Off the Eaten Path logo

   BOSTON’S ORIGINAL NORTH END FOOD TOUR · EST. 2012   

NORTH END
FOOD TOUR

Eat like a local. Explore like a traveler.

Why Off The Eaten Path

More than a tour,
it is an experience.

We never leave the neighborhood – we only walk four blocks. But we metaphorically travel the whole peninsula of Italy, tasting the regional foods so proudly represented in Boston’s historic North End.

A progressive lunch

Each course focuses on a region of Italy, from Sicily all the way to Sardinia.

Family-owned spots

Built on 20 years of relationships with the neighborhood’s small businesses.

Real history

The most comprehensive telling of how the North End became Italian.

Every tour, Paula

Personal enough that your guide leads every single tour herself.

Paula with a North End baker beneath the Italian ingredient signs
Our Tour Highlights

Three hours. Four blocks. All of Italy.

La dolce vita, quattro isolati alla volta.

del posto

Local favorites

Signature dishes at family-owned spots loved by the people who live here.

mangia!

Generous tastings

Come hungry – it is a full progressive meal across multiple stops.

la storia

Rich history

Walk the same streets where Boston’s Italian heritage came to life.

salute!

Wine, oil & balsamic

Learn to drink wine like an Italian and spot real extra-virgin olive oil.

i segreti

Hidden gems

Back alleys, a 160-year-old starter dough, and the city’s oldest retail shop.

in famiglia

Small groups

Personal attention and a relaxed, friendly table of fellow travelers.

The Journey

From Sicily to Sardinia,
one bite at a time.

Certified Neapolitan pizza

The South: Sicily & Naples

Arancini, panzerotti and Sicilian pizza, then authentic Neapolitan pizza from the neighborhood’s only certified Italian oven.

BOOK THIS TOUR

Olive oil, aged balsamic, prosciutto and cheese tasting board

Wine, Oil & the Great Market

A beloved wine shop, the secrets of real olive oil, 12-year balsamic, Parma prosciutto and Sardinian sheep’s-milk cheese.

Pistachio gelato cone held in hand

The Sweet Finale

A back-alley artisan bakery, the oldest shop in the city, then the trifecta: espresso, cannoli and gelato at Paula’s personal hangout.

Make It Yours

Private tours & events

Private tour group in a North End wine cellar

Private Tours

Your group, your date, your pace. The full Off the Eaten Path experience, reserved exclusively for family, friends, or colleagues.

BOOK A PRIVATE TOUR

Bread and cannoli tasting board

Events

Corporate outings, celebrations, bachelorette weekends and team days built around the North End’s food and stories.

EXPLORE EVENTS

Paula Taylor, your North End guide
Meet Your Guide

Paula Taylor

Paula started Off the Eaten Path in 2012, before any other food tour of its kind existed in the neighborhood – built on twenty years of relationships with the North End’s family-owned businesses.

Trained in art history at Boston University and a frequent traveler to Italy, she leads every tour herself. The tour is that personal.

The North End is my first big love affair, and this tour is my first baby.

Ready to get Off the Eaten Path?

Come hungry. Leave with a full belly, heart and mind.

What Travelers Are Saying

Consistently loved by guests.

★★★★★

Don’t even consider another tour. This is the one you want. Feel like family, learn new things, eat good food. No Boston stay is complete without this tour!

Demara G.

★★★★★

Paula was fantastic. She combined her strong knowledge of the history of the North End with her own personal stories to bring it to life. The food was delicious and plentiful and the local shops were as authentic as it gets.

John B.

★★★★★

One of the best food walking tours I have been on. Paula has such passion for the history and culture of the North End. She will take you off the beaten path for the most amazing food.

Eileen J.