Mike’s Pastry vs Modern Pastry

Every time I have friends visiting me (hi Fe! hi Marcie! hi RJ!), I end up taking them to the same places over and over again. In fact I already made a list of the usual places I take my tourist friends to, and this list includes the North End. I have never eaten a bad meal there (and I’ve eaten a lot of meals there heehee) and the whole area is very charming, so I know for sure that whoever I bring to Boston’s Little Italy will be happy.

Another reason why I really like the North End is – surprise – the abundance of sweets there, particularly cannolis and gelato. Mmm-mmm. We go to either Mike’s Pastry or Modern Pastry, both popular among tourists and locals alike. I’ve read a lot of reviews (and debates) on which one is better, but to me, they are both good so I just end up going to whichever place has the shorter line (so I can get to my cannoli quicker).

But a few weeks ago, someone told me an interesting tidbit (not sure if it’s a fact or fiction): while both stores boast freshly-made pastries, apparently Mike’s Pastry makes their cannolis at 4 am everyday and it sits out the whole day, while Modern Pastry bakes them in little batches all throughout the day. That night, my friends (hi Sabs! hi Fe!) and I decided to go to Modern Pastry. I had the the classic cannoli with ricotta cheese and chocolate chips and it did taste fresh; it also tasted rich and comforting – I love the texture of the crispy shell and the creamy filling together. Mmm-mmm.

marcie's visit (97)

This weekend, I brought Marcie to the North End and we chose Mike’s. Again, I had the classic cannoli with ricotta cheese and chocolate chips. To be honest, I couldn’t tell if it was fresh-baked or not (and if it’s true that it’s been sitting there since 4 am, I wonder if that even really makes a difference?) but I could tell that it was as sweet, creamy and satisfying as I expected it to be. Mmm-mmm.

We left happy (another successful North End visit!) but I wonder – what’s really better: Mike’s Pastry or Modern Pastry??

   

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