Boston has a large contingent of Italian immigrants dating back to the late 1800s, and the cultural footprint of Italians in Boston is still quite strong. In the North End, Italian restaurants line the narrow streets, with city-dwellers and tourists alike looking for their favorite eats. It is only natural that an area of Boston with such a rich culinary tradition would care deeply about the quality of its desserts, especially cannoli.

Mike’s Pastry and Modern Pastry are widely considered to have the two best cannoli in the North End, but Bostonians can’t seem to agree on which of the two they prefer. Everyone loves a good food feud, so I felt it would be appropriate to try both myself and give my two cents.