Photo: Love Me Do Photography
Boston’s North End is considered the city’s Little Italy, lined with authentic Italian bakeries and pizzerias founded by immigrants generations ago. Share a slice of the city’s culture sourcing traditional sweets from some of the best bakeries outside of Italy. Whether you stack these treats on a table for guests to nosh on or offer them as prettily packaged party favors, these local goodies will definitely add a unique touch to traditional wedding day dessert — and have your guests lining up for more.
Mike’s Pastry
This family run bakery is a Boston legend, with a constant queue circling the block at its North End location. Mike has been in the biz for more than 50 years and still hand-selects all the ingredients himself for the Italian-inspired pastries. It’s hard to go wrong here when it comes to picking the perfect wedding pastries, from ricotta- and chocolate chip-filled cannolis to the cream-stuffed lobster tails, which can also be ordered in cake form. Read real brides’ reviews here!
Bova’s Bakery
What could be better than a 24-hour bakery? This North End hotspot has been in Boston since 1932 and has made quite a name for itself — not only for its nonstop service, but also for its freshly baked Italian round bread. The pastries are also a local fave, especially the ricotta cannoli, but why not leave the choice up to your guests? Curate a dessert table that’s topped with tons of traditional sweets, from tiramisu to fresh fruit tarts, that’ll pair beautifully alongside your wedding cake.
Maria’s Pastry Shop
The North End pastry shop is a winner when it comes to cannolis — voted best in Boston. Three generations — from grandma Filomina to Maria and her daughters — are behind these award-winning goods that also include Italian classics like flaky Sfogliatelle clam shells and cream-filled Aragosta lobster tails. Of course you can also go the cake route here, opting for something that’s both sweet and slightly savory — like the soft crust ricotta pie that’s an Italian version of a cheese cake.
See More: Need Some Catering to Go with That Cake? These Boston Wedding Caterers Are the Best of the Best
Modern Pastry
On the opposite side of the street, the shoebox-sized Modern Pastry has drawn its own cult following over its 70 odd year history. The family run bakery brings together three generations of master chefs who’ve perfected Italian traditions like Amaretto sponge cakes and spongy rum-soaked Baba cakes, both great off-the-beaten-path options for your big-day dessert. Read real brides’ reviews here!
Parziale Italian Bakery
It’s been almost 100 years since Grandpa Joe and Grandma Anna landed in Boston from Naples, Italy, who were among the first to open a pizza bakery in New England. The business has been passed down to their son and is now run by Augie Parziale, who has been instrumental in helping keep the family recipes alive. The real draw here is the bread, which comes in styles from ciabatta to French, but couples can also stock their dessert tables with batches of the bakery’s stand-out Italian butter cookies. These are covered in powdered sugar — sure to be a hit with the adults as well as the kids.
Have your (wedding) cake and eat it too at these other yummy Boston bakeries!
