Being in Boston, you’re exposed to a variety of flavors. There’s the always-fabulous Italian cuisine in the North End, the taste of Asian delicacy in Chinatown, and a touch of Irish deliciousness in and around Faneuil Hall. But even after you’ve eaten everything on your plate, there’s still room in there for a little something sweet.
Nestled in the back edges of the North End, a place we like to call Little Italy, are a few shops serving up the best pastries since—well, since ever. Bova’s Bakery and Mike’s Pastry are two of the many pastry shops lining the streets of the North End. There, they serve up cannolis of all shapes, sizes, and flavors, cupcakes to die for, and cakes that will leave you ready to sell your soul for just one more bite.
And while we recommend trying sweets from both shops, if you’re in a time crunch, or you just don’t think your stomach could handle all the deliciousness that these two shops can bring, here’s a quick breakdown of the two sugary safe havens.
Located at 300 Hanover St, Mike’s Pastry is an open and inviting shop full of sweet treats that will leave your mouth watering. It’s nearly impossible to step into this shop and leave without at least a box full of goodies.
Here, they are known for having some of the best cannolis known to man—no seriously, they’re perfect. There’s chocolate covered and chocolate chip and pistachio and pecan caramel and peanut butter and the list goes on and on. Not to mention, these cannolis are HUGE. Totally worth the $3.50!
And if cannolis aren’t your thing, don’t worry! They’ve got cupcakes of all different flavors, from traditional to red velvet and everything in between! They have a vast array of cakes and cheesecakes, peanut butter and red velvet, Oreo and chocolate fudge. But it doesn’t stop there!
They have Biscotti that is simply scrumptious, and marzipan that will leave your mouth open in awe. This shop really has a little bit of everything considering they even have gelato. What?! Count us in.
But just one street over at 134 Salem St. is Bova’s Bakery. One look inside and you’ll feel like you’ve been transported to an old Italian village. Cases upon cases of sweets line the store. Here, they have cannolis and cake and cookies and tarts and whoopie pies and biscotti and—oh my we could continue for days. It’s hard to get the same thing twice when there’s such a variety of options to choose from! It’s a true, authentic bakery that has been family owned and operated since 1932!
And don’t you worry about a midnight sweet tooth, because this bakery is open twenty four seven! And not only that, but their products are made fresh around the clock—talk about dedication. You can taste the love as you bite into the fresh biscotti, or as you stuff your face with the beautifully crafted whoopee pies.
Looking for something a little less sweet? Don’t you worry! At Bova’s, not only do they sell sugary goodies, but they also sell loaves of delicious bread—seriously we could eat a loaf in one sitting it’s so good. And they also sell deli-style sandwiches, pizza and calzones! Talk about having it all, Bova’s really takes the cake—no pun intended.
These are just two of the many options open to the people of Boston, but they are two of the most infamous, and most delicious. Especially after a long day of class, or a long night of something a lot more interesting, these two spots are sure to satisfy any craving you could possibly have. And considering how close they are to Emerson, they are a must to try out!