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    Caffe Lil Italy

    3.8 (92 reviews)
    Open 7:00 am - 4:00 pm

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    $1 mini cinnamon roll
    Brittany T.

    Very disappointed. Blah latte....minimum of $5 purchase. Ambiance 1 star. Baked items unpalatable was excited to try but will not be back

    Iced latte and Iced Mocha

    Food- iced latte has more milk than coffee and iced mocha was missing the chocolate flavor as most it was at bottom of cup... needed mixing. Not bad but not great either. Service- fair Ambiance- tiny coffee shop where everyone knows each other.... locals frequent this place. It's across from Old North Church.

    Bacon, egg, and cheese on sesame bagel.
    Jadyn L.

    Cute little place that is a convenient place to order coffee and bagels. The service was fast and the baristas were very friendly. Would definitely stop in again.

    Bacon, egg, and cheese croissant
    Tracy C.

    Thankful to have found Caffe Lil Italy on the Monday of our week in Boston, tagging along for a conference. We enjoyed 3 breakfasts here (bringing along husband on Friday). We tried several versions of their breakfast sandwich and my oldest daughter tried the everything bagel with cream cheese. All were tasty! Cappuccino and mochas were also enjoyed some mornings. It does have limited seating, so plan accordingly ~ we ate in the upstairs space one morning. We saw lots of locals ordering carry out, always a good sign. Whenever we return to Boston ~ we will return to Caffe Lil Italy.

    Iced caramel cappuccino
    Sandra H.

    One of my favorite spots in the North End for coffee. Their iced cappuccinos are amazing, and never disappoint! The staff is super friendly as well.

    Libby H.

    My friend and I came here for breakfast and coffee. Cute little corner cafe. I wanted the strawberry smoothie but all they had left was peach so I decided to get the iced mocha. It was good, just no sugar so I added a packet of Splenda, and then it was perfect! My friend did get the peach smoothie which was yummy. For breakfast, I got the bacon and egg on an everything bagel which was good. It was about $11 for all of that, which to me seems over priced but it is the north end so expected.

    Outside
    Angela S.

    Visiting Boston, came here for breakfast/brunch. Let me just say, this place is so cute! The food is delicious and the workers are friendly. Not much seating just a heads up. Loved this place so much that I will come back when visiting! Turkey BLT was so good and also their home fries! Hot chocolate and cinnamon muffin was also tasty. 5/5 stars :)

    a glass of iced coffee

    my fav coffee spot in boston! the lady who is always working is so sweet. i go almost everyday the best iced coffee in boston.

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    3 months ago

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    2 months ago

    Best breakfast sandwich in the North End. Where the locals go! Everything is fresh, made to order and delicious.

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    9 months ago

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Best breakfast sandwich in the north end. The sweet lady makes them fresh to order. Iced coffee also insanely good.

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    2 years ago

    nicest human beings ever and the food is amazing pls pls pls go!! we never miss the opportunity to go!

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    2 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Disasterously slow. Getting cream cheese on my bagel sandwich became a federal case. Took FOREVER.

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    4 years ago

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    16 years ago

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    Taiyaki NYC - Boston

    Taiyaki NYC - Boston

    4.1
    (746 reviews)
    1.2 mi
    $

    Very quick despite the line, loved the build your own option. My boyfriend opted for the classic…read morebut subbed vanilla for twist. I built my own with custard fish, twist ice cream, caramel sauce, and Oreo crumbs. Beautiful presentation and honestly delicious. The cone smelled and tasted so great. The custard is more of a cream but still good. Where I'm being picky: the cone could've been a little crispier and the toppings were pretty minimal. I couldn't taste or see any of the caramel sauce and the Oreo dust is so fine I think I inhaled more of it into my lungs than I actually ate. I wish it was actual mashed up pieces not fine dust. We will definitely be back though! I just won't get Oreo crumbs next time.

    By what I read in the other reviews, it seems like this place gets busy! The shop is small and…read morethere is barely any room to stand inside. We got our ice cream and ate out in the courtyard area, seaport is such a nice place. I got a matcha soft-serve in a taiyaki cone with red bean, and my bf got a vanilla one. The ice cream and taiyaki fish tasted great, my only gripe was how incredibly messy it was to eat. There was such a large volume of ice cream in the cone itself that I wasn't able to eat fast enough and it started melting all over my hands and arms. Like it was crazy. I was eating this ice cream like an animal. It would be nice if they served this with a cup or something. So I just feel like if you're not someone who can inhale a giant ice cream this is not for you. I would just get a plain taiyaki fish treat with ice cream on the side.

    Photos
    Inside - standing room only
    Inside - standing room only
    Matcha with a cone
    Matcha with a cone
    Cookies and cream ice cream. Love it! The texture of the Oreos is great. And the waffle fish makes it all come together

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    Cookies and cream ice cream. Love it! The texture of the Oreos is great. And the waffle fish makes it all come together
    Toscanini's Ice Cream

    Toscanini's Ice Cream

    4.4
    (1.9k reviews)
    1.2 mi
    $$

    The Grape Nut flavor is my absolute favorite. I also love when they have rice Krispy treat…read moreanything! I have had a ton of their scoops and the only flavor I have ever not liked was Burnt Caramel. I always make sure to take visitors here!

    I've heard folks raving about this place for years, so finally decided to swing by and try it out…read more First off, must say I'm a bit of a skeptic regarding specialty ice cream shops: with one exception (a now-defunct "frozen custard" shop in Friendswood, Texas of all places, where you could see the super-dense/rich stuff glacially oozing out of the machine, and one milkshake's worth of it kept me full for the rest of the day!) I have yet to find any that are significantly better than ordinary Haagen Daz from a supermarket. In fact, most ice cream parlour ice creams aren't even as good, while costing orders of magnitude more than supermarket H-D! Toscanini's is close to equal to H-D in my book...and mainly for the fact that they offer some truly unusual and original flavors: we had the Mango Sticky Rice, Burnt Caramel, and Kulfi. My friend who enjoyed the first one the most, quickly tired of the second, and the third was my favorite by far, mainly because I love cardamom and saffron so much. I was somewhat conflicted with the Burnt Caramel...first taste was delightful, but halfway through the novelty faded away for the most part. We both appreciated that the ice cream was not hyper-sweet like JP Licks, though. HOWEVER, the extreme creaminess, density, and dry mouth-feel of H-D was just not there, as usual. I'd describe the texture of Toscanini's ice cream to be fairly ordinary, like a typical soft/smooth gelato texture. Not bad, but not anything I would really write home about. YMMV of course. Otherwise, service was good and the place is clean and pleasantly modern inside, with 3 nice new steel benches to sit at outside. The benches are curiously turned AWAY from the street, I suppose to foster more of a "communal" vibe and people-watching opportunities. I've walked by during peak hours and seen it quite full, so this place clearly is still quite popular. At $8.25 for 3 scoops (albeit fairly generous sized scoops) of oh, 8 out of 10 ice cream, I don't see myself ever becoming a regular here despite the undeniably interesting/unique flavors, unless I came mainly for the people-watching opps on a nice weather day.

    Photos
    Toscanini's Ice Cream
    Toscanini's Ice Cream
    Toscanini's Ice Cream

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    Mike's Pastry

    Mike's Pastry

    4.2
    (9.5k reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    When we were at Harvard we saw Mike's Pastry and I thought about stopping in to buy cannoli but I…read moredidn't because we were planning to go to Paul Revere's house in North End and this Mike's Pastry location is a couple of blocks away. If I had gone to the Harvard location I would have been in and out in 5-10 minutes. That was not the case at the North End location but in fairness it was Friday night and around the time people want dessert. The North End location had four lines from the counter to the door with the line out the door. They take cash only but while you wait you have plenty of time to decide on what you actually want to get. They have 10+ cannoli flavors plus many other pastries. We opted for a pistachio cannoli and a amaretto cannoli. The cannoli were twice the size of what I was anticipating so we split one on Friday and split the other on Saturday. If I went back I'd get the amaretto again. The pistachio was mostly ricotta tasting. If you go, go early and bring cash!

    Mike's Pastry is one of Boston's most iconic bakeries and a place that almost every visitor has on…read moretheir list. We walked into a space where the display cases are packed with cannoli, cakes, cookies, lobster tails, and countless Italian pastries, making it difficult to decide what to order. The atmosphere is busy and energetic, with a constant flow of customers, but the staff keeps the line moving surprisingly efficiently, managing the steady crowd with a practiced rhythm that makes the wait feel shorter than it looks. The cannoli are the signature item and the main reason to visit. The shells are crisp and filled to order with a rich, sweet ricotta filling that has a smooth texture without feeling overly heavy. There are plenty of flavors to choose from, including classics like chocolate chip and pistachio, along with seasonal and specialty options. The pistachio cannoli stands out for its generous coating of crushed pistachios, while the chocolate chip version offers a more traditional take that holds up well against the richness of the filling. Beyond the cannoli, the lobster tail pastry is another highlight, with its flaky layers and creamy filling that offers a different texture from the cannoli, and the bakery offers enough variety that it is worth trying more than one dessert. The portions are very generous, and most of the pastries are large enough to share, especially if you are planning to sample a few different items. Everything is displayed behind the counter, making it easy to browse before ordering, though having so many choices can make it take longer to decide. The biggest thing to plan for is the crowd. There is often a line extending outside, especially on weekends and during the summer, but it usually moves faster than it looks because the staff is well organized. Seating is extremely limited, so most people take their pastries to go. It is also worth remembering that the original North End location is cash only, so bringing cash can save you from any surprises. Mike's Pastry is a classic Boston destination that lives up to its reputation if you enjoy rich Italian pastries. The cannoli are the obvious reason to visit, but the wide selection, generous portions, and historic atmosphere make it worth experiencing at least once, even with the crowds.

    Photos
    How cute is this!! Mascarpone cheese in this super cute tangerine/orange
    How cute is this!! Mascarpone cheese in this super cute tangerine/orange
    Dubai Chocolate Cannoli
    Dubai Chocolate Cannoli
    Seated in Paul Revere Park near Mike's Pastry

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    Seated in Paul Revere Park near Mike's Pastry

    Caffe Lil Italy - coffee - Updated July 2026

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