I remember the first time I tasted gelato—I was a study abroad student living in Rome, and it was a sweltering August day. I don’t recall what I tasted first—the dark chocolate, the rich hazelnut, the overall creamy cold sweetness—but I’m pretty sure my knees buckled. Now this was how ice cream should be done—an explosion of sweet flavor teasing each tastebud; a lighter density than American ice cream (but still decadently creamy); and a perfect miniature spoon, all the better to savor each bite.
I think I knew that day, early in my semester abroad, it was going to be difficult to come home.
Luckily for me, Italian enclaves in U.S. metropolises have brought a little slice (or a whole pie) of the old country to American shores. If an Italy vacation (or relocation!) isn’t in the budget this year, consider seeking out an Italian stronghold right here at home …
North End—Boston
“Close your eyes and imagine strolling down quaint and narrow streets, enjoying the colorful sights, tantalizing aromas, and chaotic sounds of the oldest neighborhood in America,” says Michele Topor, owner of North End Market Tours, which takes groups for an insiders’ glimpse of the neighborhood’s many gourmet Italian food and spice stores and restaurants. A resident since 1970, Topor was drawn to the North End for its emphasis on food, family, and culture—in short, its European feel. “Little Italy in Boston testifies to the age-old immigrant experience in the New World,” Topor told me. “Also, in a neighborhood barely one-third of a mile, we have almost eighty eating places.”
I lived in Boston’s North End for nearly seven years, and can attest to its appeal for any Italyphile here in the States. I loved walking the windy streets home, passing the restaurants with fragrant garlic and ragu wafting out to the sidewalk, hearing my neighbors greet each other in Italian, attending the racuous summer feasts, seeing first-hand the crazy celebrations—confetti, dancing in the street, and a spontaneous parade—when Italy won the World Cup last summer. If I couldn’t return to Italy after graduation, the North End was certainly the next-best thing.
Visitors will find most of the activity (restaurants, shops, and cafes) concentrated around three streets: Hanover, the main drag, as well as Prince and Salem. To really see the neighborhood’s charm, however, wander the side streets. Tucked in the North End’s many narrow inlets are shrines to the saints, bocce courts, and spectacular historic sites. This is, after all, where visitors can find Paul Revere’s House, the Old North Church, and Copp’s Hill Burying Ground. And don’t forget to stop by Topor’s can’t-miss spots: Polcari’s Coffee on Salem Street—“where you buy all of the foods that were important to the immigrant diet and still continue to be the most healthy,” Salumeria Italiana on Richmond Street—“the best Italian grocery store,” and “Maria’s Pastry Shop (on Cross Street) for authentic Italian pastries.” (And yes, there is authentic gelato here.)
Plan your trip: Find everything you need for restaurants, feasts, lodging, and more at NorthEndBoston.com, as well as the Boston Globe’s Guide to the North End.
Mangia!
Dinner: Terramia Ristorante, 98 Salem St, 617-523-3112
Dessert: Modern Pastry, 257 Hanover St., 617-523-3783
Related Story: Finding La Bella Vita Stateside: New York City’s Little Italy
