Ranked by TableJourney editorial score.
Boston cream pie is two layers of sponge cake filled with thick pastry cream and topped with chocolate ganache. Massachusetts's official state dessert since 1996, invented at the Parker House Hotel in 1856.
The Boston cream pie was created in 1856 by French chef M. Sanzian at the Parker House Hotel on School Street, three years after the hotel opened. The original recipe layered yellow sponge cake with custard cream and finished the top with a chocolate fondant, not a ganache. Massachusetts named it the official state dessert in 1996 over the Toll House cookie and the Indian pudding. The Omni Parker House still serves the original recipe in its Parker's Restaurant dining room. The dish is technically a cake, not a pie; the historic name dates to a period when American kitchens used pie pans for both shapes.
4 editor picks for Boston cream pie in Boston, ranked by editorial score. All Boston signature dishes · Boston cream pie across every city.
Modern Pastry on Hanover Street has filled cannoli to order in Boston's North End since 1930. Chocolate-dipped shells, lighter ricotta cream.
TipLocals line up at Modern; tourists at Mike's. The chocolate-dipped shell is the headline item; Italian rum cake is the under-ordered cake.
Joanne Chang opened Flour on Washington Street in Boston's South End in 2000; the city's pastry empire grew to 10 locations across Boston and Cambridge.
TipSticky buns sell out by 14:00 weekends. Order ahead online; the South End original is the calmest of the 10 locations on weekdays.
Mike's Pastry on Hanover Street has filled cannoli to order in Boston's North End since 1946. 19 cannoli flavours, cash and card, white string-tied box.
TipThe line on weekends runs 20 minutes; the inside-counter line moves faster than the to-go window. Cash and card both.
Tzurit Or's Tatte runs an Israeli-style bakery-cafe across Boston and Cambridge since 2007. Located in Beacon Hill. Open daily 07:00-19:00. At 70 Charles St.
TipShakshuka books out by 11:00 weekends. The Charles Street and Harvard Square branches keep the strongest pastry selection late.
Boston cream pie makes more sense with someone from Boston explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.
Guided tour · 3 hours
Sample and learn about iconic Boston dishes as you’re treated to the city’s best spots for Lobster Rolls, New England Clam Chowder, Boston Baked Beans and Brown Bread ...
Guided tour · 2 hours
Choose a 2-hour express or 3-hour full Boston food tour. Taste clam chowder, arancini, brick oven pizza, cannoli, and more while exploring the North End’s history and ...
Guided tour · 2.5 hours
Sample Boston's most iconic seafood dishes on a guided walking tour. Enjoy fresh, local favorites and learn about local history during your adventure.
