Boston – North End – A taste of Italy!
With an afternoon to spare on a perfect fall day in Cambridge we found ourselves in a fun neighborhood of Boston – North End. A couple of T-rides and we were in Haymarket – a tourist destination where we have been countless number of times. But today we ventured beyond the tourist attractions and behind the buildings to one of the most charming parts of Boston – also known as Little Italy! And on the way there we even spotted a HUGE farmer’s market where everything was $2! Now, the quality of produce was questionable but it was still amazing to see tents after tents of vendors.
Past the farmer’s market was a whole different world! The streets were narrow, the buildings mostly brick, the decor so charming, it took us back in time. Restaurants galore, most of them Italian, this place is food heaven! It was 4 in the afternoon and we saw lines forming outside some of the popular restaurants. What also amazed me was a mile long line outside Mike’s Pastry! Seriously, what does he put in those cannolies?
Besides the restaurants, I also spotted some nice boutiques where I obviously had to stop for quick snoop shopping 🙂 I spared Gagan the agony and made a mental note to go back there with a girlfriend.
Now Boston is the oldest city in the US and this being the oldest residential neighborhood, does this mean that this is the oldest neighborhood in the country? I’ll have to do some fact checking.
As we walked down the street, we spotted this cool coffee store which looked interesting so we went in.
Turns out they sell lot more than coffee. From their bulk bins, I bought french lentils for only $1.99/lb! I’ve seen them as high as $5.99. These will be awesome for my lentil salad. I took a photo just so I’ll remember the name of this place. You have to check it out! People were buying all kinds of coffee beans here. It smelled heavenly in there and the owners were such happy people.
Out on the main street there was this Pasta shop where you could buy all kinds of fresh pastas. Totally going back there!
We sampled some espresso gelato at a small italian cafe and finally escaped the hustle and bustle of the restaurant row to this quiet cafe on the next street over. A small cup of cappuccino was the perfect ending to a perfect day with Gagan.
If you are in the neighborhood or visiting Boston, North end is not to be missed! Most restaurants here require reservations so plan ahead for dinner. I know I will!
T-Stop – Orange Line – Haymarket
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