Best Boston Cannoli & North End Bakeries

Anyone hunting the best cannoli in Boston can cover this whole list on foot, since every stop sits in the North End along Hanover, Salem and Prince streets. Start with the famous rivalry: Mike's Pastry has the biggest selection, from classic ricotta to pistachio and limoncello, while Modern Pastry across the street fills thin shells to order with a tangy ricotta and lets you build your own. A block off Hanover, Parziale's Bakery fries its shells in-house, and a square of tomato pizza makes a good side order. Caffe Vittoria, the city's first Italian cafe, pairs a lemon-forward cannoli with vintage espresso machines and marble tables. For a sit-down dessert, Trattoria Il Panino serves a chocolate chip cannoli.

The line at Mike's looks long but moves fast. Late at night, Bova's Bakery hands over a less-sweet Sicilian-style cannoli with little or no wait.