We adore the North End, Boston’s “Little Italy” (though absolutely no one calls it that, and you shouldn’t either… unless you want whoever you’re talking with to immediately know you’re a tourist!)
Definitely one of our favorite neighborhoods in Boston, it is charming, historic, and the perfect place to spend an afternoon.
The North End is a must-see on any visit to Boston. Not only is it home to many of Boston’s oldest surviving apartment buildings, but also arguably the best, most mouthwatering Italian eateries and cafés in the U.S.
While the North End is not exclusively populated by Italians anymore (and sadly has become very gentrified), there is still Italian culture everywhere, with festive flags, signs pointing to the “nearest” Italian cities, and more.
The neighborhood hosts huge festivals and parades on saint days, and you can still hear many elderly residents speaking Italian to each other as you explore its narrow streets. If you’re lucky, you may even witness little old Italian ladies shouting to each other from their balconies as they hang out their laundry. In fact, many Italian families have lived in the North End for generations.
Sadly, the area has become too expensive for most people (including us!) to live in, and many of its historic residents have been pushed out due to Boston’s skyrocketing housing costs.
Thought to be Boston’s first neighborhood, there is evidence that people have been living in the North End since the 1640s. Prior to much of Boston’s land being filled in (the Back Bay, for example, is built on filled land, meaning what used to be water was filled in artificially), the North End was a narrow peninsula reaching out into the sea, barely connected to the city proper.
The area began to gain prominence in the late 1700s due to one particularly famous resident– Paul Revere. In fact, the church where he famously hung his “one if by land, two if by sea” lantern signal (preceding his infamous “Midnight Ride” and the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which kicked off the American Revolution) is in the North End, the Old North Church. His house is also in the North End.
You can visit both on the Freedom Trail, a 2.5 mile tour of historic Boston. See our step-by-step guide to the Freedom Trail here.
After the American Revolution, the North End became home to shipbuilders, sailors, and others employed in sea-related trades, due to its close proximity to the newly-booming Boston Harbor. It didn’t take long for the area to become associated with gambling, drunkenness, and poorly-behaved sailors, and despite attempts by the city, churches, and others, the area fell into disrepair.
Despite now being synonymous with South Boston (Southie), the North End was actually the area where Irish immigrants poured in by the thousands in the 1840s and 1850s, fleeing the devastation of the Great Famine. By this time the area was widely considered a slum, and discrimination against the Irish was sadly rampant. In the late 1800s, the Irish shared the neighborhood with a large Jewish population arriving from Eastern Europe, who were very skilled tailors and seamstresses, and also opened lots of kosher shops and delis in the neighborhood, a few of which still exist today.
By the early 1900s, most of Boston’s Irish population had moved to Southie (still considered a bastion of Irish-ness today, as evident by its yearly St. Patrick’s Day Parade!) and much of the Jewish population had moved to areas like Brookline and Newton.
And now… Enter the Italians.
The neighborhood was still in very bad shape when the Italians began to arrive, with dilapidated tenements everywhere and organized crime (the Mob, Mafia, Cosa Nostra, etc.) flourishing. Italians experienced similar discrimination in seeking gainful employment that the Irish did, and often worked as fruit and vegetable salesmen, peddling their wares all over town. It wasn’t until after World War II that Italians began to run for political office and win, which allowed them to advocate for social justice and better resources for their community.
The Italian population in the North End peaked in the 1930s, with almost 50,000 Italians living together in the neighborhood. Despite having been on the decline since then, the North End remains remarkably and authentically Italian to this day. There are several churches to peek into, as well as a few small groceries and other shops that still operate today, too. See below for more details!
For more information, see this great article series on the North End’s history by NorthEndBoston.com!
Top 10 Sights + Things to Do
In and Around the North End
- Window shopping on Hanover Street: the main drag in the North End, Hanover Street is packed with shops, restaurants, and all the who’s-who of the North End. You’ll likely hear Italian spoken here, as well as very heavy traditional Boston accents. Whenever people ask us where they’re most likely to hear a really great Boston accent, we always recommend checking out the North End and Boston Harbor areas!
- Swinging benches at North Street Park: our favorite place to sit and enjoy cannoli or a slice of pizza, the North Street Park is located right at the entrance to the neighborhood, and serves as the unofficial divider between the North End and the rest of town. Recently revitalized, there are really neat swinging benches, fountains, and usually several adorable dogs in the vicinity. It’s a quick walk to Faneuil Hall and other Boston must-sees from here– in fact, you can practically see them from the park.
- The Old North Church + the Paul Revere Mall: As mentioned above, Paul Revere is certainly the North End’s most famous revolutionary resident. The Old North Church, and the Paul Revere Mall leading up to it, are both must-see’s on the Freedom Trail. There’s a majestic statue of Paul Revere on his horse on the mall, as well as a few colonial-era shops, like Clough House (chocolate shop) and a printing shop, both of which do live demonstrations with docents in period clothes. The Old North Church is worth a visit to check out its pews (many who had very famous previous owners!) and listen to a great presentation given by the staff. They have recently started charging for entry, but if you’re interested in revolutionary history, it’s certainly worth paying to visit.
- St. Stephen’s Catholic Church + St. Leonard’s Catholic Church: at the other extreme of the Paul Revere Mall from the Old North Church stands St. Stephen’s Church, built in 1802 by renowned architect Charles Bulfinch as the North Meeting House. Don’t miss a photo at All Saints Way nearby, an adorable alleyway filled with photos and icons of saints, built lovingly over time by North End resident Peter Baldassari. This is definitely one of Boston’s best “off-the-beaten-path” places. (For more off-the-beaten-path, check out our guide here.) Not too far away, on Hanover Street, is St. Leonard’s Church. Founded in 1873, it is thought to be the oldest church founded by Italian-Americans in the U.S. that is still standing, and has a lovely garden dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi that is a lovely place to stroll around and perhaps take a little break. There are often Franciscans around as well.
- Paul Revere’s House: a bit further along is the house where Paul Revere lived during the Revolution, still containing some of the family’s furniture and decorated with period furnishings. It costs $5 to enter, and you can check out their website here.
- The Boston Harbor, Harbor Islands Park, + Christopher Columbus Park: From Paul Revere’s house, it’s an easy walk to Atlantic Avenue (which later turns into Commercial Street) and the waterfront Christopher Columbus Park. Here, enjoy really nice water views from a lovely park. The Cookie Monstah truck is also often around if you’re in the mood for an enormous ice cream sandwich!
- Ice skating at Steriti Memorial Rink: If you have some free time, check out the Steriti Memorial Rink for ice skating, located nearby. It’s run and administered by the Department of Conservation and Recreation, and admission is free if you bring your own skates. They also have skates available to rent for $3, which is quite a steal!
- The New England Aquarium, Boston Harbor Cruises, + Whale Watching Tours: Another really pleasant way to spend an afternoon is at the New England Aquarium, or aboard one of the Boston Harbor’s boat rides. You can also check out whale watching, which was truly amazing– we saw 3 the day we went! While the whale-watching tour is certainly touristy, we absolutely loved it and really recommend it. The tour takes you way out on the Stellwagen Bank marine sanctuary, and you’ll see all sorts of fish and birds in addition to the whales. This was a truly special experience.
- Festivals, Feasts, and Processions: If you’re lucky enough to be in the North End for one of its various Italian festivals, feasts, or processions, you are in for a real treat. For a running list of dates and times, see here and here. A few favorites include the Fisherman’s Feast (mid-August), which has been a yearly tradition to bless the waters of the Harbor since 1911; St. Anthony’s Feast (late August), called the “Feast of All Feasts” by National Geographic with parades, street food, rides, and more; and San Gennaro’s Feast (mid-September.)
- Food! Of course the food in the North End is what brings most visitors to the area, so we’ve compiled our top recommendations for treats and sitdown meals below. Enjoy!
3 Treats to Try
- Cannoli at Mike’s Pastry vs. Modern Pastry (North End) Note: we recommend trying both, as the rivalry is epic! As we’ve said in other posts, we’re a house divided: Tegan is a Modern fan, while Alex is staunchly pro-Mike’s. If you’re not a cannoli fan, check out their other Italian desserts– the chocolate cake in particular is the bomb, and one slice will last you several sittings.
- Italian cookies at Bova’s Bakery Opened in 1932, if you’re seeking Italian cookies like the kind your great-grandma would make, this is the place.
- Gelato at Caffè Paradiso We especially recommend the pistachio flavor. They also have spectacular coffee and hot cocoa here.
Our 5 Favorite Restaurants + Recommended Dishes
- Fresh Pasta at Giacomo’s They make their pasta fresh each day, and the rule is that when they run out, they close for the night– whether that’s at 6PM or at 9PM. Note that folks often start lining up at 2PM or earlier to eat here, for a 5PM open, so Giacomo’s can be a bit of a time commitment. The zuppa di pesce, packed with seafood, is one of their most talked-about offerings, though we haven’t tried it yet!
- The North End Recipe at Regina’s Pizzeria Simply put, Regina’s is an institution. It originally opened in 1926, and is still owned by the Polcari family today.
Similarly to Giacomo’s, Regina’s also doesn’t take reservations and has a very small interior, so try to go at off hours, perhaps for lunch or weekday dinner. However, if it comes down to it… wait. The tiny interior is cozy and homey, and that wood-fired oven pizza can’t be beat.
The North End Recipe is a classic cheese pizza with their secret mix of cheeses and of course home-made marinara sauce. Their crust is known for being a bit burnt, so if you really don’t want that make sure to tell your server. Lastly, we love sitting at the bar– the bartenders are always friendly, you get seated faster, and maybe you’ll even hear some Italian gossip. - Squid Ink Pasta at Trattoria di Monica (AKA Vinoteca di Monica) The decor here is really cute, with lots of exposed brick, and the server staff is always really nice and helpful. The squid ink pasta with scallops is our favorite dish so far, and you can also often get a reservation here.
- Lasagna at Antico Forno While perhaps a bit more touristy/less authentic, we like Antico Forno because you can make reservations AND there’s a good chance you can just walk in, even if you don’t have a reservation. The lasagna here is absolutely to-die-for, loaded with veggies and lots of layers. The lobster ravioli and pizza selections are also quite good, but we don’t recommend the gnocchi.
- Anything with seafood at The Daily Catch You can’t go wrong with any of the seafood offerings at The Daily Catch. The food is super fresh and the restaurant is a lot more casual than others in the area. Note that it’s cash only!
We hope you enjoyed your time in the North End! Even when the narrow sidewalks are packed with tourists, it’s impossible not to have a good time in the North End, and to leave charmed, delighted, and packed with food– in that order!
For more Boston and Boston-area content, we hope you’ll check out our Boston landing page here.
6 comments
I will certainly try Giacomo’s next time I visit Boston. Regina’s pizza is fantastic!
I’ve never been to Boston! Pinning this great list to my travel board so I can have it ready.
Let us know if you need any other tips! 🙂
Thank you for sharing, thats a great post with a lot of information! I wanna travel again 😛
We can’t wait to travel either!
Great post, thank you for sharing and I love the photos. It felts like I am there.
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