By Sylvain Gaulier
In a city bursting with a cornucopia of restaurants and cafés, it can often be difficult to discover the best of what Boston has to offer. To make the hunt a little easier, here is my list of the top places for pastry and late night sweets in Beantown.
Boston is full of diverse pastry shops. Whether you prefer Italian, French, Asian, or inter-cultural desserts, you will find a suitable match for whichever you crave. Although I have a personal fondness for French and Italian inspired pastries, my top selection represents different cultural influences.
Flour Bakery showcases a wide variety of tastes and beautiful desserts. It has four locations in Back Bay, Central Square, Fort Point, and the South End. The shop on Clarendon Street is the closest location to Suffolk University. Their muffins and croissants are exquisite. It is important to be there quite early, ideally before 10 a.m., to be able to choose your favorite pastries before they run out. Even though long lines often form when they open at 7 a.m., the waiting time rarely exceeds five minutes. The wait will be worth it when you try one of their delicious pastries.
In Boston, two pastry shops deserve significant praise for their respect of tradition. French Chef Frederic Robert opened up Café Madeleine in the South End three months ago. It offers traditional and sophisticated French pastries including croissants, Paris-Boston, a localized version of the famous Paris-Brest, cannelés, and brioches. Unlike many other pastry shops offering French pastries, Café Madeleine masters the art of baked goods. A mouthful of their croissants will immediately transport you to France.
Similarly, Mike’s Pastry represents a taste of the best Italy has to offer. Located in the North End, which is known for its authentic Italian cuisine, competition amongst pastry shops is fierce. Personally, I prefer Mike’s Pastry to its well-known competitor Modern Pastry Shop because of the effective customer service, very large choice of cannoli fillings, and above all the heavenly amaretto cannoli. Mike’s Pastry is a long-established institution that is destined to keep attracting local personalities and hordes of tourists.
Though my other picks are further away from Suffolk, they do not lack the charm of their downtown counterparts. In Cambridge, Zinneken’s is a restaurant that specializes in Belgian waffles. You can order Liege or Brussels-style waffles with Belgian chocolate, red fruits, banana, whipped cream, or biscuits. Having lived only a few miles away from Belgium, I can safely say this shop offers authentic cuisine and run by friendly staff.
Somerville also has unique pastry shops. 3 Little Figs offers a divine lavender biscuit in addition to offering an extensive selection of scones and muffins.
Finally, Union Square Donuts gourmet donuts will make you forget all the Dunkin’ Donuts you have ever tried. Their brown butter hazelnut and toasted coconut donuts are my personal favorites.
Many excellent pastry shops are also within walking distance of the campus. The Thinking Cup and Boston Common Coffee Company at the Boston Common and in the North End are very tasty alternatives to the previously mentioned pastry shops. BCCC bakes nutritious fruit bars every day and special vegan donuts on Thursday. On the other hand, the Thinking Cup provides fancy desserts and pastry selection. It also makes very colorful and mouth-watering macaroons.
If you fancy Asian pastries, Chinatown has all you need. Hing Shing Pastry has my preference for their various sweet buns and coconut rolls.
Who has never craved a late-night sweet? Fortunately, a few local pastry shops are open late. Zinneken’s is open until 11 p.m. on weekdays. In the North End, Bova’s Bakery, open 24 hours a day, satisfies your sweet yearning all day and night. They bake a sampling of seasonal cannolis such as pumpkin that are a must try. Other stores such as Café Dello for sport lovers and Cafe´ Vittoria are respectively open until 11:30 p.m. on weekdays and 2 a.m on weekends.
