Mike's Pastry
The North End's landmark cannoli counter, famous for towering lines and white string-tied boxes.
The call
Worth it if you are traveling with kids and you are traveling as a couple.
Why
- 01
A chaotic, ticket-and-shout bakery counter where the cannoli are filled to order.
Our read - 02
Iconic and fun, but it's a grab-and-go institution, not a place to sit and savor.
Our read
Is it a fit?
Go if
You are traveling with kids
With kids, Mike's Pastry works.
You are traveling as a couple
As a couple, Mike's Pastry works.
You are traveling solo
Solo, Mike's Pastry works.
Think twice if
You are watching the budget
On a budget, weigh it — Mike's Pastry isn't cheap for what it is.
You only have one day
Mike's Pastry is a real time commitment — fit it in only if it's a priority.
Food is a reason to travel
For food & drink, Mike's Pastry is hit or miss.
You prefer local life to spectacle
For local authenticity, Mike's Pastry is hit or miss.
The plates that decide it
- Ricotta cannoli — the classic; the reason it's a landmark
- A mixed box to go — lets you compare fillings later
- Eating in — there's nowhere comfortable to — make it takeaway
Plan it well
- Cost
- Inexpensive per item
- Timing
- Off-peak hours; weekend evenings are mobbed
- Booking
- Walk-up counter only
- Allow
- 15–30 minutes including the line
- Accessibility
- Standing-room counter service
Sources and method (2)
- Founded in 1946 by Michael Mercogliano in the North End, Mike's fills its cannoli shells to order and is one of the few North End bakeries that makes its own shells. mikespastry.com ↗
- It sells roughly 32,000-36,000 cannoli per week and now operates additional locations (Harvard Square, Assembly Row, Hub Hall). wbur.org ↗