Maria’s Pastry Shop – The Perfect Cannoli

Filled fresh to order, the cannolis from Maria’s Pastry Shop are the BEST IN BOSTON. One day I was feeling especially piggyish and decided to do my own cannoli tasting in Boston. I got cannolis from the three most popular pastry shops in the North End – Mike’s, Modern, and Maria’s (funny how they all start with the letter ‘M’). Maria’s was by far the best…the ricotta cheese filling was sweetened just enough (i.e. you still could tell it was ricotta cheese) and the delicate shell had the perfect crunch because they fill it *after* you order it. Simple yet perfect.
Modern was my second favorite, and Mike’s was a distant third. They put too much crap on the cannolis at Mike’s Pastry. Also the fried shell was way too thick, and filling tasted like pure sugar (like the cheap frosting they put on cupcakes at supermarkets). It’s so ironic because Mike’s is always jam packed with crowds and tourists – I guess it shows what good marketing can do for a business.

On the other hand, that’s a bonus for me. The crazy crowds are elsewhere, and I rarely have to wait in line at Maria’s…woo-hoo! Without fail, I always get the perfect cannoli which spreads a huge smile on my face everytime I come here. To top it all off, Maria's also has a charming, Italian ‘mom & pop’ shop feel to it, while the other pastry shops are more flashy and less personal.

BITE METER: Maria’s Pastry Shop – 4.5 bites (out of 5)