Il Pastificio

Walking into Bricco feels like a memory, one that is unfortunately not my own, but one that I'm…read moreappreciative to be welcomed into. It harkens to a bygone era of Italian grocers with such authenticity, today it conveys an almost suspiciously genuine quality. It's as though I'm on the set of a movie as local shoppers briskly enter the shop & point to which hanging salamis and hand-shaped pastas they want to take home. Due to a condition (living in Tennessee), I'm only able to have the chicken Parmesan sandwich here about once a year. It's a sandwich I reminisce about with my family and work into conversations with friends and strangers alike. The bread is fresh and chewy, the sauce bright and acidic, and the chicken lightly breaded, perfectly fried, and tender. You can taste each ingredient in every bite. Every element is perfectly executed in its own right, yet somehow made even better in harmony. Recently while devouring my third of the massive sandwich, a little chicken cutlet tumbled to the ground. I'm talking: the GROUND. Outside. Pavement. When no one was looking, I slyly dipped down, picked it up, and ate it. I'm not necessarily proud of this action, but I'm also not ashamed. If you didn't believe the 5 Second Rule before Bricco, let the chicken Parmesan sandwich convert you. Taste and see!

Down the mysterious looking alley hides a charming deli and bakery!! As we were on a food tour, we…read moredidn't have time to wait in line to buy sandwiches from the cute deli, but after watching the ladies making pasta through the window, I did manage to make my way down the stairs to the bakery for a look and got talked into buying a sfogliatelle from the lady standing behind me. The bakery is cash only and sells a variety of breads: baguettes, ciabatta, sourdough, & olive bread. In addition to the sfogliatelle, they sell muffins, croissants, and focaccia and muffins. The sfogliatelle was pretty good, the pastry was crispy and flaky and the lemon ricotta filling was very rich and creamy. I would've loved to have a couple loaves of the bread, but there was no way I was going to be able to bring it home as I was already maxed out with my carry ons!

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Monica’s Pasta Shop

4.3(32 reviews)

Have walked by a million times and finally stopped in today. Picked up a pound of pacceri and a…read morepound of bucatini. We also got a block of guanculi and some fresh grated reggiano. They also had other meats, cheeses, olives, and sauces. Total was $44.44 which I thought was reasonable for the high quality ingredients. If you are lucky enough to find street parking in the North End-most spots are free for 2 hours.

I was on the hunt for a great fresh pasta shop in Boston to gather some treats to take home on our…read moreflight to Indianapolis and Monica's popped up on Yelp. The staff was incredibly friendly in this cozy little pasta shop in the north end neighborhood. We selected a pasta nest for each family member and bagged them up for the road. The next day we thoroughly enjoyed our fresh spinach paparadelle and bucatini. Chef's kiss The store also offers a variety of classic Italian items like cheese, risotto, and Moore. Definitely worth a pitstop as you work your way through this tasty neighborhood.

OMG!!! I found my favorite lemon iced tea!

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Our Prepared foods, Imported Meats & Cheeses and more!

Salumeria Italiana

4.6(242 reviews)

Friendly staff. We…read moregot 2 sandwiches. Prosciutto sandwich was very good. Simple and tastes like homemade. A little skimpy in the meat to bread ratio. Mozzarella delicious Turkey sub was very good. Tomato pesto was great. Flavorful sandwich. Fresh bread we also bought. Excellent. Small mom and pop deli with great Italian products and staff. Will return

If you're feeling like a classic north end deli feel you won't be disappointed here. Found service…read moreto be extremely fast and pleasant. I found the bread was a little different than normal and a nice mix of firm and soft. Went with the Italiano and it was exactly what I expect from the north end. No seating but nice park nearby.

The Original

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Monica's Mercato

4.3(752 reviews)

2.7 mi•North End

Arguably the best sandwich in Boston I was not let down by Monica's…read more The line was long on a Sunday but very orderly and went smoothly. The sandwiches themselves are massive and freshly made. The bread is the right amount of soft to crust. All in all I wouldn't change a thing it's definitely a must go.

We stopped in before heading to TD Garden for a Hockey East championship game... I think my wife's…read morecomment was, "this is easily the best italian I've ever had". She was talking about the classic (cold cut) italian - I had to disagree because I thought that the steak italian in my hands was the best sandwich I'd ever had. From the soft bread, with loads of flavor, to the contents... it hit at a 10/10 level. Be prepared for a wait - they don't operate at lightspeed. But, in my opinion, the wait and the steep price is aboslutely worth it!

Italian sub

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Monica's Mercado 10/2022

Carmelina's

4.5(4.4k reviews)

•$$$

The food was amazing from the bread and oil mix to our meals !…read more It's a very busy fast paced place but everything is made to order and soo good

So delicious. Highly recommend. Definitely need a reservation. Service was great. Wine was deliciousread more

Bolognese

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Grazie @foodieauthority Spicy Shrimp

Alba Produce

5.0(11 reviews)

Alba Produce has been in operation for decades. I used to buy my produce from Albie's father when…read morehe had a woodburning stove in the shop and would bake fruit atop that stove. It was always aromatic and a pleasure to shop there. In the days since Albie took over the store it is still the best produce shop in Boston. It is certainly superior to the other shops in the North End and Star and Stop And Shop markets. In addition to produce, Albie carries fresh pasta! And he is honest to a fault; He will tell you what is good, better, best in his stock. I just wish that I had his phone number so that I could order in advance and have someone collect my order. Albie is a sweet, kind, thoughtful and a gentleman so it is always a treat to shop in his store.

Great experience here! New to Boston and stumbled upon it. Owner is very friendly and produce is…read moregreat. He keeps stuff in the back in addition to what is already out.

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Giacomo's Ristorante - Boston

4.1(4.5k reviews)

2.7 mi•North End

This has got to be my favorite place for genuine Italian eats in the NE US. Always perfect - the…read moremussels with some bread is my go to, it is just THAT GOOD, I could drink the flavorful broth that accompanies the shellfish. The squid ink pasta is an absolute gem - wonderful texture, a light briny flavor and just perfect with a bit of butter, garlic and whatever love they put into. My husband and I will always find a way to this spot whenever we are near Boston (we now live in Maine).

Renowned Boston Italian restaurant specializing in seafood. Just to reiterate the staff before you…read morecome, it's CASH ONLY (there's an atm at the front of you need some), expect to pay around $30 per entree. Staff is gruff but efficient. The line does move very fast and Gicomo's has expanded to a second sitting area for more space. Ordered the fried calamari platter appetizer and fra diovolo with shrimp and scallops. The former was very very mediocre; it was fresh but the batter seemed soggy and the sauce was watery and weak. However, the fra diovolo was fantastic. Al dente noodles cooked to perfection and the scallops and shrimps were large, juicy, and tender. I'd recommend it for sure; it's one of those dishes you'll definitely be sopping the bread with the leftover sauce (which you should do anyway). Just FYI, it's not spicy at all. Honestly, Giacomo's was a bit disappointing, considering the hype. But I'd still want to come back, and I'm glad I tried it.

More menu

Frutti di Mare Linguine

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Tiny upstairs dining area with a great view

Isabella Ristorante

4.5(660 reviews)

Amazing little spot in the Boston North End. We walked in…read morejust before lunch and were seated immediately. Recommend reservations for dinner as others have mentioned as it's relatively small, but cozy and reminiscent of some of my favorite Italy spots. Service was personal, immediate and wonderful. Bread was great as appetizer and filling. We ordered two specials and were VERY happy we did (see photos).

I recently visited Isabella Ristorante in the North End and had a really enjoyable dinner overall…read more I'd definitely recommend making a reservation because the restaurant fills up quickly, especially during dinner hours. One small thing -- maybe it was just me, but the entrance was a little difficult to find at first since it's mainly just a door from the outside. There were also tables seated very close to the entrance, which made it feel a bit cramped and awkward walking in and out. Our waiter was friendly and nice, though the service did feel a little rushed at times. That said, the food was absolutely delicious. We started with the calamari to share, and it was beautifully prepared -- crispy, fresh, and not overly heavy. For my entree, I ordered the seafood pasta and really loved it. The seafood tasted fresh, the pasta was cooked perfectly, and the flavors all came together really well.

The wine wall at Isabella Ristorante.

Eggplant Parmesan

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Little Italy on a beautiful Boston night.

Theo's Cozy Corner

4.5(836 reviews)

2.6 mi•North End

5-star experience at Theo's Cozy Corner this morning. Owner Theo came from Brazil in 1989, started…read moreworking here as a dishwasher and bought the business a few years later. Smart man, great little corner. (Note: I asked him his story, he's attentive yet will leave you alone if you don't want to chat.) This place is clean, the menu variety is plentiful without being overwhelming. Prices are extremely reasonable. Food is fast, high quality, and tasty. I've found my go to breakfast spot when I'm in the area, I'll be back! Of note, bring your debit card for the ATM next door. Cash only.

A dope little cafe with incredible Brazilian flair! The breakfast was delicious and for that added…read morekick, try the homemade hot sauce! Cash ONLY! But there is an ATM next door. (They insisted it was ok to pay afterwards) SERVICE was awesome!!

Definitely a cute little cozy corner

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Cozy space, good food

Tony & Elaine’s

4.2(437 reviews)

2.6 mi•North End

Your classic Mom and Pop!…read more Making a choice in the north end for Italian isn't easy but I am a firm believer in small menus=food quality and the sure met those guidelines. For the table we started with the classic Cesare and calamari. The salad was standard but the calamari was perfectly cooked, lightly battered with your classic marinara you can't beat. For entrees we enjoyed the chicken parm with vodka sauce as well as the shrimp scampi. Both delicious but the rigatoni was more over el dente than usual. The bread had great flavor but you can definitely tell it had been sitting out due to the stiffness. The spot was packed and we witnessed first hand if you have no reservations you're out of luck! Ambiance feels like your Nona's house on a Sunday night! Outside seating would have been great to avoid the loud noise inside but they would benefit from outdoor heaters!

This is a small place with limited seating. We ordered chicken Parmesan and shrimp scampi. They…read morebrought out complimentary bread and oil. The bread had good flavor but was burned on the bottom so it wasn't great. The pasta is AL DENTE meaning it's harder. In my case, I like my pasta done but definitely not mushy so this was a little harder than I prefer. The sauce was good and so was the chicken. The shrimp scampi noodles were also al dente. We both rated our dishes a 3. The service was ok. Nothing special but not bad either.