There's a laundry list of the Italian desserts that everyone should try at least once, including panna cotta, tiramisu, and of course, Italian cookies. But the one that is likely the most well-known is the cannoli. The classic, Sicilian cannoli is made with a fried shell, rolled up so that it can easily support a thick, cheesy filling made with ricotta, whole milk, and sugar. Before the cannoli is consumed, it's often dipped into toppings like chopped pistachios or chocolate chips.

And there's perhaps no better U.S. city to devour cannoli in than Boston: a haven for Italian American cuisine. The North End, an Italian ethnic enclave, historically supported a large population who came across the Atlantic. Many of these new arrivals and their families opened Italian restaurants to make a life for themselves, as well as make food that reflected their heritage.