Unseasonably warm winter days in Boston are perhaps the best times to check out notoriously tourist-heavy areas like Faneuil Hall and the North End. The crowds are much diminished in the winter, so we can enjoy some rare peace and quiet while exploring our own city. Food, of course, is a highlight of this exploration. Let’s look at some of the top dishes to be found in this area. Interestingly enough, even though we’re looking at the North End, none of our current top-ranked dishes are truly Italian. We’ll focus on the best Italian dishes of the North End on another day.
Maine Lobster Roll at Neptune Oyster. Photo by Sacha.
By far one of our most frequently rated dishes on Tasted Menu, the Maine Lobster Roll at Neptune Oyster is the top dish in the neighborhood. ”Best lobster roll I’ve ever had,” writes John L. ”The bun is toasted to perfection and the roll is stuffed with generous chunks of lobster meat.”
“Succulent lobster,” writes David R. ”Almost as good as the cheesesteaks I had growing up in Philly.”
“Unbelievable amounts of buttery lobster stuffed into a toasted roll – this dish is fantastic,” writes Imran A.
Neptune Oyster also makes an appearance at #5 on the list of top dishes in Faneuil Hall and the North End: the Neptuneburger, a cheeseburger topped with fried oysters and garlic mayo. Despite the fact that Neptune specializes in seafood, this burger gets rave reviews.
Barbequed Pork Sandwich at Bon Me. Photo by Daisy.
Keeping with the sandwich theme, Bon Me‘s barbequed pork sandwich makes #2 on the list. ”The textures and flavors were like a a spicy cool Asian party in my mouth,” writes Bianca Garcia.
“This was AMAZING!” writes LeRenzo T. ”It was just spicy enough to kick it up without taking away from the wonderful fresh flavor of the vegetables and soy sauce. Definitely worth trying out and it’s way better than your average sub!”
“The savory homemade pate, the luscious pork that will just fall apart in your mouth, and the perfectly pickled asian veggies make this one of my lunch favorites,” writes Jennifer F.
Want to try it? The Bon Me truck can be found right on City Hall Plaza, as well as several other locations around Boston.
White Chocolate Bread Pudding at Prezza. Photo by Alex R.
Moving right along to dessert, we find the white chocolate bread pudding at Prezza at #3 on the list. ”I had this dessert two weeks ago and honestly it’s all I’ve been able to think about since then,” writes Imran A. ”Generous portions, ridiculous flavors, plus it looks great too. I actually had this dish before eating an actual meal elsewhere, but it was this dessert that left the biggest impression by a mile.” (See? You don’t even need to have it for dessert…it makes a perfect appetizer as well!)
On the other hand, ordering it for dessert can apparently be the perfect way to end the food-related portion of your evening and lead into…more exciting things. ”I’m also tempted to call this dessert “The Closer,” writes Alex R. “Take a girl out for a romantic evening in the North End. Skip the dessert at the place you dined, walk right by Mike’s and Modern, and make your way over to the bar at Prezza. Order one white chocolate bread pudding to share. Appetites and sensations of all sorts will come alive with this dish. Rush to pay your bill and grab a taxi. You’re going to enjoy the rest of your night.”
Green Monster Sauce at Saus. Photo by Daisy.
Dish #4 on the list isn’t really a dish at all; it’s just a dipping sauce for the delicious pomme frites at Saus. The green monster sauce gets top marks for its sweetness and spice. ”Reminds me of a sweet and spicy salsa verde, in texture, appearance and flavor,” writes Amy H. ”Not too much kick from the fresh jalapenos. The runniest sauce, probably best if you pour it over your fries than try to dip into it. Good for sauce variety as it’s neither ketchup-based nor creamy.”
“Definitely one of my favorites,” writes Lexi N. ”It’s light yet intense. Green monster has the slightest sweetness with the perfect amount of kick. Totally awesome on fries. Just make sure you really let it soak into the fries to get the full flavor, otherwise it’s a bit bland.”
Saus is definitely a must-try in the neighborhood; several other dishes make the top ten list: pommes frites, Belgian liège waffle, deep-fried egg, and curry ketchup.
Daily Soup at Woodward. Photo by Daisy.
The daily soup at Woodward rounds out the top ten list for Faneuil Hall and the North End. “The daily soup was an exquisite Chilled Corn Soup with Roasted Corn and Jalapeno,” writes Daisy about one particular visit. ”The heat the jalapeno gave off in the dish was very subtle, with thin shreds of the hot pepper laced throughout. Most importantly this bowl was full of creamy, comforting sweet corn flavors. The cold taste and velvety smooth consistency were magic to my taste buds. About every other spoonful welcomed crispy corn kernels. This soup achieved well balanced bites of delicate textures and bold flavors.”
