Is Boston's North End still Italian?
Is Boston's North End still Italian? The North End still has its original narrow streets and brick buildings, and a sense of community. Although Italians currently make up less than half of the population of the North End, its traditional Italian customs are preserved through the neighborhood's language, music, cuisine, and traditions.
Why are there so many Italian restaurants in Boston?
It was not until the 1890s–with the arrival of thousands of immigrants from southern Italy–that restaurants serving Italian cuisine became more prevalent in Boston. By the 1920s, there were several hundred Italian-owned restaurants, making Italians the third largest group of immigrant restauranteurs in the city.