A longtime North End bakery is slated to make a comeback, and it’s bringing some new upstairs neighbors with it.
Biscotti’s, the Italian bakery that once operated on Salem Street, could soon return to the neighborhood as part of a newly approved six-story building at 97 Salem Street, according to Universal Hub. The project, led by longtime North End property owners Peter Alfe and Robert Regnetta, calls for the shuttered one-story commercial building to be redeveloped with five residential units above the reopened bakery.
The Boston Zoning Board of Appeal approved the proposal in late July 2026, giving Alfe and Regnetta the green light after years of trying to find a path forward for the small property.
The pair told the board they have submitted proposal after proposal over the years, ranging from an 18-unit residential building to a boutique hotel, but none made it across the finish line. A 2020 proposal for four residential units above the commercial space even received four votes in favor, just one shy of the five votes required under state law.
“We are the only people in the North End that for 26 years have been trying to put up a building,” Alfe said during the zoning hearing.
The approved design includes five condos, two of which will be triplexes topped with private roof decks. Alfe told the zoning board that he plans to live in one of the triplexes himself, while Regnetta’s family has lived in the North End for roughly a century.
But even the approved proposal has not been without controversy. The North End Waterfront Residents Association (NEWRA) opposed the project, arguing that the proposed building is too large for the narrow, congested Salem Street. Resident Darlene Romano raised concerns about the project’s impact on neighboring properties, including the proximity of windows to the taller structure.
Meanwhile, the North End/Waterfront Neighborhood Council supported the proposal. Neighbor and property owner Ken Rothman also spoke in favor, saying Alfe and Regnetta had been easy to work with and arguing that the North End needs more housing. He also pointed to the long-vacant property as a blight on the neighborhood.
In response to concerns about the building’s size and its relationship to neighboring properties, Alfe and Regnetta’s attorney, Derric Small, said the team moved the rear of the proposed building 10 feet farther from the rear property line.
Peter Alfe’s mother, Josephine Alfe, was the baker behind the original Biscotti’s specialty cookies, while Robert Regnetta’s nephew, Mike Regnetta, managed the shop and decorated its homemade marzipan. The bakery specialized in Italian sweets, including Sicilian macaroons made with almond paste and flavored with lemon or pistachio. It also served cupcake-sized meringues that were crisp on the outside, chewy inside, and studded with slivered almonds.
According to Alfe, the Big Dig ultimately forced Biscotti’s to close, and other businesses later came and went from the property. Alfe briefly confirmed Biscotti’s planned return with What Now Boston but has not yet shared additional details about the future concept, including whether it will bring back its former specialties or when the bakery could reopen.
