First off, I grew up here. So I know more than you do. I’m going to tell you about the neighborhood I called home during my formative years – Boston’s North End. It’s not a typical haunt for the BU crowd because it sits on the opposite end of the Green Line from the student ghetto of Allston, and that’s a shame. (That’s not to say I don’t love Allston.)

The North End is a tight-knit cluster of narrow alleys bisected by Hanover Street, peppered with Italian restaurants and Catholic churches left vacant by scandal. The social clubs that once housed the Mafia still exist, and to many this place remains Little Italy. If you’re lucky, you still may see the remnants of the last Italian generation sitting on a park bench by the Old North Church. But, with the changing times bringing an influx of young professionals, the North End has become a glossier, touristy memory of its former self.

If you want, you can visit Paul Revere’s house, or the Old North Church, or grab a slice of Regina’s pizza, and all that is fine and good. But once you’ve got that out of your system, let me tell you about the five places in the North End that you’d be a fool to miss.

  1. Galleria Umberto – 289 Hanover Street. I do not hesitate to call this the best pizza in the city. I’m not as schooled in pizzas of the world, so I won’t claim it champion over all, but it certainly topples anything I’ve had anywhere else (only Grimaldi’s in Brooklyn comes close). This unassuming little pizza place is only open for lunch, only serves Sicilian style cheese pizza, and closes when they run out of dough. There is a line out the door every single day. If you don’t get there by 11 you will wait at least 45 minutes. Grab a couple slices and you will never be the same.
  2. Ristorante Fiore – 250 Hanover Street. When you name an Italian restaurant in the North End king over the others, you’re bound to piss someone off. But shut up because I’ve eaten at pretty much every one of them. This restaurant, named for the man who owns many of the restaurants in the North End, is the one to visit. The Bombolotti al Forno will change your life.
  3. Bova’s Bakery – 134 Salem Street. Even though Mike’s Pastry on Hanover Street is a favorite of Bill Clinton, go with the neighborhood’s preference. Bova’s, tucked away on Salem Street supplies the bread served at almost every restaurant in the North End for a reason. Forget Mike’s.
  4. Johnny & Gino Hairstyling – 430 Hanover Street. Stay with me on this one. Johnny is a neighborhood landmark in and of himself. The guy lives around the corner and still makes wine in his bathtub. Even if you’re fine with the campus barber, go down and see Johnny and ask him to tell you about the old days, the days when guys walked around with guns in their sweatpants and women felt safe any time of day. He’s a born storyteller and he knows all the best ones.
  5. Polcari’s Coffee – 105 Salem Street. Polcari’s offers a glimpse into history. Old Italian men still sit outside it in lawn chairs on the warmer days and the interior has the clutter and wear of a place that has no one left to impress. Inside you’ll find coffee and spices from places you didn’t know existed and, for those espresso connoisseurs, those stove-top espresso machines that put Starbucks to shame. But, if anything, visit Polcari’s to see one of the last outposts in a neighborhood quickly being overrun by boutiques.

So, if you have a chance to visit the city, stop by the North End. It’s a side of Boston unlike any other and will quickly become one of your favorites.