No longer hidden by the massive construction project The Big Dig, Boston’s North End seems set to attract even more visitors with its authentic Old World vibe, its 86 tempting and mouth-watering Italian restaurants and bakeries and its historical attractions like the Paul Revere House and the Old North Church. But Panorama wants to ensure you don’t shortchange yourself on getting the full North End experience. So, here’s a few suggestions for how to look beyond the pizza and cannoli and get the most out of your visit to one of Boston’s most vibrant and charming neighborhoods.
WHERE EVERYBODY
KNOWS YOUR NAME
Every neighborhood has that spot where the
locals can be found chatting away, weighing
in on matters both crucially important and
blissfully inconsequential. In the North
End, there are a number of such spots, but
one of the most popular hangouts for
longtime residents is
Caffe Graffiti (307 Hanover St.,
617-367-3016). One wall of the cozy café
(which serves hot and cold beverages, beer,
wine and liqueurs, as well as sinfully sweet
desserts) is filled with the scrawled
signatures of visitors from past decades.
But unlike those who have come and gone,
Graffiti also attracts a regular clientele
of permanent North End residents, making it
an excellent spot to hear the latest gossip,
watch as produce vendors stop their trucks
right on Hanover Street and hawk their wares
(in Italian) to local shopkeepers, or gather
with friends to watch the World Cup (hint:
Cheering for Italia is a good way to stay in
owner Luigi DeMarco’s good graces).
FRIED RICE,
ITALIAN-STYLE
The best part about visiting a neighborhood
known for its ethnic cuisine is the chance
to try something you can’t get anywhere
else, and the North End has lots of dishes
that qualify. One not to be missed, though,
is arancini—essentially a ball of rice
filled with ground beef, peas and tons of
gooey mozzarella cheese, then deep fried
until it takes on a warm, bronzed hue. (The
shape and color, in fact led to the
name—“arancina” is Italian for “little
orange.”) Locals agree that the best place
to get this classic Italian street food is
from the no-frills
Galleria Umberto (289 Hanover
St., 617-227-5709), a popular lunchtime
take-out joint known for its filling,
inexpensive food and long lines. Suggestion:
get there at the start of the lunch crowd
(11:30 a.m.) to beat the crowd and sample
this Sicilian delicacy.
HAVE A BALL
Langone Park on
Commercial Street, running right along where
the North End meets Boston Harbor, is hidden
away from the hustle and bustle of the
neighborhood’s shopping and dining scene.
It’s there that you’ll find the
North End bocce courts,
where all summer long the neighborhood’s
older residents (and some of the younger
ones) play bocce, a traditional Italian game
in which competitors gather on a 60-foot
long court of packed gravel dust and see who
can roll their small weighted balls closest
to a target called a pallino. (Some of you
may remember playing the Anglicized version
of the sport—lawn bowling—from childhood.)
The North End has bocce leagues, but games
often break out spontaneously to the
interest of passers-by or avid fans of the
game. Who knows? If the players like you,
maybe you’ll even be invited to take a shot
at the pallino yourself.
ESCAPE
THE GRIND
When you need a cup of java on-the-go, there
are plenty of places to stop in the North
End (not Starbucks, though—in the largely
chain-free North End, asking the natives for
one of those will likely bring a look of
horror and/or pitied amusement) and get your
coffee fix. But if you’re a brew-your-own
type, there’s only one place to truly
fulfill your craving:
Polcari’s Coffee (105 Salem St.,
617-227-0786). A North End landmark for
generations, the most aromatic family
business in the neighborhood sells exotic
and flavorful coffee beans from all corners
of the globe—as well as loose tea, dried
legumes, grains, rice and more than 150
types of spices and herbs. (And as summer
arrives, they also serve a mean slush for
the kids—served straight from the bucket in
the front doorway.) So, no matter what kind
of caffeinated beverage is your cup of tea,
Polcari’s represents a true Beantown
experience worth savoring.
THE SECRET
GARDEN
Even set apart from the rest of Boston as
the North End is, there’s no mistaking it
for the heart of the city. So, what’s a
North End denizen to do when they just want
to read a book under the shade of a quiet
tree? Well, if they’re in the know, they
slip away from the throngs of visitors to
the Old North Church
(195 Salem St.), around the corner to the
Washington Memorial Gate,
wherein lies a beautiful brick courtyard,
surrounded by benches and flowering plants,
at the center of which stands a shady
crabapple tree. It’s a spot you won’t find
on any map, perfect for taking a momentary
rest from your North End explorations.
TO
MARKET WE WILL GO
Geographically removed as it is from the
rest of Boston, it’s always been important
that the North End have its own quality
stores to provide residents with everything
they need to whip up delectable cuisine for
the traditional big family dinners. (Hey,
even North Enders can’t eat out all the
time.) Visitors can get the inside scoop on
the best neighborhood spots to get all the
best building blocks for culinary greatness
from Michele Topor’s North
End Market Tours (refer to
listing). Topor, a graduate of La
Scuola di Cucina in Bologna and a 30-year
resident of the North End, takes her guests
on a three-hour walking tour of the top
groceries, produce shops, liquor stores and
other specialty shops in the neighborhood,
perusing everything from the imported
chocolates, olive oils and Italian pine nuts
at Dairy Fresh Candies
(57 Salem St., 617-742-2639) to the
exquisite meats and cheeses at
Salumeria Italiana
(151 Richmond St., 617-523-8743). Once
you’ve taken Topor’s tour, you may not be
able to cook just like your sainted Italian
grandmother, but it won’t be for a lack of
stellar ingredients.
SMOKE ’EM IF YOU
GOT ’EM
Delicious cuisine abounds throughout the
North End, but man cannot live on bread
alone. That’s why the underground cigar bar
Stanza dei Sigari
(292 Hanover St., 617-227-0295) has evolved
into one of the North End’s most popular
hangouts for post-gustatory relaxation.
Those who love a good stogie will find a
couple dozen top varieties to choose from in
this former 1920s speakeasy, which they can
savor paired with fine cognac, scotch, port,
martinis and other liquid libations. There’s
even an exotic communal huqqa pipe for those
who want to partake of their smoke the
really old-fashioned way.
OLD WORLD
CRAFTSMANSHIP
It’s often lamented that “they don’t make
’em like they used to.” Well, in the North
End, there’s one place where they do make
’em—and by “’em,” we mean furniture, books,
musical instruments, locks and more—exactly
like they used to. The
North Bennet Street School is a
large, unassuming stone building wherein
students both young and old learn the
time-honored, tried-and-true method of
crafting objects by hand. While the working
school is generally open only to visitors on
special occasions, the NBSS this past winter
opened up a gallery (39 North Bennet St.,
617-227-0155) that displays and sells some
of the exquisite work done by students and
graduates, giving anyone with an
appreciation for new objects made in a very
old way a chance to oooh and ahhh.
SHOP ’TIL YOU
DROP
Finding a good restaurant in the North End
used to be like waiting for a bus—if you
waited on the corner long enough, one would
just show up nearby. But if you wanted a day
of shopping with the girls, it used to mean
hopping on the T and crossing town to
Newbury Street. Since autumn 2005, however,
nine brand-new businesses have opened in the
North End and—contrary to past patterns—none
were restaurants. Instead, the North End has
now become a burgeoning destination for
independent shops like the eclectic gift
boutique Shake the Tree
Gallery (95 Salem St.,
617-742-0484), designer denim shop
In-jean-ius (441
Hanover St., 617-523-5326), baby boutique
Bella Bambina (425
Hanover St., 617-722-6060),
Prima Donna (30
Prince St., 617-723-1267), which sells gifts
and clothing for children and dogs, and the
vintage thrift shop Karma
(26 Prince St., 617-723-8338).
back to homepage
Antico Forno, 93 Salem St.,
617-723-6733. Authentic brick-oven
cooking—from pizza to slow-roasted
chicken—is the hallmark of this
traditional Italian restaurant.
Artu, 6 Prince St., 617-742-4336. Locals swear it’s the place to go for the best eggplant parm in the North End, and chefs from other neighborhood restaurants can often be spotted there during their lunch breaks. Davide, 326 Commercial St., 617-227-5745 (pictured left). Lovers of Northern Italian cuisine have long flocked to Davide for its handmade pasta and ever-changing seasonal menu. Florentine Café, 333 Hanover St., 617-227-1777. One of the flagships of the North End restaurant scene, its wrap-around, ceiling-to-floor windows that open to the street make this a great spot to dine in good weather. Lucca, 226 Hanover St., 617-742-9200. Its overall warmth and upscale feel—not to mention the delicious food and extensive wine selection—make Lucca a popular destination. Mamma Maria, 3 North Square, 617-523-0077. Boasting a charming location in historic North Square, this restaurant is renowned for its five spacious dining rooms and delicious gourmet take on traditional Tuscan cuisine. Massimino’s Cucina Italia, 207 Endicott St., 617-523-5959. This off-the-beaten-path restaurant is lauded by patrons who enjoy creative variations on traditional Italian food. Neptune Oyster, 63 Salem St., 617-742-3474. This trendy new addition—a raw bar and seafood restaurant serving the freshest catch from New England waters—takes advantage of the North End’s proximity to the harbor. Strega, 379 Hanover St., 617-523-8481. A relative newcomer to the North End, Strega has made its name with great food and as a premier celebrity hang-out, with prominent athletes, politicians and entertainers frequently spied enjoying the sleek décor and tasty food. Volle Nolle, 351 Hanover St., 617-523-0003. This eclectic breakfast spot (the name means “willy-nilly” in Latin) is a find for a.m. visitors. Try the smoked salmon and egg sandwich as a step up from your Dunkin Donuts bagel. |