Where to eat in Boston’s North End district

The North End is Boston’s colourful, close-knit Italian neighbourhood, and one of the city’s most visited walks, the Freedom Trail, also winds through here, leading through to historical sites like the Old North Church. Humming with street life, the area is home to more than 100 restaurants, mainly clustered along Salem and Hanover Streets. Here’s where to head for the district’s best pizza, pasta, sweets, and more. And don’t forget to take your Standard Chartered Cathay Mastercard^® with you, to earn miles as you savour these Italian delights. 

For cocktails: Farmacia 

This intimate nine-seat bar feels like a science lab: you’ll get to sample unusual cocktails made with speciality infusions and tinctures – much like a pharmacy, but for drinks – slid across a sleek marble bar. A prepaid ticket (roughly US$70; HK$548) unlocks a menu that plays off a single theme, such as the American South, with choices like whiskey flights or vodka martinis made with crawfish-boil seasoning. Book 60 days in advance. 

For a classic slice of pizza: Galleria Umberto 

Grab a midday wedge of gooey, greasy, rectangular Sicilian pizza (spongy dough; sweetish sauce) at this cash-only diner . While some people prefer its arancini and calzones, you can’t go wrong with a simple cheese slice. The counter is only open while supplies last each day, so plan ahead — then take your meal to the nearby Rose Kennedy Greenway for a picnic.  

For sandwiches: Monica’s Mercato & Salumeria 

Customers stand shoulder-to-shoulder in this compact shop , jostling for cured meats strung from the ceiling, cheeses, handmade pastas, and well-priced wine. Ask for an Italian sub, stacked high with thick slabs of mortadella, prosciutto, salami, lettuce, tomato, onion, hot peppers, and pickles, cut with a sharp layer of provolone. At US$20 (HK$156), it isn’t cheap — but it’s easily shareable, and one of the neighbourhood’s signature tastes.  

For sweets: Bova’s  

Sweets stalwarts Mike’s Pastry and Modern Pastry get a lot of tourist traffic in this neighbourhood, but locals have loved Bova’s on Salem Street for 97 years. The shop smells of warm sugar all day (literally: it’s open 24 hours a day, seven days a week). Press your face to the window to ogle the tall stacks of cookies and cakes, and then duck inside for fresh Italian bread, rum-soaked tiramisu, deep fried cannoli and sfogliatelle, a traditional pastry in the shape of a lobster’s tail. Fun fact: Bova’s is set to make a cameo in the upcoming film The Instigators, starring Casey Affleck and Matt Damon. 

For an iconic dinner: Pizzeria Regina 

Generations of Bostonians have passed beneath the neon lights of Pizzeria Regina . It is now a chain with outlets throughout the area, but the North End location is the original, and it’s still the best. Its brick oven-baked pizza is charred and tangy, with perfectly stretchy mozzarella cheese. Order the Giambotti, with house-made sausage, crispy pepperoni, salami, mushrooms, onions, peppers, and just the right amount of ultra-salty anchovies.  

For people-watching: Caffe Vittoria 

This long, narrow café resembles an old-fashioned soda fountain, with local memorabilia lining the walls and customers hunched over tiny tables reading novels and sipping coffee – just as they have done since 1929. Caffe Vittoria is known for its bracing espresso martinis and array of soda flavours, from almond to apricot. Whether you’re looking for a potent drink to end the night or a mid-afternoon pick-me-up, it’s a classic stop at which to regroup and refuel. 

For a family-style feast: The Table 

Vivacious owner Jen Royle – a former sports reporter – serves hearty, family-style meals at this welcoming 32-seat nook , where it’s easy to chat with fellow travellers at communal tables. Try the US$95 (HK$744) Sunday supper, featuring a prix fixe menu of Royle’s most comforting dishes, ranging from aubergine parmigiana to rich, creamy gnocchi.  

For fresh seafood: The Daily Catch 

People queue for hours to snag a seat at this tiny, herb-scented hole-in-the-wall , where cooks toss pasta and shellfish in a blazing open kitchen. Select your order from a chalkboard menu: regulars love the black squid-ink linguine stacked with fresh lobster, calamari, clams, shrimp and mussels, splashed with a spicy tomato sauce and served right from the sizzling pan. Don’t forget to bring cash. 

For something trendy: Umbria 

A classic spot for nightlife during the 1990s, this restaurant made its highly anticipated return this year. It now features two floors and a splashy rooftop lounge, MIA, offering a private bar and skyline views. Try the baked stuffed lobster, shellfish towers, cioppino seafood stew, and wagyu. The new Umbria also comes with a solid pedigree: sister restaurants Bricco and Trattoria Il Panino are longtime neighbourhood favourites from local mover and shaker Frank DePasquale, who’s often seen schmoozing with guests.