Salem Street is one of the principal thoroughfares of Boston’s North End, the city’s oldest residential neighborhood and a one-square-mile peninsula jutting into Boston Harbor. For generations it was the commercial spine of the Italian-American North End, lined with salumerias, fruit stands, and grocers. That heritage endures: Polcari’s Coffee, a fixture since the early 20th century at the corner of Parmenter and Salem Streets, still trades here, alongside pastry shops, restaurants, and independent boutiques.
The street sits near the gateway to the North End and lies along Boston’s Freedom Trail, making it an easy add-on to a walk past nearby Revolutionary-era landmarks. Today you’ll find a mix of Italian markets, cafes, and curated shops such as Shake The Tree at 67 Salem Street. Narrow, walkable, and densely built, Salem Street rewards an unhurried stroll for food, espresso, and a sense of Boston’s immigrant history.
Good to know
- Free to walk; it’s a public street, not a ticketed attraction
- Part of the North End and close to Boston’s Freedom Trail route
- Lined with Italian markets, cafes, pastry shops, and independent boutiques
- Narrow and pedestrian-friendly; best explored on foot
Getting there
- Address: Salem Street, North End, Boston, MA 02113
- Neighborhood: North End
- Nearest T: Haymarket (Orange and Green Lines), a short walk away