Boston’s North End

Known as “little Italy” the North End is Boston’s oldest continuously occupied neighborhood. Last Saturday I spent a few hours walking and eating around Hanover st, Haymarket square and Quincy market. It was a beautiful day and the streets were packed. Every Friday and Saturday,  Haymarket Square is lined with a huge open-air vegetable market. The prices are amazingly cheap. ( $1 a lb for tomatoes) and the hawkers put on a great show. Smack in the middle on Little Hanover St. you will find Mike’s fishes raw bar and one of the best deals in the city, 1/2 dozen super fresh little neck clams for 5 bucks. Come on, this would run you twice that amount or more in a  restaurant with out the added flavor of the street scene around you, really great. For lunch, we ate at the new Carmelina’s on 307-309 Hanover St. Hanover st. is the main drag of the area and is lined with Italian bistros. We tried the “Mamas frittata and the house salad with Italian Tuna. The service was a little spotty, but I’ll give them a pass, we were there just after the lunch rush and the staff were chowing down as well.  For $27.50 total this was a fine meal. The salad was fresh and piled with tuna, the frittata was perfect  and the dining  room is spacious and open to the street. For desert we walked down the street to the Modern Pastry shop. There was good reason for the line out the door and the 20 min wait. $10.00 bought us a seat inside a chocolate eclair, carrot cake and two large iced coffees. I wish I could comment on the eclair, but the two of us just barley made it through the huge creamy sweet cake, it was fantastic. If you are traveling to Boston the North End is a must see. Leave plenty of time to stroll and plenty of room to eat, you’ll need it. For more info check out,  northendboston.com