Boston Food Bucket List: Some Must-Tries Before Graduation!

By Carina McCallum

In every city, there are a few culinary rites of passage you must go through before you can really claim to know the food scene. But in a city as vibrant and expensive as Boston, it can seem like there’s too much to try and too little money in your wallet. If you want to get the balance just right, check out this Boston food bucket list to see every must-try spot you need to go to before you graduate.

Photo by Serena Sharma

Seafood (obviously!)

This one might be a little bit obvious—but it’s nonetheless important! It’s not called Boston Harbor for no reason: Boston sits directly on the Atlantic coast, making it hard to find seafood that beats Beantown’s.

Lobster rolls, clam chowder, and fresh-shucked oysters are key classics to try, but if you want to go the extra mile, try Atlantic cod or halibut.

To achieve New England foodie actualization, try a clambake: a traditional, festive way of cooking seafood by steaming ingredients (typically lobster, mussels, crabs, clams, and scallops alongside vegetables) over layers of seaweed in a pit oven.

Boston Seafood Must-Tries: Legal Seafoods, Atlantic Fish Co., Union Oyster House, and more.

North End Italian Food

When it comes to good Italian food, Boston’s “North End” is a close synonym. The North End is known for its deep-rooted, multi-generational history as Boston's “Little Italy,” and it has a host of flavors to sample. From pasta to pizza, you can’t really go wrong with what you order, as long as you stay away from chains and make an effort to try something a little more authentic.

North End Must-Tries: Carmelina’s, Trattoria Il Panino, Galleria Umberto, and more.

Cannolis

Technically, cannolis fit right in with the “North End Italian food” category…but where’s the fun in that? For this iconic Italian dessert, it’s necessary to make the trek to a bakery and try one of these Sicilian pastries fresh! With fried dough shells and a sweet ricotta filling, cannolis are a cornerstone of Boston Italian food and beyond.

Cannoli Must-Tries: Mike's Pastry, Modern Pastry, and Bova's Bakery. (They’re all competing for the “best cannoli” title). Sample these and more.

Boston Cream Pie

It’s in the name! There’s no dessert more Boston than the Boston Cream Pie. First made at the Omni Parker House, this dessert has a layer of yellow sponge cake filled with thick vanilla custard and topped with chocolate ganache. Decadent and indulgent, the pie (which is honestly closer to a cake) is the official dessert of Massachusetts.

Boston Cream Pie Must-Tries: Omni Parker House, Bova's Bakery, and T Anthony’s.

Fluffernutter Sandwich

When you think of the Boston area, a fluffernutter sandwich may not be what first comes to mind. The Massachusetts classic consists of two pieces of bread: one with a layer of peanut butter, and one with a layer of marshmallow fluff (hence, “fluffernutter”).

This sandwich is all very New England. Marshmallow fluff actually originates from Sommerville, MA and the sandwich was conceptualized by none other than Emma Curtis, the great-great-great-grandchild of Paul Revere. How much more Massachusetts can a sandwich get?

DIY Must-Try: For a fluffernutter sandwich, there’s only one real route—make it yourself! The best way to capture the energy of the Fluffernutter sandwich is to take a few minutes and enjoy the fruits of your own labor.

BU Classics

Even more subjective here. But for the typical Boston University student, here are a few must-try classics to sample before you can claim scarlet red and white as your own!

A slice from T Anthony’s has never let a student down late at night, and a coffee from Saxbys or Pavement Coffeehouse is always there for you on the subsequent early morning. Nestled on Commonwealth Ave., restaurants like Nud Pob and Sunset Cantina are home to many students grabbing lunch or dinner, and are mainstays for BU Terriers.

I hope you enjoy trying all of these spots on my Boston Food Bucket List!