a wide variety of international coffees—from Roman espressos to Jamaican cappuccinos to Mexican coffees. Open daily until 2 am, it hosts a lively late-night scene.
Modern Pastry
257 and 263 Hanover St.
Established in the 1930s, this family-owned Italian bakery has maintained its recipes and traditions for nearly a century. Specializing in custom cakes, handmade cookies, and Italian delicacies, it has a considerable following and has been featured in the New York Times, the Boston Globe, National Geographic, and on the Food Network. Try one of the shop’s famous cannolis or a piece of the ricotta pie (sweetened ricotta cheese baked in pasta frolla pastry dough). Certain specialties, like the amaretto cake (two layers of Italian sponge cake soaked in rum and amaretto liquors and filled with creamy vanilla custard), have to be ordered in advance. Gluten-free options are available in-store, as well. Modern Pastry also operates Modern Underground Bar & Grill, a subterranean spot serving simple pub fare like burgers, wings, salads, sandwiches, and other quick bites. It’s hard to find, so keep an eye out.
Dolce
272 Hanover St.
This charming café offers Italian-style sandwiches, sheet pizzas, baked goods, espresso, and other traditional café foods and beverages. The shop is owned by DePasquale Ventures, the prominent North End restaurateur family that runs establishments like Bricco, Quattro, and Mare Oyster Bar. You’ll also find gelato, cannoli, and Italian donuts on the menu.
Caffé Vittoria
290-296 Hanover St.
The oldest Italian café in Boston is a must-visit for anyone coming to the North End. Opened in 1929, this landmark has four levels, three liquor bars, and a cigar room lined with old-fashioned Italian espresso and coffee machines and memorabilia, giving it an authentic Italian feel and a delicious aroma of coffee. Stop in for a hot drink, a pastry, or gelato, and bring your camera, because this historic family-owned café boasts an Instagram-worthy decor.
Galleria Umberto
289 Hanover St.
This cash-only, no-frills pizzeria offers Sicilian-style pizza. The huge slices—with their fluffy crust, sweet and tangy tomato sauce, and caramelized cheese—cost just $2.25. The restaurant does a brisk lunch business, and it closes after everything is sold, usually about 2 pm. It’s open Monday through Saturday. Try the panzarotti (creamy mashed potato balls stuffed with mozzarella cheese, dipped in egg and bread crumbs, and deep fried) or the arancini (fried risotto balls stuffed with ground beef, peas, and mozzarella). The restaurant was honored with the James Beard Foundation’s America’s Classics Award in 2018.
Mike’s Pastry
300 Hanover St.
Any day of the week, you’ll find a line out the door at this North End institution, which has been in business since 1946. Best known for its oversized and overstuffed cannoli, Mike’s serves the classic Italian dessert in several flavors. They are made on the premises along with the bakery’s gelati, cakes, and other pastries. Be prepared to order your sweets to go, because seating inside is limited. The pastry shop has become so popular, it now ships goods nationwide. Note: Mike’s accepts only cash.
Cafe Amaro
319 Hanover St.
This intimate Italian spot (formerly Scopa), across the street from Mike’s Pastry, features rustic-style specialty pastas, pizzas, and seafood, and cured meat and cheese platters. The food is decidedly less traditional than many of its neighbors, but you’ll still find some classics on the menu, including an amazing chicken parmigiana and burrata.
The Daily Catch
323 Hanover St.
This seafood restaurant has been a North End mainstay since 1973. The fish is unbelievably fresh. Try the North End–style pan-seared swordfish (with sundried tomatoes and mushrooms, served in a tomato and basil sauce), calamari salad, or shrimp and scallops with linguine. Pasta is served right in the pan. Bring cash, because credit and debit cards are not accepted. If you are driving and park at the Parcel 7 lot, your ticket will be validated by restaurant staff. Be prepared to wait at the door; the place doesn’t take reservations. The Daily Catch also has locations in Brookline and on the waterfront on Atlantic Avenue.
North Bennet Street School
150 North St.
Founded in 1885, the North Bennet Street School gave immigrants the skills necessary to succeed in their new lives by providing vocational training in pottery, sewing, printing, watch repair, sheet metal work, cabinetmaking, jewelry making, and carpentry, helping generations become craftsmen and artisans. Today, the school has a worldwide reputation and continues to train fledgling artisans and craftspeople, with full-time programs in bookbinding, violin making and repair, piano technology, locksmithing, and furniture making. You don’t have to be a full-time student to take one of the excellent programs. Find a list of more than 100 continuing education classes here. There is also a gallery-store—featuring student, faculty, and alumni work—open to the public Monday through Thursday, from 7:30 am to 2 pm.
The Paul Revere House
19 North Square
Paul Revere, the famed silversmith, patriot, and Revolutionary War hero, lived with his family in the oldest building in downtown Boston from 1770 to 1800. Built around 1680, it has housed many immigrants to the North End since Revere lived there. In 1902, one of Revere’s great-grandsons bought the house to ensure its preservation. The Paul Revere Memorial Association was formed in 1907, and in 1908, the house was opened as one of the nation’s first historic house museums. Today, visitors can see a colonial garden, a 900-pound bell, and a bolt from the USS Constitution. The museum is open year-round and open from 10 am to 4:15 pm until April 15; it’s closed on Mondays during January, February, and March. There is also a student discount ($5.50) offered for admission.
Copp’s Hill Burying Ground
Hull Street
One of Boston’s most significant landmarks, Copp’s Hill Burying Ground is the city’s second-oldest cemetery, established in 1659. It is the resting place of many famous early Americans, including the ministers Cotton and Increase Mather and Edmund Hartt, the builder of the USS Constitution, as well as many craftspeople, artisans, and merchants who lived in the North End during the 17th and 18th centuries. The British took advantage of the hill’s height to train their cannons on Charlestown during the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775. Wear comfortable shoes to navigate the slight slope—the top offers a great view of downtown Boston and the Zakim Bridge and is worth the trek.
Boston Public Library North End Branch
25 Parmenter St.
This Boston Public Library branch offers more than just a great selection of books. Check out the online calendar of events to find listings for book discussions, toddler and baby storytimes, film screenings, live performances, and more. Modeled after a Roman villa—with a central courtyard, high ceilings, and oversized windows—the building is a relaxing spot to catch up on reading. Be sure to see the scale model of the Doge’s Palace in Venice and the library’s small Italian-language book collection. The library is closed on Sundays.
Regina Pizzeria
11½ Thatcher St.
Now with more than a dozen locations in Massachusetts and Connecticut, this is the popular chain’s original pizzeria—a mainstay of the North End since 1926. The secret-recipe pizza has a light and flavorful tomato sauce and all kinds of toppings, including a specially aged whole milk mozzarella. There’s a comprehensive wine and beer list and a sit-down bar in addition to the booths and tables. With a cozy and nostalgic atmosphere, it has colorful lighting, sports paraphernalia, and old pictures of staff members on the walls. Check out the full menu, with nearly 30 different pizzas, here. And be sure to check out the chain’s loyalty program for added savings.
Shake the Tree
67 Salem St.
If you’re looking for a new outfit or need to buy a nice gift for a friend, this charming independent boutique offers an array of fun, eclectic dresses, sweaters, scarves, and handmade jewelry. It also sells a variety of scented candles, lotions, perfumes, and soaps, as well as decorative dishes, distinctive barware, and a range of cookbooks. There is a section for babies and young children, with plush animals—there’s something for everyone! Pick up one of the store’s beautiful printed greeting cards to complete your gift.
Ernesto’s
69 Salem St.
This pizzeria is perfect, whether you’re looking for a quick slice or a whole pie. The pizzas are made with homemade dough and sauce and freshly grated cheese. Portions are large, prices are reasonable, and the walls are decorated with old framed posters and pictures, giving the place a casual, vintage feel. The staff is friendly and welcoming, even during the packed and hectic lunch hour.
Crudo
78 Salem St.
If Italian cuisine isn’t your favorite, head over to this sushi and sake joint for lunch or dinner. The eatery has become popular for its Japanese-inspired social plates, with a blend of pan-Asian cuisine. The restaurant features two floors of dining and two separate bars.
Polcari’s Coffee
105 Salem St.
Step into Polcari’s Coffee and your senses will be overwhelmed with competing aromas. This small shop sells more than just coffee beans and tea: you’ll find over 150 different spices, as well as fresh-cut cheeses, dried fruits, whole nuts, sauces, beans, Italian candies, and sweets like licorice chips. Try a new spice, indulge in some excellent chocolate, and enjoy the soundtrack of fun tunes. The shop has been a North End mainstay since 1932.
Al Dente Ristorante
109 Salem St.
Start your meal with one of Al Dente Ristorante’s award-winning appetizers, like shrimp scampi or eggplant rollatini, before selecting one of the dozens of entrées, which include numerous pasta, seafood, veal, and chicken selections. The grilled fig salad is delicious. The restaurant prides itself on serving specialty dishes from all regions of Italy, including a wonderful selection of pastas. It’s also the place for a romantic evening out: scenic paintings of Italy hang everywhere and soothing Italian music plays in the background. During warm-weather months, the restaurant offers outdoor dining, as well.
Mood Restaurant Cafe
115 Salem St.
This 100 percent Halal-Middle Eastern–fusion restaurant is a must-visit. It’s open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Be sure to try the shakshuka, the cream cheese crepes, and the Halva latte. You’ll also find omelettes, zucchini pancakes, a delicious prime rib sandwich served with tomatoes, arugula, burrata and pickled cherry peppers sauce, lamb meatballs, beef and chicken shawarma sandwiches, and much more.
Ristorante Euno
119 Salem St.
This cozy restaurant, one of Boston’s most romantic dining spots, serves scrumptious Italian food in an intimate setting. The interior is modeled on a Sicilian country house, with brick walls, big windows, and a candlelit downstairs dining room. The menu offers a range of dishes, from traditional pappardelle alla Bolognese and pappardelle panna e prosciutto (a handmade pappardelle pasta in a cream sauce topped with prosciutto) to goat cheese–stuffed artichokes and a vast array of daily specials.
Bova’s Bakery
134 Salem St.
Bova’s can be found on many lists of top North End restaurants and bakeries. They’ve been baking and serving delicious Italian cookies, breads, and pastries—including ricotta cannoli, tiramisu, and chocolate-covered strawberries—since 1926. Open 24 hours a day, it’s an ideal place to grab a late-night—or very early morning—snack.
Old North Church
193 Salem St.
Built in 1723, the Old North Church is Boston’s oldest standing church. The building’s historical significance was sealed on the night of April 18, 1775, when church sexton Robert Newman climbed the steeple and held two lanterns as a signal to Paul Revere that British troops were advancing on nearby Concord and Lexington by sea, not by land. That event was later immortalized in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s 1860 poem “Paul Revere’s Ride” (“One if by land, and two if by sea”).
The church attracts more than 500,000 visitors a year, and it’s well worth taking the 30-minute guided tour (available Tuesday through Saturday, 10 am to 4:20 pm). Visitors can walk through the church’s crypt and view the 37 tombs, constructed between 1732 and 1860. The church boasts the oldest bells in North America (installed in 1745 and restored in 1975 in preparation for America’s Bicentennial), and they’re rung each Sunday. Tours are $5 for the church, $10 for the church and crypt.
Also known as the Christ Church in the City of Boston (Episcopal), the Old North Church holds services each Sunday at 11 am.
Red Fox
326 Commercial St.
Are you a fan of the local Italian eateries Tony & Elaine’s and Ciao Roma? If so, you’re in luck. All Day Hospitality Group, which runs the two popular restaurants, opened this Italian restaurant and martini lounge in July 2024. Be sure to check out the orecchiette with pistachio pesto pasta and the seafood risotto—which is meant to be shared! You’ll also find red sauce classics like lasagna and spaghetti and meatballs. The carefully curated cocktail menu offers several martinis and negronis.
Getting there: By subway: take any Green Line trolley to Government Center, walk down the City Hall Plaza steps, cross Congress Street, and continue down Hanover Street, about a five-minute walk that takes you to the heart of the North End.
Click on the points in the map above for more information on the places listed in our guide to Boston’s North End.
This article was updated on February 20, 2025.
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