Michele Topor, Inc.

Highly recommend it!

The tour was fantastic. The tour guide was so knowledgeable. It is a tour for true food fans

Michele's tour is fun, informative and very unique. You get an insider's view of Boston's very ethnic North End. Her enthusiasm for Italy's people and it's food is contagious. The mutual respect between Michele and the proprietors of the various business is warming and credible. Cooks and non-cooks alike will enjoy this tour and will leave you with the satisfaction of new tastes, new knowledge and new experiences. The neighborhood and it's charm will call you back to spend more time expanding on her recommendations. Book reservations at any of her restaurant recommendations and definitely spend time at her recommended cafe and pastry shops. Your only dissappointment will be that you can't possibly eat it all every day and that her vast knowledge is not in book form yet! For tourists it is a "non touristy " activity. Not cheesy or over done. It is a worthwhile use of any limited time spent in Boston. For locals it is a great way to get to know this area, and to expand your "gastro" knowledge and meet other locals, too. I recommended this tour to a local while sitting in Starbucks waiting for the rain to stop! Everyone's response is the same, "I need to do that"! Don't wait - just do it. You won't be dissppointed. Monika Mackey, Sacramento

This is my second tour with Michelle Topor. Her knowledge of Italian food, history and the North End all combine for a delightful three hours. I would definitely recommend this tour to anyone interested in the history of Boston and food!

The people in our group found the tour very interesting. The tour guide was very informative as to types of food and availability throughout the north end. Also was very knowledgeable about the history of the north end. The only negative was the amount of time standing. I would not recommend it for seniors because we couldn't wait to sit down. (We are not seniors yet!!!)

Apart from our migrations, Michelle offered information nonstop for the entire two hours. She has tremendous energy. Michelle began with an historical backdrop and then - for each food related area - provided insights, little known facts, personal recommendations that translated into a true sense of what is a small neighborhood with a big heart. Michelle has lived in the area for many years. Her tour reflects her love of the neighborhood and passion for all things Italian!

I just moved to the Boston area and wanted to investigate my new surroundings. This tour was a wonderful start..Very informative and was a just right taste of the North End Italian area. I liked seeing the small out of the way places instead of just all mainstream tourist areas. I will definately be a regular to this area. Michele was a wonderful tour guide and so informative. she truly loves what she does.

The tour was excellent. Very informative and we got to sample fabulous food. We were taken to out of the way places that you would never find on your own. A must tour for anyone who loves Italian food. Please provide clearer directions to the meeting place or even change the meeting place to a T stop.

A wonderful way to spend a sunny afternoon in Boston touring the North End. It was like a trip back in time to neighborhood markets where everyone was friendly.

WE HAD A WONDERFUL AFTERNOON.....I WISH WE HAD TIME FOR SHOPPING. I REALIZE WE COULD HAVE AFTERWARDS BUT WE DID NOT HAVE THE TIME. I ALSO WISH WE HAD VISITED A FEW MORE MARKETS THAT SOLD PREPARED FOODS.... ASIDE FROM THAT- I WOULD RECOMMEND THE TOUR TO ALL MY FRIENDS... OUR GUIDE RICHARD WAS EXCELLENT AND EXTREMELY KNOWLEDGEABLE.

I just took a food tour in New York with my sister and it was truly the highlight of our trip. I talked my husband into going on this tour with me and we were extremely disappointed with our tour in Boston. Our guide was very knowledgeable and nice, but there just was not enough samples offered. When we finished our tour in NY we were very satisfied and full. I just expedited more. My husband will never do this type of tour again.

We have now lived less than an hour from Boston for 25 years and never really visited the famous North End. My wife arranged the tour for my 50 birthday. We brought our children (25 and 21) as well as another couple. It was a beautiful cool fall day - perfect for a walking tour. If you are interested in getting the inside scoop on all the trendy touristy places to visit, this is NOT the tour for you. If you are more interested in the history of this neighborhood, it's people, traditions and foods then we (all six of us) would highly recommend the tour. The tour was lead by a former chef, with an exceptional knowledge of the North End. You will visit a number of shops, each offering a different aspect of the foods and cultures of the area. The stops are carefully chosen to avoid the hyped up tourist spots and give you a true picture of what the area is really about. It is definitely a learning experience that is fun! We could not believe how quickly the three hours passed. Two disappointments - first, don't worry about ruining your diet. While you get to try many wonderful things at each stop, the samples are quite small. Very effective at getting you to return to the shops after the tour to buy more!!! (which is not a bad thing!) The only other disappointment was not doing the tour sooner!! We will definitely get back to the North End more often and now with a much better knowledge of all it has to offer.

Since it was raining thought they could have cut it a little short. But, it was very informative and helped us become acquainted with the North End.

The tour was great fun. Our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable. Only problem...really tough to get a parking spot. Bank on an extra $15 for parking or get explicit details as to how to get there by subway.

On my first trip business trip to Boston, my 21 year old sister-in-law was flying in to meet me over the weekend to celebrate her birthday. I was anxious about the tour being a little too "old" for her, but in actuality, it was just the opposite. Dick did a great job engaging the different people in the group and keeping the energy upbeat and educational despite the gray skies overhead. Thank you for helping me give her a birthday she'll never forget!