I think I have to first and foremost disclose that today I learned I'm just not the biggest fan of a Italian pastries - in general, they're too rich, dense, calorically, and physically heavy for me. That being said, Modern has the best Cannoli I've ever put in my body and I'm glad I went to this quality bakery to try my first Lobster tail and legitimate Boston Cream pie. Rich, decadent custards and filling and sweet loads of sugar. Despite that, while it may be delicious for some, I'm just the kind of person that doesn't really like these things as much. As to why I'm giving this a 4*, I have to stay objective. Other Italian pastries that sell similar products don't come close to Modern, and while the items are pricey, the quantity and volume is so worth it. One of these will fill you up nicely. If you're into rich, heavy, decadent, Modern does not disappoint.

"Sweet things from Boston So young and willing" (Steely Dan) Walk into Modern and your eyes will pop out as they feast on hundreds of sweet things from Boston in every color, shape, and type known to mankind! So, if you have a hankering for cakes, cannolis, cookies, pies, cheesecake, tarts, pastries or gooey torrones, I'll bet you a nickel you'll walk out of Modern with a box of goodness for you or your bestie, just like customers for the past 90 years have. We were with a friend who was very familiar with Italian cuisine, and when she saw a sign for a pastry with the tongue twisting name of Sfogliatella, she became evangelical in her insistence that we get one. We ended up buying four things -a Sfogliatella, a Raisin Pastry, and two chocolate dipped Biscottis that cost just $12. They were placed in a bakery box, separated by wax paper and lovingly tied with old-school red and white string -just like the Bronx bakeries from my childhood did in the 1960's. We dove into the Sfogliatella first, well actually after I looked it up to see what it was. It's a flaky multi-layered puff pastry shaped like a shell with a creamy custard filling of ricotta and citrus. Modern's version included orange, vanilla, and cinnamon in their filling. It was so good, so crunchy on the outside and delicate and sweet on the inside, it should have been classified as a controlled substance. The next night we shared another treat -a round raisin pastry that was so gooey from its honey glaze you really needed a knife and fork to eat it. It was kind of similar to an Elephant's Ear pastry. It was super sweet and decadently delicious. The chocolate dipped biscotti was as good as their other products. It was soft, full of pistachios, with a thick chocolate blanket where it was dipped. There was a ton of Italian heritage, love, deliciousness, and great value in that $12 box. The red and white string was a bonus!

It was my first time in Boston and I had a hard time deciding which pastry shop to try between Modern and Mike's for cannolis. I think it was fate when my Uber driver mistakenly dropped us in front of Modern when we were slated to go to Mike's. It was bustling in the AM on a weekend, and the tables flip quick so it's not really somewhere you want to chat and relax. The display window of treats is insane and hard to decide what to order. But I came with a mission to try a cannoli so I built my own pistachio mini cannoli and had a coffee. It was heaven. Crispy shell but soft in the middle with all the delicious cannoli filling. Oof. Best way to end my trip here, with suitcases and all.

Okay so be ready for the line. They have a lot of options for food (pastry) which is amazing. We got the cannoli, plain dipped in chocolate with ricotta inside and pistachios add on. They were generous with pistachios which is good! The ricotta was fresh too. BUT the cannoli was small compared to most pastry shops, which was disappointing( esp considering having 400ckal) We also got the lemon square which was AWESOME! Although the crust was old. The strawberry berry cake was delicious too.

I was pleasantly surprised by Modern Pastry Shop. Despite initial doubts, I now understand the hype surrounding it. This cash-only joint offers reasonably priced treats. I tried a lobster tail and two cannolis with different fillings and toppings. The lobster tail had a light, crispy exterior and was (generously) STUFFEEEDDD with a delightful cream. Although the cream was dense, it complemented the pastry excellently, making it one of the best pastries I've tasted in Boston. Both cannolis were so tasty. The cannoli shell was the perfect texture. I tried both the ricotta and vanilla fillings. My favorite was definitely the ricotta - it was so good. I highly recommend trying it. It pairs well with any of the toppings. One of the best cannolis I've had in Boston thus far! I should've gotten a full-size instead of a mini. However, the standout of my experience was the exceptional service! I felt like family. The staff was incredibly kind, offering excellent recommendations. They were also very efficient, so I didn't wait too long in line. The room was just filled with so much joy - I have to visit again!

I am an out of towner Rhode Island girl but visit Boston atleast 2x a week for work...sooooo basically still counts for a Bostonian according to all my coworkers, friends, and family! I will vouch that I am a frequent customer, pastry lover, and die hard super fan of Modern Pastry! Apparently there is a rivalry and controversy between which bakery is better in North End ...and Modern Pastry has my vote for Best Bakery! They have an array of various desserts and you really can't go wrong with any one of them. Don't tell anyone but...I've tried about every dessert in this place and even got my friends and family hooked. The shining standouts of the dessert line up is: -Black & White Cookies (fluffy, soft, and sweet) -Ricotta Pie (old fashioned favorite, not too sweet) -Almond Macaroons (light and perfect with your morning coffee or tea) -M&M cookies -Build your own cannoli This bakery is located in the heart of north end with a red and green awning. The bakery is old school - small and narrow with an authentic Italian flair. The line is often long because they are so popular and it's the "place to go" in Boston for desert but the service is quick so you will be in and outta line in no time and it's worth the wait. Service is basically Wicked Boston if ya know what I mean...but for those who don't - if you're a frequent customer its a mutual understanding and friendly service but other times you get that typical Boston attitude: hurry up and order, what do you want? Lol I swear it's worth it and gives you the full Boston experience! Keep calm and Modern Pastry onnn!

Always delicious and coming from Miami this deliciousness for $5 a pop is unheard of! Oh so yummy! Always so good ! What can I say ? I'm afraid to go anywhere else and be disappointed

As a big competitor to the OG Mike's Pastry down the block, Modern Pastry is just as good. There is a huge line inside, but it moved quickly. You build your own cannoli here instead of it being pre-made as there's a variety of options when choosing your shell, filling and toppings. I ordered a regular with vanilla custard and pistachios ($5). I enjoyed how the pistachios are in bigger chunks and the different filling options here. Overall, both Modern and Mike's are quite similar with Modern with a slight edge in my book because of their filling options, cheaper price (although smaller cannoli), and chunkier pistachios. Same, same though --to each their own. It's worth trying either one.

I know there's like a big rivalry between modern, mike's and bova's but I don't need to visit the other two to know Modern wins. First of all, prime location ! Easy to access from the main road. The line gets long but they had like 3 registers open so it moved quickly and I went around 6pm so there was a bit of dinner rush. The staff was helpful and there's tons of other pastry items to choose from if you were interested. I chose a lobster tail and a cannoli. You can choose your filling type and shell type and they will fill it to order. I got the traditional ricotta and the chocolate dipped shell. OMG! What a perfect cannoli: crisp shell, right amount of sweet in the filling and it wasn't overstuffed. The lobster tail was nice and crispy as well and the custard inside was sinful. I will definitely be returning on my next trip to Boston: it was a rookie mistake to just get one cannoli.