The North End is home to many of Boston’s Italian restaurants and bakeries, and people often ask me where to find the best cannoli in Boston.

Now, where to get the best cannoli in Boston is a subject of heated debate in this town. It seems that everyone who lives here has their favorite. Loyalties in the North End run deep, and I’ve seen actual fights break out around whether to go to Mike’s or Modern at the end of the night.

To get to the bottom of it, I decided to do a taste test to compare and contrast the four most popular options: Bova’s Bakery, Maria’s Pastry, Mike’s Pastry and Modern Pastry. 

For the sake of consistency, I ordered one ricotta-filled cannoli with chocolate chips at each of the four bakeries mentioned above. Read on for more on the experience, pricing – and of course, the cannoli – at each one.

Taste-testing cannoli from Bova’s Bakery, Maria’s Pastry, Mike’s Pastry and Modern Pastry.

Best Boston Cannoli: Bova’s Bakery

134 Salem Street

The Experience: Bova’s Bakery is located on Salem Street at the intersection of Prince Street. Open 24/7, it’s one of the only places in the neighborhood where you can satisfy your sweet tooth late at night. The first thing you’ll notice about the cannoli at Bova’s is the variety of flavors. The day I stopped in, they had not only plain ricotta and ricotta with chocolate chips, but also flavors including Nutella, pistachio, pumpkin, Oreo, creme brûlée, cappuccino, chocolate dipped and peanut butter. All cannoli are pre-filled, so you can be in and out in a flash.

The Price: $4 for a chocolate chip cannoli. Credit cards are accepted for more than $10.

The Cannoli: Bova’s cannoli was probably the sweetest of the bunch. The filling had a fairly dense consistency, almost like frosting (you could see the marks from the tip where the filling was piped into the pastry shell). While the shell was not as crisp as some of the others, it had a nice flavor. The chocolate chips were a bit larger than some of the other offerings, which I personally enjoyed.

Best Boston Cannoli: Maria’s Pastry

46 Cross Street

The Experience: Maria’s Pastry is a bit off the beaten track. It’s located on Cross Street across from the Greenway, right at the entrance to the North End. Maria’s was the least crowded of the bakeries I visited. They offer a choice of shell: plain, chocolate dipped or chocolate covered. Filling options include traditional ricotta, or chocolate or vanilla cream. Maria’s fills their cannoli to order, and extras like chocolate chips are available upon request. They have a few tables both inside and outside for those who want to enjoy their pastry on premises. It’s also just a short walk over to the Greenway where there are also a variety of tables and benches on which to sit.

The Price: $4.50 for a chocolate chip cannoli. Credit cards are accepted.

The Cannoli: The ricotta filling at Maria’s was delicious. Not too sweet, the texture was a bit grainy like actual ricotta cheese. The filling was light and tasted very fresh. The shell was the most crisp of those I tried. And the chocolate chips were the perfect complement to the shell and filling.

Best Boston Cannoli: Mike’s Pastry

300 Hanover Street

The Experience: As the self-proclaimed “home of the cannoli,” Mike’s just may be the most well-known bakery in the North End. There is almost always a line, no matter what time of day or time of the year. Many visitors find it a source of pride to carry around one of Mike’s signature cannoli boxes with the bakery’s logo emblazoned in blue on the top and sides.

Despite a bit of a wait, I found the service to be pretty fast and friendly once I was to the front of the line. The cannoli here are pre-filled, and they are HUGE. They offer a wide variety of flavors, all of which are noted across the top of the wall at the back of the bakery. In addition to the traditional ricotta, they offer chocolate and vanilla cream. They also have some unique flavors like mint chip, pecan caramel, amaretto, limoncello, strawberry and Oreo.

The Price: $4 for a chocolate chip cannoli. Cash only.

The Cannoli: The cannoli at Mike’s is by far the largest cannoli offered in the North End. The shell was nice and flaky. The filling was smooth, creamy and pretty sweet, but not in a cloying way. It had the most chocolate chips of any of the offerings. And it was also probably the most filling, given its size.

Best Boston Cannoli: Modern Pastry

257 Hanover Street

The Experience: Recently renovated, Modern Pastry is by far the coziest of the four bakeries. In addition to their to-go options, they offer a cafe with about a dozen small tables. It’s a great spot to order a cappuccino or espresso to enjoy with your dessert.

Modern fills their cannoli fresh to order. And they stick to the basics in terms of variety. They very clearly outline the three steps to ordering a cannoli: 1) Choose your shell (plain, chocolate dipped or chocolate covered). 2) Choose your filling (ricotta, chocolate custard, vanilla custard or whipped cream). 3) Choose your toppings (chocolate chips, pistachios, almonds). I also like that Modern offers mini-cannoli in addition to the regular size. I find the minis to be a good option for when I want just a little something sweet following dinner.

The Price: $4 for a chocolate chip cannoli. Cash only.

The Cannoli: The cannoli at Modern was average in size, with a nice crisp shell. The ricotta filling had a slightly tangy flavor (almost like a marscapone) and was nice and light, without being too sweet. The filling was nice and creamy, and the ratio of chocolate chips to filling was just about perfect. Of the four, my husband and I both agreed this one was our overall favorite.

Cannoli from Boston’s North End.

The Verdict

Overall, all of the cannoli were delicious. I don’t think you can go wrong by visiting any (or all) of the bakeries included. That said, they all have specific attributes that may make them appeal to some more than others. A breakdown follows below:

If you want to sit down and enjoy a coffee with your pastry: Modern
If you want a very large cannoli: Mike’s
If you want a mini cannoli: Modern
If you want your cannoli filled to order: Modern or Maria’s
If you want to try a variety of flavors: Mike’s or Bova’s
If you want a late-night cannoli: Bova’s
If you prefer a flaky shell: Mike’s
If you prefer a crisp shell: Maria’s
If you prefer a sweeter filling: Bova’s or Mike’s
If you prefer a lighter filling: Modern or Maria’s
If you want to pay by credit card: Maria’s or Bova’s

What is your favorite cannoli in Boston? Let us know in the comments below!