North End Food Tour Boston: Award-Winning Pizza, Pasta & Cannoli

Nine tastings through a neighborhood most visitors miss, told by someone who grew up there.

A 3.5-hour walking food tour of Boston's North End neighborhood with a professional local guide, stopping at nine award-winning establishments for tastings that add up to a full meal. The guide, an Italian-American native Bostonian and culinary school graduate, weaves neighborhood history and introductions to longtime locals between bites of James Beard-recognized pizza, Time magazine-featured pasta, Best of Boston bread and sandwiches, and a filled-to-order cannoli from a 1930s institution. Food, taxes and gratuities are included; children from age 2 are welcome, and the route is wheelchair accessible.

Step-by-step itinerary

North End Neighborhood Food Tour

• Meet at Tony DeMarco Statue
• Visit iconic pizza spot
• See Old North Church exterior
• Taste Best of Boston Italian sub
• Enjoy artisanal bread at bakery
• Taste fresh mozzarella at salumeria
• Try quality chocolate bon bons
• Drink espresso or lemon slush
• Sample fried calamari at takeout counter
• Eat pasta at Ristorante Limoncello
• Have iconic cannoli for dessert

The Experience

Start at the Tony DeMarco Statue at Hanover and Cross Streets at 10:30 a.m. (11:30 a.m. on Sundays). The first stop is Galleria Umberto, where TripAdvisor ranked the pizza #1 in the country twice — old-school Sicilian slices that have earned a James Beard Classic Restaurant Award. From there the route moves through the neighborhood's back alleys and storefronts: a Best of Boston sandwich at a historic spot near the Old North Church, then The Bricco, a three-time Best of Boston bread bakery tucked into a hidden alley, where you'll taste their top-selling artisanal loaves.

The guide stops at a Food Network-featured salumeria for house-made fresh mozzarella and aged balsamic, then a newer chocolate shop known for hand-painted artisanal bon bons (Saturday tastings include natural wines when available). Polcari's Coffee, described by the press as a time capsule general store, serves espresso or house-made lemon slush depending on the season. At The Daily Catch's takeout counter, you'll taste what many consider Boston's best fried calamari. The finale is a pasta course at Ristorante Limoncello, whose signature dish once appeared on page two of TIME magazine. The tour ends with an iconic cannoli from Modern Pastry, a North End institution founded in 1930.

The guide is a professional local who grew up in the neighborhood and attended culinary school — the tour is built around oral history and introductions to colorful old-time locals you won't find in a guidebook. All food tastings, taxes and servers' gratuities are included in the price. The route covers about 3.5 hours of walking on city streets and through alleys; it's wheelchair accessible, and children from age 2 are welcome. The operator recommends eating a light bite before you start and bringing water.

What’s included

• Professional local guide fluent in English.
• all food tastings at nine award-winning establishments including James Beard-recognized pizza, Time magazine-featured pasta, Best of Boston bread and sandwich, Food Network-featured salumeria items, artisanal chocolate, espresso or house-made lemon slush, fried calamari, and an iconic cannoli.
• taxes and servers' gratuities.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Boston Foodie Tours

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you're new to Boston and want to skip the generic downtown loop — the North End is where locals actually eat, and the guide's neighborhood history and introductions to longtime residents give you stories you can't get from a map. The 3.5-hour walk with nine included tastings works as a full meal, so you won't need to plan lunch separately.

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Top questions

What's the pizza like at Galleria Umberto, the first stop?

Galleria Umberto serves old-school Sicilian pizza that TripAdvisor ranked #1 in the country twice and earned a James Beard Classic Restaurant Award in 2018. On Sundays and during July, the tour visits Ernesto's instead, which also ranks in the top 100 and has won Best of Boston.

How much food do you actually get on this tour?

The nine tastings add up to a full meal, so you won't need lunch afterward. The operator recommends eating something light before the tour starts to tide you over until the first stop.

Is this tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes, the North End tour is wheelchair accessible, and public transportation options are available nearby. Infants can ride in a pram or stroller, and service animals are allowed.

What's included in the tour price?

All food tastings, taxes and servers' gratuities are included. Drinks are not included unless noted as complimentary, and the tour guide's gratuity is optional.

Can I bring young children on this tour?

Children from age 2 are welcome and must be accompanied by an adult. Infants can ride in a pram or stroller, or sit on an adult's lap.

What should I know before booking?

The tour lasts 3.5 hours and involves walking through neighborhood streets and alleys. The operator recommends bringing a bottle of water and eating a light bite beforehand. The tour is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, and moderate physical fitness is advised.