The 10 best places for cannoli in Boston
Cannoli in Boston start on Hanover Street in the North End, where two pastry shops and three espresso cafes sell them within a few blocks of each other. This list covers ten places inside the city limits: eight in the North End, one in the Back Bay and one in East Boston. The list is for visitors planning a pastry stop and for residents who want an alternative to the longest line.
The picks favor shops that fill shells to order, bakeries and cafes that have been open for decades, and a few restaurants where cannoli end a sit-down meal. Local guides put a single cannolo at about $4 to $7 depending on the shell and toppings. Few shops post prices online, and some counters take cash only.
How we chose
The list is alphabetical, not ranked. Each place is inside the City of Boston, was confirmed open in November 2026 and has cannoli documented on the business’s own website or in recent local coverage. Preference went to independent, family-run shops with long records in their neighborhoods, cannoli filled to order, and repeat mentions across separate guides from outlets such as Time Out, GBH, Tasting Table and BU Today. No single site’s star rating decided a spot.
Hours and prices below come from each business and change without notice. Call ahead if you are making a special trip.
Bova’s Bakery
Bova’s Bakery is a family-owned bakery on Salem Street, one block off the Hanover Street crowds, and the bakery’s website dates the business to 1926. The same site says the family recipes have passed through three generations and marks a 100th anniversary this year. The cannoli case includes a Florentine cannoli, made with a honey and almond shell, and a seasonal pumpkin spice version in fall. Time Out’s 2024 guide describes the ricotta filling as not too sweet. The practical tip is the clock: the bakery says the doors stay open 24 hours a day, so a late-night or early-morning visit skips the after-dinner rush.
Hours: Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, according to the bakery.
Address: 134 Salem Street, Boston, MA 02113
Why they made the list
- The bakery’s own site describes the business as family-owned and operated since 1926.
- BU Today’s 2026 North End guide lists ricotta cannoli among the bakery’s staples.
- Tasting Table’s cannoli guide, updated in July 2025, says the shells are made from scratch.
- Time Out’s 2024 guide calls the cannoli traditional Sicilian in style.
Caffe dello Sport
Soccer matches play on the screens at Caffe dello Sport, an espresso bar on Hanover Street a few doors from Mike’s Pastry. Photos on the cafe’s website show ricotta cannoli, including one finished with chocolate chips, next to the espresso drinks. Fodor’s describes a menu of espresso, morning pastries, panini made with imported Italian products, gelato, beer and wine. That makes the cafe a place to sit down with a cannolo and a cappuccino instead of carrying a box down the street. A second location is on Saratoga Street in East Boston. The cafe opens at 6 a.m. on weekdays, so a cannolo can be breakfast.
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 6 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.; Friday, 6 a.m. to 12:30 a.m.; Saturday, 7 a.m. to 12:30 a.m.; Sunday, 7 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
Address: 308 Hanover Street, Boston, MA 02113
Why they made the list
- Weekday opening is two hours ahead of Mike’s Pastry, going by each shop’s posted hours.
- Cannoli are served at a table with full espresso service.
- A second cafe is at 973 Saratoga Street in East Boston.
See the full directory listing
Caffe Paradiso
Next door to Modern Pastry, Caffe Paradiso has been a Hanover Street cafe since 1962, according to BU Today’s North End guide, which names cannoli as the thing the cafe is known for. Tasting Table’s cannoli guide lists espresso drinks, baba al rum, biscotti, gelato and cocktails on the same menu. The 2026 edition of the BU Today guide says the cafe stays open until 2 a.m. every day, which would make this the late option for a seated dessert on Hanover Street. That closing time comes from the guide, not the cafe, so confirm before a late visit.
Hours: Check current hours before you go.
Address: 255 Hanover Street, Boston, MA 02113
Why they made the list
- BU Today has named the cafe’s cannoli in each edition of its North End guide from 2022 through 2026.
- Cocktails are on the menu, according to Tasting Table, so dessert can come with a drink.
- A 1962 opening date gives the cafe more than 60 years on the street.
Caffe Vittoria
Established in 1929, Caffe Vittoria calls the business the first Italian cafe in Boston on the cafe’s own website. The menu lists two cannoli: a crisp shell with sweet ricotta cream, and a chocolate cannoli in a dark chocolate-dipped shell that can be finished with chocolate chips or pistachio. This is a sit-down cafe, so the cannolo comes to the table with an espresso or a cappuccino. BU Today’s guide also points to the limoncello and rum cakes. The cafe is open until midnight every night, so dessert after a North End dinner is the usual plan; bring cash in case cards are not accepted.
Hours: Daily, 8 a.m. to midnight.
Address: 290-296 Hanover Street, Boston, MA 02113
Why they made the list
- The cafe’s website gives 1929 as the founding year.
- Both a plain and a chocolate-dipped cannolo are on the published menu.
- Time Out included the cafe in a 2024 guide to cannoli in the city.
Eataly Boston
Inside the Prudential Center, Eataly Boston is the Back Bay entry on a list that otherwise stays close to the harbor. GBH’s guide to the market’s food counters, updated in April 2024, describes a counter called I Cannoli di Eataly that fills Sicilian-style shells to order with sweet ricotta and a choice of add-ins from chocolate to pistachio. Time Out’s 2024 guide reported a rotating flavor list and ricotta from Calabro Cheese in Connecticut. The market is the pick for anyone shopping or working in the Back Bay who does not want to cross the city for dessert. Ask at the pastry area for the current flavors.
Hours: Daily, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. for the market; individual counters may keep shorter hours.
Address: 800 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199
Why they made the list
- GBH reported that the cannoli here are filled to order.
- Time Out’s 2024 guide said the counter sells mini cannoli in sets of three.
- The market is open every day from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., according to Eataly.
See the full directory listing
Mike’s Pastry
Michael Mercogliano founded Mike’s Pastry in the North End in 1946, according to the bakery, and the white box tied with string is now a common sight on Hanover Street. The draw is the flavor list. Recent guides name espresso, limoncello, pecan caramel, mint chip, hazelnut, strawberry and amaretto versions alongside plain ricotta. BU Today describes the cannoli as oversized and overstuffed. Tasting Table reported in January 2026 that the shop is cash only and that waits can run past 45 minutes at busy times. The doors open at 8 a.m. daily for anyone who wants to beat the evening crowd. The bakery also has shops in Harvard Square, at Assembly Row in Somerville and at TD Garden.
Hours: Daily, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the North End shop.
Address: 300 Hanover Street, Boston, MA 02113
Why they made the list
- The bakery’s website gives 1946 as the founding year.
- Time Out’s 2024 guide said the shells are made in-house.
- Flavored ricotta fillings give the shop the widest cannoli range on this list.
- BU Today’s 2026 guide also says the shop takes only cash.
Modern Pastry
At Modern Pastry, cannoli are made to order, a point the shop makes on the front page of the website. Customers pick a plain or chocolate-dipped shell, then a filling: ricotta, vanilla or chocolate custard, or whipped cream, according to Time Out and Tasting Table. Chocolate chips, sliced almonds and pistachios are the toppings. The shop describes the business as family owned and operated for more than 80 years. Filling each shell at the counter keeps the pastry crisp, and the build-your-own format means every order takes a moment longer. The bakery posts separate Thanksgiving week hours and stops taking Boston pastry pre-orders on November 22, 2026.
Hours: Sunday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 7 a.m. to midnight.
Address: 257 Hanover Street, Boston, MA 02113
Why they made the list
- BU Today dates the shop to the 1930s.
- Shell, filling and topping are chosen separately for each cannolo.
- A second bakery is at 20 Salem Street in Medford.
- The Hanover Street shop also runs a downstairs dining room called the Underground.
Ristorante Limoncello
Ristorante Limoncello is a family-run Italian restaurant on North Street at North Square, a few doors from the Paul Revere House on the Freedom Trail. Tasting Table’s guide to cannoli in the city, updated in July 2025, includes the restaurant for a cannolo with a light, fluffy cream filling served at the end of dinner. This is the entry for diners who want cannoli as a plated dessert after a full meal. Pastas on the restaurant’s dinner menu run from $26 to $38, and chicken parmigiana is $32. The dessert list is not posted online, so ask the server whether cannoli are on that night.
Hours: Check current hours before you go.
Address: 190 North Street, Boston, MA 02113
Why they made the list
- The restaurant’s website names Maurizio Badolato as the owner.
- Tasting Table notes indoor tables and a patio.
- The dining room is on the Freedom Trail, by the restaurant’s own description.
See the full directory listing
Spinelli’s
East Boston’s entry is Spinelli’s, a pasta and pastry shop on Bennington Street in Day Square. The shop’s website describes a combined Italian takeout counter, bakery, deli and grocer known for fresh pasta. Tasting Table’s cannoli guide describes the cannoli as ricotta-filled with a citrus note, dusted with powdered sugar and finished with chocolate chips. Italian cookies, cakes, Sicilian pizza and arancini come from the same counter, so a cannoli run can double as a dinner pickup. The shop closes at 6 p.m. most days and 5 p.m. on Sunday, earlier than the North End cafes. The company also runs a function hall in Lynnfield.
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Address: 282 Bennington Street, East Boston, MA 02128
Why they made the list
- Spinelli’s is the only East Boston shop in Tasting Table’s cannoli guide, updated in July 2025.
- Fresh pasta and sauces are sold alongside the pastry case.
- The shop is open seven days a week, according to the company’s website.
Trattoria Il Panino
Trattoria Il Panino is a Hanover Street restaurant at the corner of Parmenter Street, and both Time Out and Tasting Table include the restaurant in their cannoli guides. Time Out’s 2024 guide lists made-to-order cannoli in classic, chocolate, pistachio and hazelnut flavors. The restaurant’s website lists homemade pasta, house specials and a late-night menu, and the posted hours run until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, later than the pastry shops on the same street. That makes the restaurant a fallback when the bakery lines are long or the cafes are full. Cannoli do not appear on the online menu, so confirm at the door.
Hours: Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Address: 280 Hanover Street, Boston, MA 02113
Why they made the list
- Two separate cannoli guides, from Time Out and Tasting Table, name the restaurant.
- Tasting Table describes the cannoli as topped with chocolate chips.
- The restaurant is open seven days a week from 11 a.m., according to the website.
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