Serving Since

Boston Area

Serving since

1946

80 years in Boston

Mike's Pastry Hanover Street

North End · Bakery

Go here for
Cannoli · Lobster tails
Why go
The North End's most famous cannoli, from the pastry shop Michael Mercogliano opened in 1946.
Local character
Visitor destination
Good to know
Expect crowds. One of Boston's biggest visitor stops; CBS Boston describes tourists from around the world coming for its cannoli.
Directions Official website

The North End original, opened in 1946. Later branches in Cambridge, Somerville and TD Garden aren't part of this listing.

Why it matters

Michael Mercogliano, who came from Italy as a boy, opened Mike's Pastry on Hanover Street in 1946. He ran it until his death in 2012 at age 90. His stepson Angelo Papa runs the family business today.

Mike's never advertised; the white box with blue lettering did the work. Visitors from around the world line up for its cannoli, and Bill Clinton once bought 75 of them for Air Force One.

The story

  1. 1946Michael Mercogliano opens on Hanover Street1
  2. 2012Founder dies at 90; the family keeps it running5
  3. 2017Branches open in Harvard Square and Assembly Row2
  4. TodayStill serving Boston

Details

Address
300 Hanover Street, Boston, MA 02113
Neighborhood
North End
Ownership
Family-owned
Status
Open · verified Sep 2026

OldScore

A secondary, editorial measure. The founding year above is the fact that matters most. How it works.

Age22/ 35
Continuity15/ 20
Local significance10/ 20
Local food culture15/ 15
Independence10/ 10
OldScore72/ 100

Local character: Visitor destination. One of Boston's biggest visitor stops; CBS Boston describes tourists from around the world coming for its cannoli. This is separate from OldScore: a place can be popular with visitors and still belong here.

More like this

Sources

  1. Mike's Pastry (official site) Founding year, History
  2. Mike's Pastry, History (official) Ownership, What to order, History
  3. Mike's Pastry, Locations (official) Address, Current status
  4. Boston Preservation Alliance, Boston's Legacy Businesses: Restaurants & Cafes Founding year
  5. CBS Boston, 'Founder, owner of Mike's Pastry passes away' (Dec 12, 2012) History
  6. Boston.com, 'A look at Mike's Pastry in the North End' (Dec 12, 2012) History, What to order