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New to Boston or simply looking for new stomping grounds? Summer is the perfect time to explore our dozens of neighborhoods, so for your shopping ease, we'll be mapping the top shops in each area over the coming weeks.

While the North End is known first and foremost for its solid Italian eats, the winding set of streets is also home to some welcoming boutique shopping—though you'll probably want to try on skinny jeans before consuming the cannoli. Flanked by mall stores to the south at Faneuil Hall and surrounded by waterfront views, the neighborhood's main thoroughfare is Hanover Street, but its cozy stores are generally huddled off the beaten path.

Don't be surprised to hear more about the area in the coming seasons, as multiple major construction projects are slated to add tens of thousands of retail square footage, including the Converse Lovejoy Wharf revamping and the proposed controversial TD towers. Until that new space is built, here are five existing boutiques that hold their own beyond the Rose F. Kennedy Greenway.