North End Food Tour (Self Guided), Boston

Boston’s North End is famous primarily for its Italian food. By far not as big as New York's Little Italy, this one-square-mile waterfront community is the oldest in the city, and is packed to the brim with a cornucopia of Italian eateries – restaurants, cafes, espresso bars, pizza and sandwich shops – lined next to each other within just a few short blocks to ensure visitors both a visual and a gastric treat.

Being at this historic, Italian-accented area – the densest dining neighborhood in all of New England – the biggest problem you’ll encounter is figuring out where to go, and realizing that you only have one stomach. While there are way too many places to recommend – from very casual/cheap to very expensive, there are a handful that rise to the top for various reasons.

To enjoy the great views Hanover Street has to offer, start at Mother Anna’s, which is owned and operated by the same family since 1932. Not far away, the Modern Pastry Shop gives you the old world Italian feel with out-of-this-world Italian pastries, while Caffe Vittoria, opened in the late 1920s, serves really good lattes, espressos, macchiatos and cappuccinos in a relaxed atmosphere.

Not your typical restaurant, Mamma Maria is a tad more upscale and simply outstanding – so dine there to impress! Meanwhile, a huge selection of coffee beans, as well as a wonderful array of Italian food items await you at Polcari's Coffee.

To save yourself time making dozens of trips to savor what this food lovers' paradise has to offer, follow this guide and explore some of the most notable culinary spots of Boston’s “Little Italy.’’