When you think of Boston, you probably think of history, Fenway, and maybe a lobster roll. But if you ask me? Boston is a food city first. And nowhere shows that off better than the North End — aka Boston’s Little Italy. Cobblestone streets, red-sauce restaurants packed shoulder to shoulder, and bakeries with lines that snake out the door.
So when I had the chance to take a Boston Food Tour of the North End, I jumped in. Here’s my honest review: what I loved, what I didn’t, and whether you should sign up for a guided food tour or just eat your way through the North End on your own.
I booked with Boston Foodie Tours because they cap their groups at 12 people (ours had just 4, which felt perfect). Our guide was Boston-born and bred, and she knew everyone — literally. At several stops, she waved down locals for chats that sometimes lasted 10+ minutes.
If you’re into history-heavy tours, you’ll love her style. She went deep on Boston’s Revolutionary roots, Italian immigration stories, and the neighborhood’s long culinary traditions. Personally? I’m a “get to the food” kind of girl. I wanted shorter stories, quicker bites, and more time focusing on the restaurants themselves. But that’s just me.
The tour was supposed to wrap at 3 p.m. but stretched past 5 p.m. thanks to extra stops and long chats. Great if you have nowhere else to be; tricky if you’re on a schedule.
The food itself? Delicious. We sampled a little of everything that makes the North End famous:
Fresh Italian bread, straight from a local bakery.
A hearty pasta dish that reminded me why Italian “comfort food” is a phrase.
Cannoli from one of the big-name bakeries (more on that battle later).
Sips of local coffee and stories about Boston’s old-school shops.
I left full, happy, and armed with a long list of places to return to.
While we were out, we passed another group — the “Politically Incorrect Food Tour.” Their group had 40+ people trailing one guide who smoked while talking and tossed in plenty of profanity. If you’re into rowdy, oversized tours, maybe that’s your thing. For me? Hard pass. I was grateful to have a smaller group where I could actually hear the stories and not feel like part of a herd.
Here’s the thing: food tours can be amazing, but you need to know what you’re signing up for.
If you love history and people stories as much as food, Boston Foodie Tours is a solid choice.
If you’re like me — a food-first traveler who wants the backstory but also wants to dive right in — the tour might feel a little drawn out.
That said, I appreciated the personal touch, the capped group size, and the variety of bites. Just don’t expect it to be quick or light — bring a big water bottle and plan for a long afternoon.
Honestly? You don’t need a guide to eat well in the North End. You could easily build your own walking food tour — and you’ll probably cover more ground at your own pace. If I were to design one for you, here’s where I’d go:
Monica’s Mercado & Salumeria: Grab the Italian sub “with everything.” Crusty bread, paper-thin meats, olive oil, balsamic drizzle — it’s perfection.
Limoncello: Order the signature rosette lasagna. You won’t regret it.
Or snag a table at Carmelina’s for their famous meatballs.
Regina Pizzeria (North End location only): Their brick oven has been running since 1926. Go plain cheese or the loaded Giambotta.
Neptune Oyster: Line up early (doors open at 11:30 a.m.) and order the hot buttered lobster roll and clam chowder.
Mike’s Pastry: Huge, traditional ricotta-filled shells. Cash only.
Modern Pastry: The Boston cream cupcake and mini cannoli are incredible. Cash only.
Bova’s Bakery: Open 24 hours, their cannoli shells are Florentine-style lace cookies — extra delicate and worth the splurge.
Caffé Vittoria: Boston’s oldest Italian café. Get the tiramisu or a cappuccino. Bonus: their pistachio martini is legendary.
The North End is basically Boston’s version of Italian Disneyland — and I mean that in the best way. Whether you take a guided food tour or just hop from bakery to pizzeria to salumeria on your own, you’re going to eat well.
For me, the guided tour was a fun one-time experience, but next time? I’ll DIY it. Smaller portions, quicker pace, and more freedom to stop exactly where I want (like sneaking back to Monica’s for another sub).
Either way, Boston’s North End will win you over one bite at a time.
If you’d rather branch out beyond the North End, my Where to Eat in Boston (Outside the North End) guide has plenty of amazing options.
10 stops. One very full day. Zero regrets. Amsterdam has one of the best food scenes I’ve experienced anywhere in Europe, but the honest caveat is that some of the viral spots come with lines that will genuinely test your character. I skipped a few. I regret nothing.
Here’s what actually made the cut on my self-guided Amsterdam food tour:
Fresh stroopwafels at Hans Egstorf: made right in front of you, warm caramel, no line. This one won.
Lourens cookie croissant: flaky outside, gooey chocolate inside. Did not share.
Café Winkel 43 apple pie: one of the rare viral places that fully lives up to the hype.
Davie’s Amsterdam for the Lelie sandwich: pastrami, pickles, marbled bread. Deceptively simple. Absolutely excellent.
De Kaaskamer to end the day: 400+ cheeses, grilled cheese with what they call ketchup (it’s not ketchup, and it’s better), and bunker cheese aged in underground military bunkers.
The full route covers 10 stops through Jordaan, the 9 Streets, the canal district, and the flower market area with a Google Map included so you can just follow along.
Full guide with every stop, tips for beating the lines, and what I’d skip vs. do again | link in bio.
#amsterdam #visitamsterdam #netherlands #travel #visitnetherlands #traveleurope
There’s a version of Gatlinburg that’s all fudge shops and tourist crowds, and then there’s the version that actually makes you want to come back.
Here’s everything worth doing downtown, in the order I’d do it: 🏔️
✨ Start at @gatlinburgskypark before the crowds hit
✨ Walk the strip mid-morning when it’s still manageable
✨ @googooclusters stop (see my post from Tuesday: don’t skip it)
✨ Dinner at one of the local spots off the main drag
✨ Wander back out at night when the lights are on and it gets actually pretty
This isn’t your overscheduled Smoky Mountain itinerary. It’s more of a “here’s what I’d actually do if I had one solid day” kind of list.
Full downtown Gatlinburg guide linked in bio. 🔗
If someone told me I’d spend five hours at SkyPark, I would not have believed them. And yet. 😅
Gatlinburg SkyPark sits above the strip and it’s one of those places that looks like a quick stop on paper and turns into most of your afternoon. The SkyBridge alone is worth it — longest pedestrian suspension bridge in North America, and yes, you will look down.
✨ SkyBridge (longest pedestrian suspension bridge in North America)
✨ SkyLift ride up with views of the Smokies
✨ Walking trails with mountain views in every direction
✨ Way less crowded than downtown
Fair warning: if heights genuinely freak you out, the bridge might not be your thing. The rest of the park is still 100% worth it. Full guide with tickets, tips, and what to skip linked in bio. 🔗
I walked into Goo Goo Cluster in downtown Gatlinburg thinking I’d spend five minutes and leave with a small piece of candy. I was wrong on both counts. 😅
You build your own chocolate cluster at a kiosk: caramel, sea salt, pretzels, cocoa pebbles, you name it, and then watch them make it right in front of you. The whole thing takes about 15 minutes and costs $15.
The caveat? This is not a snack. This is a full-size brick of chocolate that I was still eating two days later.
If you’re already walking the Gatlinburg strip, this is an easy yes. Especially if you have absolutely no self-control around caramel. (Asking for a friend.) Full experience breakdown linked in bio. 🔗
Your Knoxville Airport survival guide, from someone who’s flown through TYS 100+ times is now up on my blog🛫
Parking, TSA wait times, where to grab food before your flight, rental cars, all of it, from someone who actually knows this airport. No guessing, no googling at the last minute.
TYS is small, easy to navigate, and honestly one of the less stressful airports I’ve been through. You just need to know a few things going in.
Full guide linked in bio. 🔗
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