North End- Mike's Pastry & Bova's Bakery

This Italian food mecca in Boston is THE place for Italian restaurants and groceries. I find it a lot easier to navigate and more friendly than New York's Little Italy, and the food is just as delicious. I can't stop eating even when I'm full! Desserts from Mike's Pastry and Bova's Bakery were no exception.

Everyone who lives in or who has visited Boston knows Mike's Pastry and their canolis. Any why wouldn't they? They're delicious and well known as the best in the city. Behind the canolis are their cookies! Of the butter cookies and giant bakery cookies, I selected the M&M cookie ($1.50). Soft and saucer-sized, it was full with M&Ms AND chocolate chips. I planned to share half of it, but ended up eating 3/4. They cookie was scrumptious (eaten the next day after the canoli- still remained very fresh), and I will be sure to get one next time I stop in for a canoli. Visit www.mikespastry.com for more details.

Bova's Bakery is off the beaten path. The cashier was chatting with a customer about the Red Sox game when we came in. It's definitely a true family run business. Cookies (mostly butter cookies) are by the pound. I tried four different kinds, and my total was $1.72. The chocolate walnut cookie (about 1 tablespoon in size) is a great after dinner treat and was my favorite. The chocolate chip lacked flavor. If you're not in the mood for chocolate, the crumbly butter cookies with sprinkles melt in your mouth. Visit http://bovabakeryboston.com for more details.