North Beach

The Little Italy of San Fran, North Beach hosts some fantastic Italian restaurants and is one of the city's best nightlife districts.

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North Beach’s Italian heritage is deep and evident. It’s not large - spreading less than a square mile - but it is dense with jazz clubs, galleries, restaurants, gelato parlours and a shed-load of Italian Americans. It only really developed this character after the 1906 earthquake razed what preceded it to the ground. Since then, several prominent Italian Americans have emerged from this neighbourhood, including none other than baseball legend Joe DiMaggio, who actually returned to live there with his wife Marilyn Monroe in the 1950s.


The Beating Heart

It was also during the 1950s that North Beach became the historic centre of the Beat Generation. Many of that generations most famous writers lived in this neighbourhood, including Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg and Neal Cassady. Another poet from that time, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, founded the famous City Lights Bookstore, which can still be found there today. It’s a cultural landmark that’s well worth visiting.


The Beat Generation may have left us, but the nightlife of North Beach remains among the best. For classy drinks in blue velvet booths enveloped in candlelight, head to 15 Romolo. For a real taste of Italian North Beach, you can try Gino & Carlo, where cheap martinis and homemade Italian food, along with pool and pinball, are enjoyed by (very) lively crowds.


America’s Dual Heritage

North Beach’s festivals are also not to be missed. Art in the Alley is an annual outdoor art event where you can catch emerging young talent and live music. It usually takes place at the beginning of May. A little earlier in the year is the Oyster and Beer Festival, whose heritage is in fact Irish. Enjoy an array of Irish musicians along with your pint of Guinness and batch of fresh oysters.

Nearby Attractions

See all attractions in San Francisco
Pier 39
Pier 39 is a popular shopping built on a San Francisco pier, in Fisherman’s Wharf neighborhood. Pier 39 is known for its sea lions, we can also find shops, restaurants, and street entertainment.
Jack Kerouac Alley
Learn about the literary movement developed in North Beach in the 50's and the legendary City Lights Bookstore.
Italian Desserts
Treat yourself to an Italian espresso, freshly made cannoli or gelato as a way to sate your sweet tooth.
Washington Square Park in North Beach
This beloved park with view of Saints Peter and Paul church located in North Beach is one of the city's oldest parks, established in 1847.
Coit Tower
An emblem of the city skyline, this 65 metre tower provides a 360 degree view of the city.
Fisherman's Wharf
A neighbourhood with Italian roots, this area has seafood restaurants aplenty.

Related Tours

Flavours of San Francisco: Private Half Day Food Tour

Explore two of San Francisco’s beloved neighbourhoods with a foodie extravaganza tour. With an eclectic array of food from Chinatown and Little Italy, be sure to arrive hungry for this experience. On your private food tour, you will:

  • Learn about the histories and the food cultures around two of the city's well-known neighbourhoods. 
  • Walk under the Dragon's Gate and enter San Francisco's world-famous Chinatown. 
  • Visit a fortune cookie making factory, where you will not only get to try these pastries when fresh but also learn the history of the factory and its' local influence. 
  • Stop at a Catholic Cathedral, which has been continuously active since the California Gold Rush. 
  • Enjoy a seated tasting in Little Italy, indulging in the best place for calzones and pizzas. 
  • Comb Stockton Street and North Beach's wealth of street markets, bakeries, restaurants and pavement cafés. 
  • Finish off with Italian dessert - tasting a cannoli or having an espresso to lift the inevitable food coma from the preceding four hours.

San Francisco's international influences are so diverse that locals are constantly discovering foodie spots that have existed for decades. Don’t miss the chance to try fresh-baked fortune cookies - before they're wrapped in the crinkly plastic and served to you at restaurants. On your private tour your guide will not only take you to the best places to try new desserts and espresso, but also equip you with their insider's knowledge, so you can continue exploring the city's diverse food scene long after your tour has ended. Your tour ends in Washington Square Park, where you can continue on with your day, or take time to digest your food extravaganza by lounging in the grass amongst the locals who congregate in the area every day. 

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