Boston is famous for its food. Clam chowder, lobster rolls, Boston cream pie. But if you’re a chocolate purist, you’ll need to look closer in order to find the city’s best of your favorite treat. If you’re like me, you’ll go to any length, you’ll take any T line, you’ll run any risk, just to satiate that desire. If nothing else can force me out of the BU bubble, the quest for chocolate certainly can. Here’s my list:
- Located next to Fenway Park, Blackbird makes a great chocolate donut. It’s smoky in flavor, the inside of the donut nearly black in color. If you can swing two, grab an apple cider donut while you’re there. Just trust me.
- Listen. I get it. It’s a trek out to Cambridge. How do you even get to Harvard? How do you even get past Harvard? And why would anyone ever want to? I know. I know. But give Christina’s a shot, if ice cream is your thing.
- Three words: dark chocolate gelato. Yes, vegans, I’m looking out for you too, lest you thought I’d forgotten. And is it possible that I’m stupid for being attracted by the ice cream rose petals, even though it tastes the same no matter how you scoop it? I suppose it’s possible, yes. I’m buying exactly what they’re selling. I’m eating out of the palm of their hand. But as long as you keep your habit in check and leave Amorino for special occasions, it’s 100% worth it.
- If you’re new to Boston, then you have to try the classic cannoli first. It’s the great unifier, the COM 101 of pastries. But once you’ve met that prerequisite, you can go ahead and try some of Bova’s chocolate cannolis. Whether it’s the cream or the shell, whether it’s sprinkled with chocolate chips or drizzled with chocolate syrup—the journey is yours. Bova’s is open 24/7, so next time you end up wandering the North End in the middle of the night—which does somehow seem to happen a couple times per semester, although no one ever sets out to do it—you know where to get your fix. And if cannolis aren’t your vibe? Listen, you moved to Boston. Get on board.
- Lastly, L.A. Burdick’s hot chocolate comes in several flavors: dark, milk, and white. Myself, I’m a fiend for dark chocolate, but out of curiosity, I had to try the white chocolate—no regrets. Credit where credit is due. It’s definitely the richest, most chocolate-y thing on this list. I put leftover L.A. Burdick’s hot chocolate in the fridge once, and it turned into chocolate mousse. Do with that what you will. Is it too much? You tell me.
Now that I’ve armed you with this knowledge, treat yourself on weekends and during midterms with all the chocolate that Boston has to offer. Go forth!