Boston creators blend art, flavor, and style in sweet new ways

THE EYES. HERE’S ERICA. STEP DOWN SALEM STREET IN BOSTON’S NORTH END AND PREPARE TO BE NOT JUST SATISFIED, BUT SURPRISED BY TRAY AFTER TRAY OF BEAUTIFUL, HAND-PAINTED BONBONS. PETROVA CHOCOLATES AND WINE. IS THE BRICK AND MORTAR DREAM COME TRUE FOR OWNER BETTY PETROVA AND ANYONE WITH A SWEET TOOTH? YOU WERE INITIALLY IN YOUR KITCHEN, ON YOUR STOVETOP, IN THE MICROWAVE. YOU CALL THIS YOUR PORSCHE? YEAH, THAT’S MY PORSCHE IN 2023. THIS CHOCOLATE TEMPERING MACHINE IMPORTED FROM ITALY, ALLOWED BETTY, A PASTRY CHEF, BEFORE COVID, TO MOVE INTO THIS SPACE IN SOUTH BOSTON. today, HER SCRATCH KITCHEN. THE BIGGEST MOMENT OF MY CAREER WAS GETTING THIS. BEFORE THIS, SHE WAS SELLING HER HOMEMADE CREATIONS, A PANDEMIC PROJECT ONLINE. I WAS POSTING ON INSTAGRAM THAT I’M MAKING THINGS AND PEOPLE WERE JUST MESSAGE ME AND THEY WOULD ORDER ON DMS. HER PROCESS TAKES PATIENCE 3 TO 4 DAYS PER BATCH. WOW. SO IT’S A VERY TIME INTENSIVE AND LABOR INTENSIVE TASK. FIRST, THE MOLDS ARE PAINTED WITH PATTERNS. YOU HAVE TO DO THIS BY HAND WITH DIFFERENT BRUSHES. SPONGES. WE HAVE AN AIRBRUSH AS WELL. I LOVE PAINTING AND I LOVE ART, SO THAT’S WHY I TRY TO TRANSFORM THAT INTO MY CHOCOLATES AS WELL. THE COLOR MADE WITH COCOA BUTTER AND ONLY NATURAL INGREDIENTS, TRANSFERS TO THE CHOCOLATE SHELL. FILL EVERYTHING WITH CHOCOLATE. ONCE FIRMED UP, IT’S TIME TO FILL. I’M NOT VERY GOOD WITH PASTRY BAGS, BUT YOU’RE HOLDING IT PRETTY, RIGHT? YEAH. YOU’RE GOOD. UNEXPECTED. DELIGHTFUL COMBINATIONS OF FLAVOR MAKE UP THE INSIDES. INGREDIENTS NEW TO US. OUR SIGNATURE FLAVOR IS A TONKA BEAN BONBON, WHICH IS A DARK CHOCOLATE CARAMEL GANACHE INFUSED WITH TONKA. SO VERY LIKE HERBAL, SPICY, WARM TASTING NOTES. BACK AT PETROVA NORTH END LOCATION, WE SAMPLED THEIR OTHER SIGNATURE FLAVOR, THE WALNUT BAKLAVA, A NOD TO BETTY’S BULGARIAN HERITAGE. SO WE HAVE THE SALTED CARAMEL WITH A LITTLE BIT OF LEMON AND ROSE CARAMELIZED WALNUTS, A WALNUT PRALINE WITH A PHYLLO DOUGH. LOOK AT ALL THE LAYERS. DELICIOUS. IT’S HEAVENLY. YOU’RE TOO NICE. IT DOES. NO, IT IS. WHAT’S ON THE MENU IS CONSTANTLY CHANGING. ON THIS DAY, THE FIZZY PEACH SOUNDED IRRESISTIBLE. IT’S MADE WITH FRESH LOCAL PEACHES. WE TURN THEM INTO A JAM, AND THEN WE HAVE A PROSECCO GANACHE. AND WE DO AN ALMOND AND POP ROCK PRALINE. IT’S LIKE A LITTLE JUICY. OH, I JUST GOT A POP. I GOT A POP. IT’S GONNA KEEP COMING. THE MORE YOU CHEW. OH MY GOODNESS, THAT’S A RIOT. THAT’S REALLY FUN. IT’S A event. A CELEBRATION FOR THE SENSES. WOW, WOW. DREAMY, RIGHT? FEW DESTINATIONS ENCHANT THE EYE LIKE ITALY’S AMALFI COAST. MORE THAN 4000 MILES AWAY. BUT BOSTON’S SOUTH END IS CLOSE ENOUGH. AND CAPRI IN SOHO PROMISES TO DELIGHT AND JUST MAYBE, TAKE YOU THERE. FOR ME, IT’S EVERYTHING. BEING WOWED BY A SPACE OR BEING TRANSPORTED, THE FEELING OF BEING SOMEWHERE ELSE, I THINK IS, IS REALLY NICE. THE RESTAURANT WELCOMES GUESTS WITH AN EXPANSIVE BAR AND PATIO SHADED BY GREEN AND WHITE PAGODA UMBRELLAS, WARMED BY FIRE. STEP INSIDE AND THE THEME CARRIES THROUGH THE 22 FOOT OLIVE TREE WAS STEP ONE. WHEN YOU WALK IN. WOW. AND TO GIVE THE ATRIUM MORE OF AN INDOOR OUTDOOR FEEL. AND THEN THE UMBRELLA, WHICH IS A SIGNATURE THING. WHENEVER YOU SEE CAPRI, IT’S ALWAYS A BEACH UMBRELLA THAT’S 40FT. ERIKA BACK. PART OF THE OWNERSHIP TEAM SAYS THIS IS HIS THIRD ITALIAN RESTAURANT, AND IT’S SPECIAL. NOT JUST THE LOOK BROUGHT TO LIFE BY BOSTON BASED ASSEMBLY DESIGN STUDIO, BUT THE TASTE. THERE’S FIVE HAND-ROLLED PASTA DISHES, WHICH ARE VERY UNIQUE, WHICH YOU’RE NOT GOING TO GET ANYWHERE ELSE. THERE ARE ELEGANT SEAFOOD DISHES, AND STEAK. CAPRI IS ALSO NOT SHY ABOUT OFFERING UP TRADITIONAL FAVORITES VEAL CHOP, PARMESAN CHICKEN PARMESAN, EGGPLANT PARMESAN A LOT OF HIGH END RESTAURANTS MAY NOT OFFER THOSE, BUT. BUT PEOPLE LOVE THEM, BUT THEY LOVE THEM, SO WE DO NOT DENY THEM THE PLEASURE OF THAT. WHILE WE’RE INDULGING AT THE UPSTAIRS BAR, ANOTHER SPECTACULAR SPACE BEVERAGE MANAGER JESS DEVLIN TALKS US THROUGH HER POPULAR SOFIA COCKTAIL. SOFIA IS MADE WITH GHOST TEQUILA INFUSED WITH GHOST PEPPER FOR SOME ZIP, A LITTLE BIT OF rompe SANTO. HERE. WE MAKE THIS IN HOUSE AND OUNCE OF PASSION FRUIT. LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE HAVE YELLOW CHARTREUSE. TO COMPLIMENT THE SOFIA, THIS EYE CATCHING, BEAUTIFUL MARIGOLD COLORED DRINK, WE HAVE THE TORTELLINI DE MAIZ, WHICH IS HANDMADE TORTELLINI. IT COMES WITH CORN, CALABRIAN BUTTER AND GARLIC HONEY AND I CAN’T WAIT TO DIG IN. THE SWEET AND SAVORY DISH WARMS JUST LIKE ITS SUNNY PRESENTATION. THIS MIGHT BE MY FAVORITE PASTA DISH EVER. IT HAS SO MUCH FLAVOR, A LITTLE HEAT, AND FOR THE FINALE, HOW PRETTY IS THIS GILDED CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT MOUSSE? THIS IS A PASSION FRUIT CREME. YET ANOTHER WOW CAPRI. TAKE ME AWAY. AND THAT DOES LOOK PRETTY AMAZING. BACK TO PETROVA CHOCOLATES. YOU CAN grab CHOCOLATES AT THE SOUTH BOSTON LOCATION, WHICH IS WHERE THE KITCHEN IS. AND MEANTIME, BETTY USED TO LIVE IN THE NORTH END, SO HAVING A LOCATION THERE IS A DREAM FOR HER. SHE ALSO SELLS ALL NATURAL EASTERN EUROPEAN WINES FRO

Boston creators blend art, flavor, and style in sweet new ways

From hand-painted bonbons at Petrova Chocolates to Amalfi-inspired dining at Capri, Boston’s artisans are redefining indulgence through craft, flavor and design.

Updated: 8:06 PM EDT Oct 22, 2025

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Petrova Chocolates and Wine on Salem Street in Boston’s North End is the dream of owner Betty Petrova, offering hand-painted bonbons crafted with artistic precision. What began in her kitchen has grown into a kitchen equipped with an Italian chocolate tempering machine. Each batch of chocolates takes three to four days to make.Petrova paints each mold by hand using brushes, sponges, and an airbrush, blending cocoa butter and natural ingredients into edible art. Her signature Tonka bean bonbon features a dark chocolate caramel ganache with herbal, spicy notes, while the walnut baklava bonbon pays tribute to her Bulgarian roots. The menu changes often, with flavors like fizzy peach, made with local peaches, prosecco ganache, and pop rock praline. Her North End shop, next to Neptune Oyster, also offers natural Eastern European wines from nine countries.Capri in Boston’s South End transports guests to Italy’s Amalfi Coast with its captivating atmosphere and coastal-inspired cuisine. “For me, it’s everything—being wowed by a space or feeling transported somewhere else,” co-owner Eric Aulenback said.The restaurant features an expansive bar and patio shaded by green-and-white umbrellas, a 22-foot olive tree, and a 40-foot beach umbrella inside, blending indoor and outdoor vibes. Designed by Assembly Design Studio, Capri offers five hand-rolled pasta dishes alongside seafood, steak, and Italian favorites like veal chop and chicken parmesan.

Petrova Chocolates and Wine on Salem Street in Boston’s North End is the dream of owner Betty Petrova, offering hand-painted bonbons crafted with artistic precision. What began in her kitchen has grown into a kitchen equipped with an Italian chocolate tempering machine. Each batch of chocolates takes three to four days to make.

Petrova paints each mold by hand using brushes, sponges, and an airbrush, blending cocoa butter and natural ingredients into edible art. Her signature Tonka bean bonbon features a dark chocolate caramel ganache with herbal, spicy notes, while the walnut baklava bonbon pays tribute to her Bulgarian roots. The menu changes often, with flavors like fizzy peach, made with local peaches, prosecco ganache, and pop rock praline. Her North End shop, next to Neptune Oyster, also offers natural Eastern European wines from nine countries.

Capri in Boston’s South End transports guests to Italy’s Amalfi Coast with its captivating atmosphere and coastal-inspired cuisine. “For me, it’s everything—being wowed by a space or feeling transported somewhere else,” co-owner Eric Aulenback said.

The restaurant features an expansive bar and patio shaded by green-and-white umbrellas, a 22-foot olive tree, and a 40-foot beach umbrella inside, blending indoor and outdoor vibes. Designed by Assembly Design Studio, Capri offers five hand-rolled pasta dishes alongside seafood, steak, and Italian favorites like veal chop and chicken parmesan.