LoConte always aims to please. Whether you are there on a date and eating like a bird (with a full wine glass to boot) to loosening the old belt for the famous chicken parm or gnocchi and short ribs, you will always get a bang for your buck at this Salem Street staple. With a fresh bread basket awaiting you at the table, to decadent desserts as you leave, this Italian fare should not be missed.

Forget Hanover Street. While tourists flock to the North End hotspot to sample traditional Italian staples and soak in its rustic charm, hardcore foodies know that just a cannoli's throw away is one of the oldest -- and most culturally vibrant -- blocks in Boston. La Galleria 33 typifies the kind of reasonably priced, more-bang-for-your-buck eateries that line Salem Street. This place has a bit of rustic appeal. Exposed brick and an open hearth kitchen give two candlelit rooms a soft, warm glow. Glass doors in the summertime open onto the street. Co-owned by Rita Moran and her sister Lisa Cerundolo, La Galleria 33 is a nice alternative for a date and won't empty out your wallet the way some of these North End restaurants can.

The North End is packed with delicious, comfortable restaurants, and Piccolo Venezia is no exception. On the main Hanover drag, it presents many of the staple Italian dishes, alongside wine and cocktails. Traditonal Italian fare, served in a friendly and warm atmosphere. The lighting and decor is charming and cozy, with fixtures that could have lit candles in them, and bundles of garlic hanging near pictures of saints in the corners. The mussels are some of the best to be had in the area (try them white, with oil and garlic, as opposed to with marinara), and the appetizer sampler plate is delicious, with 5 or 6 to try, with shrimp, mozzarella sticks, cheesy bread, calamari, and others. The service isn't overbearing, and even sassy and authentic at times. The water glasses are kept full, the post-dinner coffee drinks have copious foam, and there are plenty of large groups carrying on and eating delicious food all around you.

You will find this small 25 seat candlelit dining room with colorful walls and original artwork. Chefs and owners Patrick and Frank Mendoza serve up homemade pastas and gourmet pizzas with an imaginative twist. The trattoria is indeed quite small, and the tables are jam-packed in, but that just adds to the authentic North End experience. In the summer, it's nice to sit by the open window and watch the world of Prince Street laze by as you drink white wine and eat bruschetta and pasta. In the winter, it's nice to sit next to the brick walls, drink chianti and enjoy the warmth and ambiance of the space. The only thing that's no good is the bread- it's really, truly awful.

Look for the sea shell sign post. A huge chalkboard menu covers one brick wall; daily specials are on the other. You may think it's absurd to stand outside in line to get into this tiny place, but it's well worth it and everyone knows it. If you're able to get there early, all the better. This place is literally off the scale, and the place you want to go to impress your sweetie or family on Valentine's Day, a birthday or anniversary. Spotlighted on Rachel Ray's '$40 a Day' show. Make sure you're good and hungry, as the portions are huge as well. The food comes steaming out to your table and is delicious enough to please your Italian grandmother. Cash only, no reservations. Tip: buy a beer from across the street, and brown bag it while waiting 45 minutes in line for a table. It may sound sketchy (and would be any place else) but that's simply how it's done here.

Very unusual little Italian restaurant, although not owned by Italians. It's about the size of a big bedroom with an open kitchen right there, and usually just one server for the whole restaurant. This is a very simple place - they don't carry a wine list but serve the wine of the house, and you choose either red or white. You feel like you're sitting in someone's house, so homey and not formal at all. Some of the peculiarities are that soft drinks are not served, and the restroom is at Caffe Vittoria across the street so you have to pretend that you're a paying customer over there. But all this ends up giving the place character because the food rocks. Cash only. Bonus: the water is infused with mint and citrus.

Wait, what? A Chinese restaurant on the North End strip on Hanover Street? Some restaurants might be able to meet the challenge, but the only thing going for this place is that it offers something completely different. Looks exactly like any old Chinese restaurant, and if for some reason you must have your crab rangoon when you're surrounded by award-winning Trattorias, then by all means get it. This place is so tiny that they don't have tables, takeout or delivery only. You will find all of your Chinese classics here - General Gau's Chicken, Peking Raviaoli, Curry, Egg Foo Young, Mu Shi, Szechuan, etc. Most items are between $5 and $10. Lunch specials and combination plates available.