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Given its geographical location, Boston quickly came to rely on its port for commerce and sustenance. Trade was paramount and it was the emergence of Boston’s maritime merchants – trading goods like tea, sugar, fish, and tobacco – which ultimately led to a collision course with the British Empire. As the China Trade grew, along with Boston’s reliance on tea as an import and an export, and as Britain’s East India Company depreciated, a fraught situation developed; Britain, facing debt and discord, transferred war debts and trading deficits to its colonies. Boston was in a state of defiance and non-compliance from the outset. As the British Parliament passed a succession of acts aimed at taxing the colonists and restricting their political power, leading figures such as Sam Adams, John Hancock, John Adams and Paul Revere initiated a movement which transcended class lines and drove the people of Boston into open rebellion. Catalytic events such as the Boston Massacre and Boston Tea Party drove events inexorably towards revolution. By the time Paul Revere road into the countryside on April 18, 1775, the city of Boston was ready to fight. The Battle of Bunker Hill occurred two months later and by early 1776 General George Washington was in Boston to take control of the Continental Army. Following American Independence, Boston’s economy entered a new era of Clipper Ships, textile manufacturing and global trade. In terms of social and political developments, abolitionist fervor took the town by storm, led by Charles Sumner and William Lloyd Garrison and supported by a vociferous contingent of female abolitionists. Boston was home to a vibrant and active African-American community which populated Beacon Hill during this era; the first African-American Church, Meeting House, and School were all founded on Beacon Hill. Also during this era, America’s nascent literary culture began to find its voice as esteemed Boston writers such as Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and James Russell Lowell ushered in a prolific era of American writing. In the mid to late 19th century Boston underwent dramatic change to its landscape and population. The arrival of immigrants from Ireland during the Potato Famine, and then from Italy, Germany, and Poland later in the century, fundamentally changed Boston’s human makeup and political leanings. Boston’s older caste, the Republican Yankee establishment, was slowly pushed to the margins of Boston’s political life. While the Yankees maintained control of Boston’s economic and educational institutions, Irish and Italian immigrants took over the city’s political apparatus. The immigrants brought to Boston a bevy of skilled and unskilled labor that was critical to Boston’s physical development beyond its downtown and port peninsula. Boston had outgrown its physical size by the 1840s and needed to create new land With the help of Irish labor, the city developed the South End and then the Back Bay, relocating the Yankees during the 1860s and 1870s to the Victorian brownstones and town houses so associated with Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood. Soon enough, iconic landmarks such as Trinity Church and the Boston Public Library existed in the Back Bay as well. Not bad for an area that had been part of the Charles River Basin for millennia untold. Always innovative, Boston spearheaded a number of firsts throughout the mid-19th century and early 20th century; ether was used as the first anesthetic at MGH, the nation’s first subway system went into operation, Alexander Graham Bell patented the telephone, and the first mutual fund went public courtesy of MA Financial Services. The city contracted with Frederick Law Olmstead to beautify Boston with a network of urban parks stretching from the Boston Common to Jamaica Plain. The Emerald Necklace was born and the project included the creation of the Back Bay Fens which, in turn, facilitated the development of Fenway Park, the oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball. In the 20th century Boston continued its emergence as an innovation hub and world-class city. MIT moved across the river to Cambridge and transformed from a college to a world-class institute of engineering and technology. Bizarre and controversial events such as the North End Molasses Flood, Boston Police Strike, Brinks Robbery, Boston Strangler crimes, busing crisis, and destruction of the West End caused a fair share of intrigue and discordance while political figures such as James Michael Curley, John F. Kennedy, Thomas Tip O’Neill, Kevin White, and Michael Dukakis became household names. As the nation celebrated its bicentennial in 1976, Boston used funds generated from the anniversary to transform and revitalize Faneuil Hall Marketplace and create the Boston National Historical Park. In the 1980s and 1990s, monumental tasks were undertaken to make Boston a cleaner, more aesthetically-pleasing city. The cleanup of Boston Harbor and creation of the Big Dig were the most prominent examples. Boston Harbor is now one of the cleanest urban harbors in the world. And while the Big Dig vastly exceeded its allotted budget and timeframe, it was a transformative project of unprecedented size that made Boston more efficient for travelers and more beautiful for tourists. The sprawling Rose Kennedy Greenway atop I-93 is a lush urban space affording visitors and residents alike relaxation and recreation within the city center, not to mention eclectic artisan markets, food trucks, public art installations, outdoor movies and interactive festivals. As Boston looks ahead to 2017 and beyond, the development of One Seaport Square and the Innovation District in South Boston will hum along and continue to bring new industries of life sciences, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and consumer technology to the bustling district. General Electric will relocate its headquarters to Bostons Seaport District at some point in the next year. Alongside the Seaport District, Kendall Square in Cambridge makes Greater Boston one of the worlds foremost innovation clusters, and a hotbed of biotech engineering and life sciences research and development. Boston will continue to embrace its past while formulating next steps to encourage the multiculturalism, inclusivity, and youthful character which collectively make the city a great cosmopolitan hub.

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I mean Monica’s is probably the best sandwich I’ve ever eaten, I love Dinos take out, I frequently buy bread from Bovas, and that’s all on one street corner

Stanza dei Sigari is the best cigar bar in the area.

Before other liquor stores caught up, V. Cirace & Sons was one of the few places to get obscure cocktail ingredients. They still get amaro that other stores have never even heard of, but for the ones found elsewhere, the price is a touch high.

I like the sandwiches at Monica's Mercado but otherwise I agree. I'm not originally from Boston but I was very surprised at how mediocre most of the Italian places are. You're right it is a tourist trap a bit at this point.

Otherwise in the summer it's a fun place to check out when things like the feasts or other events are going on.

Walking around the north end during a summer afternoon like a random Wednesday at 1pm is especially nice. Avoid the weekends.

Good cheese shops.

You can shop at the Coast Guard Exchange if you are active, retired or reserve military personnel.

I like going to Improv Asylum every year or two.

It's walkable to downtown and the waterfront with a huge concentration of restaurants and other shops. If you don't care for it no one is forcing you to go there, but it's silly to act as if it's only for tourists.

^ this

dope ass sandwiches

It is mediocre and a tourist trap. I laugh when people try to tell me it's a foodie destination or that it's "like Europe". Just no.

Hit up Galleria Umberto on a weekday (to avoid crowds) for some cheap Sicilian pizza, calzones, or arancini. Buon appetito!

Avoid everywhere on the weekends.

It is as “like Europe” as any place in the US and there are many ridiculously cheesy touristy cities in Europe these days. The North End is great, you just have to know which spots to hit up.

Even on the weekdays, I would recommend getting there right when it opens at 11A, before the line starts forming. Otherwise, you’ll be waiting in line 20-30 minutes, just to order.

I’d go there for raw ingredients. The salumerias are really good, as are the bakeries and wine shops. Alba produce has amazing produce. Like really, really good. For non Italian, Tenoch Mexican is really good. There are a couple of good restaurants but I don’t really eat out here (or anywhere).

Bovas

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I believe you, that’s why I asked!

For real can we nuke these

Any in particular you recommend? Esp for dinner?

They're so useless and annoying.

I lived in the north end for a couple years. It's charming on weeknights in the winter when you can waltz into any restaurant. My favorite restaurants were Benevento's and Vinoteca di Monica.

I like Giacomos and Neptunes and I have impeccable taste. I won’t be taking questions.

Bova Bakery

Bricco salumeria has the best sandwiches

I'm a huge fan of Parziale's (around the corner from Bova). Really good bread, cookies, and fantastic Sicilian pizza.

It can be hit or miss but there’s some really great restaurants and bakeries if you can sift through the tourist traps. Also pretty entertaining for people watching but Hanover can erupt into a shitshow pretty quickly on the weekends.

Walk around the small side streets. There’s great architecture and a lot of history. Then get a cocktail at the Corner Cafe.

Any restaurant recommendations?

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Giacomos (cash only and first come first serve) and la familia Giorgio’s are probably my two favs. Carmelinas is pretty good as well. For drinks I love love Parla. I wouldn’t go for a nice dinner, but Parla has this awesome dungeon crawler cocktail menu where you roll a die and they bring you special surprise drinks and you fill out a loyalty card. Can get expensive, but the drinks are great and it’s a fun little experience.

Ooooooh. Parla sounds awesome, just maybe not with my second grader! A different outing.

But we went to Famiglia Giorgio’s tonight and I have to say, eh? It was fine? Not trying to knock you - I’m thrilled if you like it. But it was exactly what I’m thinking the North End has: big plates of mediocre Italian food. Like fancyish food from the eighties everywhere. Maybe just not my cup of tea.

Table (and Table Mercado next door), Neptune Oyster, Regina's, Mamma Maria are all excellent.

Ah, no worries. It also depends on what you get I suppose. Haven’t been there in over a year, so maybe quality has gone down? Usually liked their chicken parm and calamari. Also their portions can be more family style, which I agree, is sort of annoying.

Def not second grader vibes at Parla. Unless they’re helping to carry you out the door 😂

The rugula is pretty excellent also

I agree with your impeccable taste. Neptune has the best lobster rolls in Boston.

Spaghetti, cannoli, improv comedy, lobster roll

Florentine cannoli at Mike’s Pastry. The one and only thing worth braving the crowds and the lines. Worth the hassle.

it’s nice when it isn’t packed but i’d just assume go to medford for italian food

It's a great place to hear restaurant owners bitch about outdoor dining, or the lack thereof.

I don't think there are many other neighborhoods in the city where there's more than one place to get a loaf of fresh baked bread from a place that isn't part of a chain which is pretty cool. Just walking around the side streets is a different vibe than the rest of the city and most cities in the US. Parla also rocks.

Galleria Umberto is awesome. Ernesto's makes good pizza too.

The feasts during the summer are fun.

Suasday Sandwich Co.

Cannot recommend enough. Its a newer Cambodian dine in/take out right on Hanover. I went last month and its 4.9 on google is an understatement! Their egg rolls are amazing and their sandwiches are 👌👌👌.

Ernesto’s for margarita pizza. Not a luxury sit down place at all though. IMO the best foods I’ve had are always holes in the wall.

Ernesto's is all you need, everything else is just extra

Bovas and Dinos! Right across from each other.

Avoid Carmelinas.

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North end fish market has the best salmon sushi deal in town

Table, Parla.

Those tortas at Tenoch are amazing. Carne asada torta 🤤🤤

I’ve lived here 8 years. Best pizza is locale, hands down. Rinas has amazing classic pepperoni or cheese slices. Parziales Bakery has the best Sicilian style pizza. Order a single slice or a whole pan, it’s so underrated. I feel like I typically avoid tourist traps, and none of these are ever too busy.

And hit up the underground bakery while you're there!

Maybe a personal thing, but I think the bread they use detracts from an otherwise great sandwich. It's too hard, so when you bite in everything gets pushed out. This is a critical L for something like an Italian or meatball sub especially.

Otherwise, I agree that the contents are excellent and they are fairly priced given the portion size and location.

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It’s the only cigar bar in the area lol

Lived in the North End for 20 years and Locale is the only restaurant I go to or order from,

Never ate there, but I have had this problem with sandwiches, including slightly chewed up gums from them. Avoid sandwiches on baguette in the US.

Pagiluca’s or Tony and Elaine’s - still have things like “house wine” - really no frills dining - affordable good food

Speaking of raw ingredients I never see anyone mention Sulmona meat market owned by a family from Sulmona Italy it is a great butcher with decent prices and probably the oldest chopping block I have ever seen. They also provide meat to all of the north ends returaunts.

Polcari's Coffee is also a nice place to pick up spices and good coffee.

The new ice cream shop on Salem is pretty good too. I think it’s the same owner as lulus.

La Summa is a great side-street restaurant that serves incredible Sicilian/Italian food. My family is Italian-American and the restaurant is Italian-American family owned. My family has been going there for years - definitely not a tourist trap and is affordable compared to many other places in the city and even area.

Best Italian sandwich at Monica's.

https://www.reddit.com/r/boston/comments/x4h6m3/comment/imx51u5/?context=3

The Boston Cigar Club in Charlestown is on the other side of the Zakim from the North End.

No issue with the question, but I kinda feel like the detraction in the replies is missing the point - the North End IS by and large the kind of place you'd have gone out with your grandparents in 1989. I don't really think that makes it a tourist trap in itself - if you're hearing it's the best place for Italian food ever, then sure, but really it's just a long time Italian American neighborhood where the vast majority of restaurants serve classic Italian American red sauce food. I love that kind of food, but I don't think it's too controversial to say you can only elevate it so high.

Fair. I often forget Charlestown exists to be honest. It’s the only one downtown on that side of the river I’m aware of.

I miss the original Piccolo Venezia. There's really been no place like it since they moved from Salem St. I like Locale for pizza. Neptune is still amazing but only if you're in the mood to wait in line. These days I go more for shopping, believe it or not. It's one of the few neighborhoods that have independently-owned shops like Shake the Tree, Loft + Vine, the hat store that I forgot the name of, is the vintage shop on Salem St still open? And there's a really nice bookstore.

Salmagundi! Unfortunately the vintage place closed.

This guy Nappi’s

I just go to have a coffee in Vittoria

Good food everywhere. Don’t go there at peak times though. The place is always slammed with tourists and cars

🙁

Dino's is great for no nonsense service (it's counter ordering) and excellent food. My wife used to live in the North End and she introduced me to it, otherwise it's a place that would go unnoticed.

Daily Catch is great as well as Carmelina's and Dino's.