Phantom Gourmet: Great 8 Italian Desserts

Cannoli, gelato, tiramisu. When it comes to desserts, nobody does it quite like Italians. These are the 8 Greatest places Phantom found to down some serious dolce.

Serafina
Boston

Kicking off the Great 8 is Serafina. This boutique restaurant originated in New York, and now has a stunning spot on High Street in Boston's Financial District. Since pizzas are what they're most passionate about, it would make sense to order the Nutella Pizza to end your meal. Topped with powdered sugar and sliced strawberries, this is the perfect dessert to share.

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Centre Street Café
Jamaica Plain

Another Great 8 winner is Centre Street Cafe in Jamaica Plain. The neighborhood spot is the place to go for brunch, and is even better in the evening when it turns into a classic Italian restaurant. There's no better way to end a hearty Italian meal than with a light, fresh cannoli, with shells made in house and stuffed to order with creamy ricotta filling, shaved chocolate and candy citrus.

Toscana Bar Italiano
Beverly

Another Great 8 winner is Toscana Bar Italiano in Beverly. This is a modern Italian tapas spot known for its small plates and big drinks. At dessert, you can enjoy an old family recipe for Tiramisu, or the decadently delicious Nutella Mousse, topped with roasted hazelnuts and homemade whipped cream.

VIA Italian Table
Worcester

VIA Italian Table in Worcester is a giant space serving big boards of meats and cheeses, thin crust pizzas, and authentic Italian fare all made on site. And the house made hits continue right through dessert, in the form of the Michelangelo Sampler. The palate pleaser features 10 bite sized cones of VIA's housemade gelato and makes for an artful ending to any meal.

Charcoal Guido's
Waltham

Charcoal Guido's on Waltham's famous Moody Street is a restaurant specializing in Neapolitan style pizzas, grilled meats and big plates of Italian comfort food. When it comes to dessert, there's nothing quite like their stunning Nutella pizza cooked in a beautiful wood burning oven. It's pizza dough stuffed with Nutella and Ricotta, folded in half and topped with more Nutella and fruit.

L'Andana
Burlington

Another Great 8 winner is L'Andana in Burlington. The elegant Italian restaurant was built to look like a Tuscan farmhouse, with reclaimed wood and dim romantic lighting. The menu focuses on everything from housemade pastas to enormous steaks and chops grilled to order over hard wood. For dessert, there's nothing more sinful than one of L'Andana's Molten Chocolate Cakes, served with a creamy, dreamy vanilla gelato and a flavorful Chianti reduction.

D. Palmieri
Johnston, RI

D. Palmieri in Johnston, Rhode Island is a family owned bakery that's been serving pizza squares and Italian sweets for decades. There's crispy cannoli piped with house made ricotta filling, and Italian-style Dough Boys topped with powdered sugar. But nothing beats a big slice of D. Palmieri's Tiramisu, made with lady fingers, espresso and mascarpone cheese.

Jack's
Malden

Rounding out the Great 8 is Jack's in Malden. This casual spot serves generous, affordable red sauce Italian, from big pieces of bruschetta, to enormous antipastos, to a plate tipping portion of lasagna. So when dessert comes around, you may want to go on the light side with one of Jack's Limoncello Flutes.

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