Bova's Bakery

Nut allergy warning: Seriously consider not eating here or bringing severe allergy medicine to this or any of the other cannolis locations. None of them guarantee nut allergy safety and even have signs warning against cross contamination. I generally take the smallest possible bites of a cannoli and still suffer cross contamination reactions. The things I do for a review.I brought some friends on the North Boston mini-Cannoli tour. Bova's was our first stop, being the northern-most. The line was not too bad when we stopped by around 7:30pm on a Saturday, about 25 people long. We got the chocolate chip cannoli ($5 cash, the cheapest of the big three). While overall it was a good cannoli, we rated it the least unique of the big three. I'd say it wins on value (cheapest) and availability (24 hours). It is not too sweet and sufficiently flaky and crispy.It is still a marvelous cannoli overall.

We were visiting from Mississippi for the first time. We'd tried a few other local dessert places and were left very underwhelmed. A local friend suggested Bova's. It was so fantastic, we walked another 30 minute trip back two days later! We'd never tried a cannoli, so we got the chocolate chip. Oh my goodness. No wonder they're so popular! We should have gotten more! If you love apple, the apple dumpling is out of this world. Go ahead and get two. They forgot to give us napkins and forks (no big deal), but definitely grab those. You'll need them! When we visit again, Bova will be at the top of our list!

Open 24hr and cash only (*edit: they take card*) Service was quick at night and selection was still very widely available.4/10 Pistachio Cannoli $5.50 - shell was average, pistachio filling was pretty bad. Did not taste like pistachio but rather like color cream with an artificial after taste. Would not recommend

I found out for myself why it's called Boston cream pie. Many duplicates but this is the original & the best I ever had. I stopped by after an event to get some treats to go. There was a long line even after midnight, but the staff did a good job of keeping things moving while being pleasant. I can't wait to return.

This place is open 24hours so you can get your sweet fix anytime of the day. They also have savory items too!The line wrapped around the building when we got there on a Sunday afternoon. It did go by really fast though!So many options to choose from but we got the pistachio cannoli and the steak and cheese arancini. The cannoli was decent. I really don't know what I was expecting. I think I was really thrown off at how bright green the filling was. The pistachio flavor was not very present. The star of the show was the arancini for me! They warm it up so the cheese is nice and ooey gooey. The marinara sauce was so perfect. I could eat multiple of those but they are quite heavy.

This is my favorite 2am spot - post game after clubbing! Whether you are a reckless twenty something or an old fashioned tourist, this 24/7 spot is perfect and authentically true to its customer base. I have lots of respect for the amount of stress the workers must go through! As for the food! Nothing can be hearty Italian carbs at any time of the night! Highly recommend the steak and cheese calzone - that one changed the game for me. If you do decide to go late at night (because after 1am or 2am that's when the deals happen) please be careful! There's a lot of young people cramped around that corner after clubbing (guilty!). But not to worry - it's always a fun time.

Really yummy place with very fresh cannolis and off the beaten norm of modern or mikes. Enjoyed various cannoli types (Oreo and chocolate chip). Great atmosphere with tons of baked goods- anything you can imagine. Such a nice treat to the end of the night- so yummy and worth it. Had to wait in a little line but it moved fast.

Some of their items here seem more expensive than you'd think but they taste good! I got a regular cannoli and it was delicious!

Brief Summary:- Located in the Italian are on the north side of Boston- Lots of pastries to choose from- Accepts card- Very airy whoopie pieA fantastic encounter indeed. We first visited the Boston Public Market near closing time, so most of the food restaurants have closed up and cleaned away. We stopped by a dessert food stall, when a stranger came up to us and told us about the different dessert places around the area. However, when he mentioned that while he likes the desserts here, he concluded his favorite is the Bova's, which is located in the Italian area (where the best food is, he added). That got us curious, so we ventured off into the Italian town, which starts a block or two away from this public market.Across a little bridge with a cool fountain display, the Italian town begins, and this was a bustling but quaint town. The buildings here are also made out of brick but there was also a nice touch to it that felt like I was in Italy (there was one area that reminded me of a restaurant in Rome).We walked down the bendy alleyways, and it almost felt like walking straight into the town, and there it was, "Bova's." Inside is small because it was filled with rows of food display cases and shelves, and there was a line of people forming a semi-circle new the cash register. The line went by quickly, but it also gave us enough time to walk around and view the other options. The Boston Cream pie looked absolutely tempting, but we wanted to try the one that the local stranger recommended to us: the whoopie pie. In addition to the whoopie pie, we also ordered the cannoli.These were packed in a plastic takeout box and we carried it back home to our hotel to eat. Whoopie pie was very delicious. I don't think I have ever eaten a whoopie pie so light and airy. It was evaporating in the mouth before I got the chance to chew it. The cream was as light and airy, and there was no heavy sweet aftertaste either. This dessert is dangerous in that I could have eaten a dozen more and would be eating more for how light it is.We also loved the cannoli. This also had the light and airy cream, and the outer shell is a unique soft and gentle crisp. This one doesn't melt in the mouth as fast as the whoopie pie due to its shell. Personally, I liked the cannoli with the chocolate chips because of the additional texture of the little chocolate bites.

Forget Mike's and Modern Pastry debate and go a block or two over to Bova's for the best cannoli. Seriously, the traditional ricotta filling is just sweet enough. We tried some of the other flavors like the pistachio and the chocolate chip (my favorite), and all were fantastic. The shell itself is as delicious as my Nonna's from Sicily. Seriously don't overlook this place just because it isn't on the main street. Plus, they are open 24/7 for whenever you get in the mood for a treat (dangerous, I know!)