Boston is famous for its historic sites, which are conveniently linked by a red-brick road known as the Freedom Trail.
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Boston is famous for its historic sites, which are conveniently linked by a red-brick road known as the Freedom Trail.
Aside from history, you probably think of higher education universities like Harvard and MIT, or maybe the more casual (but equally fanatical) world of sports. Even the Red Sox’s Fenway Park has the moniker of the oldest continually occupied professional sports stadium in the US, opened back in 1912.
Toss in a few fantastic public museums and galleries, a handful of stroll-worthy neighborhoods to stay in, and comprehensive public transportation, and it’s easy to see why Beantown has remained a near-perfect New England getaway.
But let’s refocus our lens on Boston’s most visitable spots.
What I remember most about my last visit to the city was biting into an incredible dessert—one that I hadn’t tried before or even heard of. The Boston cream pie.
In celebration of Boston’s tastiest desserts (including but not limited to the cream pie), I’m listing out some of the best places to feast on the city’s most unique desserts. It’s time to polish off that sweet tooth!
Which desserts should you try in Boston?
Boston specializes in the Boston cream pie (shocker), but the city’s legacy has lent itself to other sweet treats. Apple pies, with their American heritage, are another favorite, along with the powdered cannoli commonly found in Italian-American neighborhoods across the country.
There are two other desserts you should know about: Indian pudding and something called a Baked Alaska.
The former is yet another callback to Boston’s colonial era. Indian pudding was once a classic New England dessert, likely a spin-off of the British hasty pudding that includes corn meal, milk, and sugar. The Baked Alaska is an ice cream cake topped with scorched meringue.
Very different vibes—but equally delicious. Here’s where to find the best desserts in Boston.
Where to find the best desserts in Boston
Oleana: The Baked Alaska
Oleana, located in Cambridge, is a Middle Eastern restaurant with special vegan and vegetarian dishes. Flavors are vibrant, dishes are colorful, and guests rave about the cozy ambiance.
But all you need to focus on is that dessert menu—and the Baked Alaska. It’s the restaurant’s most famous dish, which is strikingly assembled in a marble-like meringue that’s accented with coconut and passionfruit.
Bar Volpe: Cannoli
Bar Volpe serves up some of the best Southern Italian food in the city. Fresh pasta is made daily, while a wood-fire stove adds complexity to each dish.
While you won’t be short on great cannolis in Boston, Bar Volpe’s cannolis have won the hearts of hundreds. Come in for the hand-prepared pasta, but stay for that sweet, sweet cannoli.
Mike’s Pastry: Cannoli
You’ll get a pretty dressed-up cannoli at Bar Volpe, but if you want to keep things quick and easy, head to Mike’s Pastry. This famous institution has been catering to sweet tooths across the city for around 80 years. That means you can order a near-perfect cannoli without dining at a restaurant.
Plus, you can sample some of Boston’s other tastiest treats.
Petsi Pies: Apple pie & beyond
Along with Mike’s Pastry, Petsi Pies is a well-known Boston dessert shop despite being founded recently in 2003. The specialty is—you guessed it—pies. I’m recommending you sample their classic apple pie as an ode to Boston’s colonial history… but I’d also make room for their cherry crumble pie and brown butter pecan pie, too.
Union Oyster House: Indian Pudding
Like I mentioned before, Indian pudding is a colonial dessert that combines cornmeal, milk, and sugar. That’s not the flashiest combination by modern standards, but Union Oyster House offers a delicious take on this historical favorite.
Established in 1826, this restaurant is now a National Historic Landmark. That’s two layers of history for you to enjoy—and one of them you get to eat.
Flour Bakery & Café: Pies, pastries, & more
A newer and more innovative take on dessert-slinging, Flour Bakery and Café includes savory dishes and also offers cooking classes. But there are cream pies galore for you to taste-test, including a chocolate cream pie, lime cream pie, and coconut cream pie.
(The chocolate cream pie is a Boston cream pie—they’re sometimes used interchangeably.)
Lyndell’s Bakery: Boston Cream Pie
Finally—we’re moving into firmer Boston Cream Pie territory. Though you might see full pies and mini versions of this treat offered around the city, head to Lyndell’s Bakery (or Omni Parker House, below) for a master class in Boston cream pies.
Lyndell’s opened up shop back in 1887 and has been serving pies, pastries, and breads daily since then. If it’s not broke, don’t fix it—and this cream pie is perfect.
Omni Parker House: Boston Cream Pie
Last, but certainly not least, we have Omni Parker House—the birthplace of the Boston cream pie. This historic hotel opened in 1955, at which time head chef Augustine Francois Anezin created the dessert using two sponge cakes and a thick custard, then topped with chocolate fondant.
It’s remained largely unchanged since then—and you can enjoy one right in the same spot where the dessert was first presented and tasted.
