Michele Topor, Inc.

This tour was everything that I hoped it would be and more! Beth our guide, was terrific. She added great stories, shared recipes and took a personal interest in the members of the group. The store owners and employees were outgoing, which was to be expected but you never know. They didn't disappoint one bit! In fact, one couple was celebrating their first anniversary and we were all treated to a slice of their anniv. cake, compliments of Maria's Bakery and Beth. It was the topping to a wonderful 3 hours! This tour brought back a lot of family memories of growing up Italian. Being able to participate in this experience with a family member was a treat! I've never been a great cook but I feel confident that I can be. Beth shared with us how to look for the best ingredients and how to find quality!! I will frequent these shops whenever I'm in Boston. You could tell that Beth was a teacher. She gave us some handouts which saved us from taking notes. This way, we were able to concentrate fully on what she was sharing. I will definitely do this tour again and recommend it highly to friends and family. Although the ad said that lunch was not included, I felt that the samplings that we got were more than adequate. I was pretty stuffed when I left the tour and very content! Thanks to Michele's foresight in developing this great tour. How about doing a special tour occasionally with Michele for those of us who might like another experience?

The tour guide was extremely knowledgeble, with lots of interesting facts and personal stories of Chinatown. Food was wonderful, really enjoyed the Dim Sum luncheon at the end. I would recommend this tour to anyone.

Do you know the difference between a male and female eggplant? Why is it important? What do you really know about balsamic vinegar. Where are the best places to visit off of Hanover Street? If you want a excellent learning experience, lots of interesting local information, and a real taste of the North End, this is the trip for you. We had a blast. We sampled vegetables, fruit, pastry, meats and cheeses and even more. I must do for anyone who lives in the area as well as touristas. Well worth the money.

Jim was our tour guide and he shared so much information about the history of the North End, the food, the culture. He was phenomenal, as was the tour itself. We absolutely loved the markets, bakery and wine store. We are planning a trip to Tuscanny next fall with a group of friends and Jim gave us so much helpful information for us to bring back to our group to share. The samples of food were terrific. It is amazing to find out the 'stuff' we don't know about Italian cuisine. I would take the tour again in a heartbeat!!! Thanks so much.

The only comment would be that the intro while we were sitting at the Greenway was difficult to hear due to street noise. Since the information was so interesting and set the tone for the History of the area..one would not want to miss a word.

This tour was fun and informative. We visited places that I had walked by on many occasions but never had the time to stop. We learned a lot about different Italian ingredients and how they're prepared, and a lot about the history of the North End. Well worth the time and money.

The only way to see the North End.

The tour was led by a knowledgeable guide who provided local history, cooking tips and some great tasting opportunities. the shopkeepers were friendly and helpful as well. This tour exceeded my expectations.

the tour was great. we learned tons. when beth said, "this is our last stop", i thought, "why do we only get a 1 hour tour?". i looked at my watch, and it had been 3 hours! i was shocked the tour flew by so fast. we will probably do it again in a year.

This was my second tour to the North End. I enjoyed the first trip so much that I gave my friend the tour as a XMas gift (and of course I had to attend with her). Our guide was a former chef and was very very knowledgeable. I think I enjoyed the 2nd trip more than the first. Thank you for provided such wonderful guides. Hope to do another tour with you in the future.

I loved all the culinary info., the tour guide was well informed and fun. My husband was dissappointed because he thought it would include more history rather than food. I thought we had plenty of both.

Jim was the perfect guide. He was knowledgeable about the North End and Italian cooking, sharing information with enthusiasm and engaging the group. We thought we knew about the area and about Italian cooking but we learned so much about regional differences, why Italian and Italian-American cooking is different and the historical reasons for that. We loved the places he took us for tasting and went back to several afterward to make some purchases. In the future we will further explore the list of recommendations. We are looking forward to joining Jim on a tour of Chinatown.

My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed this tour, along with our 16 year old son who is just beginning to enjoy cooking. History of the area, guide to the best shops, samplings of delicacies, & general immersion in the culture was wonderfully presented by our guide, Jim. With my husband and I from Italian descent, (my father was born in the Abruzzi region), we understood the concept of 'agita' and appreciated the spot-on description of the native Italian pallet and the adjustments made to it in America. An easy area to walk, we now feel confident enough to explore the markets on our own. Bravo Jim, Michele, and the North End Market Tour.

I had high expectations for this tour as it was strongly recommended by a friend. My expectations were exceeded. Our tour guide, Jim, was very knowledgeable, interesting and entertaining. My friends and I gained a lot of valuable information about Italian cooking and ingredients and got great tips on where to shop for ingredients (for those not from Boston, you can purchase from these shops online). We also learned a lot about the North End and all of us are locals who have been to the North End many times. We received a list of Michelle and Jim's favorite restaurants and have already visted 2 we had not previously been to. Both restaurants were excellent so the list will be used many more times in the future. I highly recommend this tour to anyone interested in Italian cuisine.

We had a great time being introduced to the small shops of the North End. We love to cook with wonderful ingredients. After the tour we went back and purchased several things that we are using almost daily. Many thanks. Lynn