Lulu’s Sweet Shoppe used to be located on Salem Street in the North End and recently (well, not so recently) moved into the former Cocoanuts space on Parmenter Street. Sandy Russo opened the shop in 2004, after spending time working in a number of restaurants and hotels.

I went in for the cupcakes. Pictured above is the red velvet cheesecake (!!) cupcake. Not a flavor you see very often, but super tasty.

We also tried the Oreo cupcake. Over the top decadent! Other cupcake flavors include: chocolate turtle cheesecake, chocolate peanut butter, chocolate cherry bomb, blueberry cheesecake, whoopie pie, pistachio and port wine, lemon curd and brownie sundae to name a few. The store also carries a variety of home made ice creams in flavors like salted caramel, strawberries and cream, cookies an cream, chocolate chip cookie dough, s’mores, Thai tea coconut, and green tea with ginger. There are an assortment of delicious looking candies for sale at the shop as well.

Nice change of pace from the traditional Italian desserts in the North End. Parking is a bear, so try taking public transportation to get here.

Lulu’s Sweet Shoppe

28 Parmenter Street, Boston, MA

http://lulussweetshoppeboston.com

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I was at the Boston Public Market a few weeks ago and parked in a nearby lot where an attendant parks your car for you. When I got back to my car, I noticed that the attendant backed my car into a pole. So I when I went back to settle up with the parking lot, I decided to make a trip into the North End. Pizza makes everything better doesn’t it? I had been hearing good things about Monica’s Mercato Pizza – so today was as good a day as any to check it out. Went there on the early side as I’m sure the lunch crowd is crazy. The space is small and there is no place to eat in. I had to wait outside with the stroller as it couldn’t make the trip down the stairs, so the photos above (bottom left and bottom right) are courtesy of Leah from Leah’s Life.

The pizza slices are huge – a quarter of a pizza, and they will run you $4.50. You can also order whole pizzas, smalls are 12″ and large pizzas are 16″. Click here for their menu. The pizzas were thin crust and were tasty. Just the right amount of cheese on them with some good flavor combinations.

While there, we went and checked out the market upstairs that carries things like beer and wine, imported meats and cheese, fresh pasta and a nice variety of prepared foods. I’ve heard that they make delicious sandwiches here – so I will have to go back again to try those. Prices for sandwiches range from $9-$10 for a small and $12 – $13 for a large. I did bring home some fresh pasta which was such a treat – I paired it with crushed tomatoes and cauliflower and topped with Parmesan cheese. Delicious!

Monica’s Mercato

130 Salem Street, Boston, MA

http://monicasboston.com/monicas-mercato-pizza/

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Recently a childhood friend of mine got married in Italy. With a new baby at home, we unfortunately had to miss the wedding. So for the time being, the only Italian flight I’m experiencing is the pasta flight at Terramia. I loved the restaurant, it was cozy and inviting. While they have been recognized with awards for their food, Terramia still remains authentic (no tourist trap here!).

Every Monday night from 5pm -10pm, Terramia will be serving pasta flights for $25. Mix and match 3 pastas from the following list:

Rigatoni con Salsiccia

Baked rigatoni with sausage & broccoli rabe, San Marzano tomato & basil sauce & Parmigiano cheese

Spaghetti con Pomodoro

Abruzzi style, spaghetti, San Marzano tomato sauce, basil & Parmigiano cheese

Gnocchi Amatriciana

Potato dumplings, buffalo mozzarella, red onion, basil, smoked pancetta, spicy Collina tomato sauce

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

Spaghetti, smoked pancetta, sweet peas, egg & Parmigiano cream sauce

Pappardelle alla Bolognese

Pappardelle pasta, traditional ground veal, beef and pork meat, tomato ragù, basil & Parmigiano cheese

Risotto

Chef’s creation of the day

We started something not included on the pasta flight menu, but it was just calling to us – the Frittelle di Aragosta. Fresh Maine lobster fritters (market price) topped with a mountain of sweet potato strings and leeks and a delicious balsamic honey glaze that we scooped up every last bit of! Those sweet potatoes were heavenly – not only were they great here but would also be a nice addition to a salad!

I can never make up my mind when it comes to pastas because they all sound so delicious. Give me all the pasta!!! So the flight is a great choice for me, I get all my favorites on one dish!

Of course I chose the bolognese! I liked that this was the real bolognese, with a blend of meat (not just ground beef).

I enjoyed the presentation of the carbonara and the cream sauce was just right, not too thick but still creamy.

The gnocchi was an untraditional shape for me but I liked the kick to the sauce and the smoked pancetta.

In addition to the pasta flight, we tried the Raviolone Aperto ($25). It’s a sheet of fresh pasta topped with shrimp and scallops and topped off with another sheet of pasta. The sauce is a lobster mascarpone reduction which we proceeded to eat the rest of with out bread! This is a can’t miss dish – over the top!

There VERY limited street parking. There is a lot just behind the restaurant on Cooper Street for $20. If you park at the Parcel 7 garage (just a short walk from the North End) the restaurant will validate you.

Disclaimer: I was invited as a guest to Terramia for dinner. My meal was provided complimentary. All opinions are my own.

Terramia

98 Salem Street, Boston, MA

www.terramiaristorante.com

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It has been a long time since I’ve had a night out, so what better way to spend it than with friends in the North End. We ventured out to Artú, a family owned and operated restaurant located on Prince Street. We shared plates to get a little taste of everything. The restaurant was cozy, we had a great area all to ourselves, away from the rest of the restaurant. The service was on point and the flow of the meal was perfect. Pictured above, the barbabietole: beet salad, crumbled Gorgonzola cheese and pistachio vinaigrette.

The polpette: house made meatballs were delicious. Flavorful – you just wanted to eat up all the extra sauce with their delicious bread.

Pane: grilled country bread, smoked mozzarella, Backyard Farms tomatoes and prosciutto. Such a simple dish but it was perfect – love the flavors here.

Capesante: grilled sea scallop, cippollini puree and oven roasted cauliflower. I loved this dish – the scallops were cooked perfectly and cauliflower is my favorite.

Fusilli: Italian sausage, broccoli rabe pesto, Pecorino Romano cheese. I liked this dish as well, the Italian sausage had a little bit of a zing to it and the pasta was cooked perfectly al dente.

Melanzane: eggplant rollatini. Everyone at the table had a bite of this – the eggplant is pressed several times so that it stays firm (nothing worse than soggy eggplant!).

Bistecca: grass fed New York strip steak, brocoli rabe, roasted potatoes.  Great dish, flavorful meat and the potatoes were nice and crisp.

Salmone: grilled salmon, buttered Brussel sprouts, potato puree, truffle vinaigrette.

The desserts were delicious – we had a trio that included a cannoli, tiramisu and a chocolate cake. The chocolate cake was so rich that you could feel satisfied after one bite (but go ahead and finish it anyway!), the tiramisu was delicious (flavorful without being too bitter or bold), and the cannoli was top notch.

Disclaimer: I was invited as a guest to eat at Artú. My meal was provided complimentary. All opinions are my own.

Artú

6 Prince Street, Boston, MA

http://artuboston.com/

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Neptune Oyster is one of my favorite places to eat, but the line is always so long for dinner that I rarely make it there. Recently I was able to drop by for lunch, they open at 11:30, so we were there around 11:10 and there was already a line of about 10 people. Tourists and passers by couldn’t figure out what we were standing in line for…but if you don’t get there early, you don’t get a seat. The next seating is in an hour or so and you have to come back. You’re not guaranteed to get your own table, it’s pretty tight in there and they pack people in both at the tables and at the counter (we shared our table with another party). We were lucky enough to get in the first seating. It was a game to see the reaction of those people trying to walk in at 11:30 or even 12 for a seat. “The wait is HOW long?” They have a great selection of oysters: Cuttyhunk, Wellfleet, Island Creek, Nantucket, Cotuit and Pleasant Bay to name just a few.

They have a well rounded menu of seafood, from mussels to scallops, striped bass to cioppino, and littlenecks to fried clams. I do love their seafood tower, it’s one of my favorite things to order. But today, I am here for my other favorite, the lobster roll ($29). Neptune Oyster is one of the few places around town that serves it hot with butter on a toasted roll with a side of seasoned fries. Still as good as I remember it being – the lobster roll is heaping with meat and does not disappoint.

Do you like your lobster rolls hot with butter or cold with mayo?

Neptune Oyster

63 Salem Street, Boston, MA

http://www.neptuneoyster.com

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Sure, you know Mike’s and you know Modern, but do you know about Bova’s Bakery in the North End? It’s a little off the beaten path compared to the other two but it is equally as delicious. Bova’s has been family owned and operated since 1932 – they make delicious desserts and fresh breads. Not in the mood for sweets? Pick up a made to order sandwich at the counter! Pictured about are the almond macaroons.

Another added bonus, Bova’s Bakery is open 24 hours! Great for those late night cravings – maybe not so good for the waistline, but oh so tasty! I can’t remember the name of this bar, but it was chocolate and had Reese’s peanut butter cups inside, need I say more?

The cream puffs are stuffed with real whipped cream and are light as air. There were so many things that looked good in the case, it was hard to just choose one (and why would you want to only choose one?).

The cannolis were pretty good, although I have no idea why I got a plain one, I usually love mine with chocolate chips!

I really liked the black and white cookies – a little cake like in consistency with sweet chocolate and vanilla frosting, it’s the best of both worlds.

What is your favorite Italian treat?

Bova’s Bakery

134 Salem Streeet, Boston, MA

http://bovabakeryboston.com

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Their chocolate is certified organic, certified fair trade, soy free, nut free, vegan, and almost all of the bars are gluten-free. We tried flavors like porter coconut milk and vanilla, all equally delicious with amazing flavor profiles.

Bars are around $8 each and can be purchased at Cocoanuts as well as other stores around Boston.

Cocoanuts

28 Parmenter Street, Boston, MA (North End)

http://cocoanutsboston.com/

See Raaka’s website here: http://www.raakachocolate.com/

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I ordered the potato gnocchi al Forno which was served with slow braised bolognese ragu and fresh mozzarella ($20.95). The sauce was a bit light for my taste but they didn’t skimp on the meat for the dish. While the sauce wasn’t a traditional bolognese (no carrots or cream)- it was still good. The service was spotty at moments, but the evening was more about catching up with my girlfriends.

Bacco

107 Salem Street, Boston, MA (North End)

www.bacconorthend.com

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At the end of the alley is Bricco  Panetteria, a small bread bakery (and a separate pasta shop).

Bricco Panetteria is owned by Frank DePasquale and all of the breads that are served in his restaurants (Trattoria Il Panino, Mare Oyster Bar, Umbria Prime, Bricco Ristorante and Enoteca and Quattro Ristorante Grill Pizzeria) are available for sale at the Panetteria.

This is a no frills bakery – the focus is on the product, not the decor. The one room set up allows customers to see how the bread they are buying is made (talk about open kitchen!).

The breads are works of art. Bring your cash though, they don’t accept cards.

The breads offered include: olive or proscuitto and parmesan ciabatta, baguettes, raisin bread, and baguettes among others.

Here’s a close up of the onion ciabatta, it was delicious – and it went fast. There’s nothing better than freshly baked bread.

Bricco Panetteria

241 Hanover Street, Boston, MA

http://www.bricco.com/panetteria/

Open daily 8am – 11pm

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The new space is much larger and brighter – it might tear some tourists away from the line out the door at Mike’s. While they do have more space, they don’t offer a lot of seating – and people tend to linger at what few tables they do have.

Make sure to stop at an ATM before you get here though, they only take cash!

They have a beautiful line of pastry cases, lined with just about any kind of cake or tart you can imagine.

They offer cannolis, Italian cookies, cupcakes, cheesecakes and more!

The tiramisu was delicious!

Who do you think has the best cannolis?

Modern Pastry

263 Hanover Street, Boston, MA (North End)

http://www.modernpastry.com

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