I wonder if the North End is still an authentic ethnic neighborhood, as its been a while since the Italians started immigrating to Boston. But you can still here plenty of Italian spoken on Hanover St., the main drag. Boston's North End is one of my favorite areas in this city. I've spent several Saturdays wandering through the narrow old-world style streets on my way from Haymarket, Fanueil Hall or Downtown Crossing, just a short walk away. There are several great Italian style cafes, including ones that specialize in gelatto, pastries, espresso, cigars, wine and liquors. Also you can find small Italian markets with cheese, olives, salami and fresh pasta. Lastly, there are small clothing and jewelry shops that are fun to wander in and out of. Here are some pictures of my favorite places.
Photos #6, 7 - GQ magazine's June 2009 issue featured Galleria Umberto #19 out of #25 of the Best Pizzas on Earth, reporting "it represents what Boston's North End once was: bedrock Italian, absolutely old-world..." I had to see if it was true. In fact, the best part of Galleria Umberto is the feeling you get as you walk in, that you are suddenly in a more simple time and place, say a Goodfellas movie. The pizza was really good (not excellent), but the prices are fantastic. Only $1.45 a slice! Also they serve beer, which is a big deal for a small pizza place in Boston where it is difficult to get a liquor license. The menu is simple, the prices are really low and the food is good. Beware, they are only open for lunch and close at 2pm.
#3, 4, 5 Mike's Pastry: this place is in all the tour guides, as it should be. It is just the coolest place because they have all the Italian desserts you could think of. They are always super packed and you have to be a little aggressive to get your order (cash only), but its worth it for an indulgent sweet and some fun people watching. I've tried the canolli, Boston cream puff, tiramisu and oreo cake, all good. And they serve espresso with really cool rock-candy sugar on a wooden stick (to sweeten to taste).
#2 Modern Pastry: similar to Mike's Pastry but not as much seating and usually a longer line, so its been a really long time since I've been there, but I remember it was good when I did go. Next door is the Paradiso, a cafe where you can order just about anything you want: coffee, wine, beer, ice cream, food, etc. I remember meeting my friend Kate Tighe and her friend Tezeta there a while ago and it was really nice.
#1 A Great little Italian market, The Salumeria Italiano