I brought my 18 year old daughter and our 18 year old Italian exchange student on the “Off the Eaten Path” tour. It was truly one of the most awesome experiences we have had. I could tell Paula (the owner) was special and delightful from our first phone call. Paula was willing to give us a private tour despite it being her day off to accommodate our travel plans. Paula is clearly loved by locals as SEVERAL people would stop us along the way in the neighborhood to greet her or to tell us how lucky we were to have the best tour guide (she really was!). As a 20+ year resident of the area, Paula knows the places the locals love to go. She is incredibly knowledgeable of the history and culture of the North End. We knew she was accurate and thorough as she engaged our Italian guest with conversations of comparisons and authenticity to Italy! Our first restaurant stop at
“Galleria Umberto” was a hit where we enjoyed fabulous Arancini, Panzarroti, and Pizza! The portions were huge and I was grateful to take our leftovers home as we knew we had several stops to go. We loved “Salumeria Italiana,” an authentic Italian grocery store where we sampled THE BEST Extra Virgin olive oil I have ever tasted. The Balsamic Vinegar, Prosciutto, and Sardinian Tartufo was incredible as well. We learned so much here, and bought some groceries that are definitely not available anywhere at our home in Colorado. At our next stop, “Ristorante Saraceno,” I absolutely fell in love with the ambiance and people. The original owner has the most charming smile and treated us to an impressive flaming calamari- it was unbelievable! We also tasted Caprese salad and pasta Amatriciana, with Montepulciano wine. (Another to go box, please!) Paula shared stories and pictures of her ties to this incredible place as a hostess 20 ago! Ristorante Saraceno appeared to be a quaint place, but Paula surprised us with a grand tour of the huge restaurant of 3 floors including a glass ceiling. (I don’t imagine other tour guides would have this insiders perk!) Next we went to “I am Books” and all of us could have stayed all day perusing the interesting and unique Italian American novels, history and children’s books. At our stop to
“Polcari Coffee and Spice” I was sold and ready to move to the North End! This is the oldest grocery store in Boston, and I wanted to buy their buckets of Fava
Beans, unique spices and blocks of Almond Paste! Finally, “Caffe Paradiso” was exactly that. We felt like we were in paradise as we enjoyed cannoli, espresso, and gelato. Again, the locals and owners greeted Paula with hugs and stories for us. Today was exceptional, and we could not have imagined a better way to spend it. I highly recommend this unique and special tour. Molto bene!