North Beach: Top 11 things to do in San Francisco’s Little Italy neighborhood
North Beach, also known as San Francisco’s Little Italy, is a vibrant neighborhood steeped in history, culture, and delicious Italian cuisine. From charming cafes and historic landmarks to bustling streets and scenic parks, there’s something for everyone in this iconic district.
Having lived in the San Francisco suburbs for 20+ years, I never got around to exploring this San Francisco neighborhood. Finally, in the summer of 2024, I made a day trip to North Beach and Coit Tower with my family.
I had heard a lot about the award-winning Tony’s Pizza in North Beach, the parks and murals, and, of course, the epic views from Coit Tower. I lured my teen kids by telling them about the famous pizza!
North Beach did not disappoint, and we had a great day! Read on to find out about the top things to do in North Beach based on my visit.
Top 11 Things to Do in North Beach
We started our day in North Beach with a visit to the Coit Tower and later explored the parks, restaurants, and cafes.
I think the best way to experience North Beach is to stroll around Washington Square Park, Columbus Ave, and the Little Italy intersection at Union and Stockton St, and check out the cafes, delis, shops, and street murals.
Fun fact: There is no beach in the North Beach neighborhood.
Below are some of the best things to do in North Beach. We explored them in this order during our visit, so this list can also act as your North Beach itinerary for the day.
1. Little Italy at Union and Stockton St
This intersection at Stockton and Union St was the most bustling area in the entire North Beach neighborhood. This is where the crosswalks are painted in Italy’s flag stripes. Great photo op.
On one side is Washington Square Park, with the beautiful Saints Peter and Paul Church in the background. On the other side is the famous Tony’s Pizza Napoletana restaurant. The Original Joe’s restaurant is also here.
After parking our car at the North Beach Garage, we headed straight for this intersection to soak in the vibe.
We saw so many Waymo cabs here. If you have not heard, Waymo is a driverless car and a craze here in SF. It has become a tourist attraction in itself! At one point, we saw three Waymo cars at once in this intersection. I am still skeptical of sitting in one, though!
2. Coit Tower
Coit Tower, a historic landmark perched on top of Telegraph Hill, is popular for its panoramic views of San Francisco City and Bay. The tower’s interior features beautiful murals depicting life in the 1930s, making it a must-visit for both the views and the artโ.
Though technically not in North Beach, Coit Tower is accessible from North Beach, so it’s an easy addition to your North Beach itinerary.
To go to the Coit Tower, you can drive, take an Uber, walk, or take the bus.
You can drive up to the tower, though parking is very limited. You can also climb Telegraph Hill to Coit Tower by taking the steep Filbert stairs. From the Little Italy intersection, we took city bus #39 to Coit Tower. On our way down, we walked down the Filbert Stairs.
Visiting the main lobby area with the murals is free, although there is an admission fee of $10 per person to go up to the observation deck.
The day we visited, the elevator was not working, so we climbed 13 flights of stairs to see the views from the top. The views were amazing, though, and worth taking the stairs. Golden Gate Bridge was covered with fog, but we saw the rest of the city and bay views.
โก๏ธFor more details, check my post about visiting Coit Tower in San Francisco.
3. Washington Square Park
The Washington Square Park at the Little Italy intersection is a lovely park and a central gathering spot in North Beach. It’s perfect for a leisurely picnic, people-watching, or simply relaxing under the trees.
The park is surrounded by some of the neighborhood’s most iconic buildings, like Saints Peter and Paul Church across the street. You can also see Coit Tower and Telegraph Hill from the park.
When we visited, the park was quite lively, and there was an art gallery on display. It has a nice green lawn where we sat while waiting for our table at Tony’s. You can also get takeout from one of the several delis in North Beach and have a picnic here.
There is a small play area here for kids. Just a block up on Columbus Ave is Joe DiMaggio Playground, named in honor of famous Yankee baseball player Joe DiMaggio. There is a much larger and modern play area at Joe DiMaggio Playground if you are visiting with younger kids.
4. Saints Peter and Paul Church
This stunning church, located at the edge of Washington Square Park, is a North Beach landmark. Known as the “Italian Cathedral of the West,” it has beautiful architecture and a rich history.
It was famously featured in photographs of Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroeโ after their wedding. The church is free to visit, although we didn’t have time to check it out from inside. We admired it from the park.
5. Tony’s Pizza Napoletana
Tony’s Pizza was the main North Beach attraction for us as we were very eager to try their award-winning Margherita pizza. We got our table after around 30 minutes of waiting. They text you when your table is ready so you can explore other stuff till then.
They had indoor and outdoor seating, and we got a nice indoor booth. The pizza menu is massive and has a lot of different varieties. Our server was nice and answered our questions about the menu and portion sizes.
We ordered the award-winning pizza, the double-roasted garlic bread, and the bruschetta. Everything came promptly and was delicious. The award-winning pizza was a little soft from the center but had really fresh ingredients and was delicious. As per the menu, they only make 73 of these per day!
If you are more used to American-style pizza, maybe order another kind as a backup. They have several different crust varieties.
Overall, Tony’s Pizza lived up to its hype for me, and I think this restaurant is a must-visit on your trip to North Beach.
They also have a to-go place next door where you can order takeout, whole pies, or by the slice. If the wait at the restaurant is too long, you can also take to-go slices and eat at the park across the street.
6. Stroll on Columbus Ave
After a scrumptious pizza lunch, we walked south on Columbus Ave towards City Lights Booksellers bookstore. Columbus Avenue is the main street of North Beach, lined with cafes, restaurants, and shops.
We browsed through the many boutiques and gift shops along the wayโ. Mario’s Bohemian Cigar Store Cafe has great sandwiches, coffee, and beer. We also came across several Gelato (Italian ice cream) shops and bought some, which we enjoyed while walking.
We came across a fudge shop, Z Cioccolato, with a board outside that said “#1 Fudge on the West Coast’ so we obviously went inside. They had a huge variety of fudge for sale! We tried the Milk Chocolate, Dark Chocolate, Oreo, and Birthday cake flavors. Their peanut butter fudge is popular, but none of us are peanut butter fans. The store also had a huge variety of candy and taffy.
We came across The Stinking Rose restaurant, which is popular for its garlic-heavy dishes. Hence the name! I am very intrigued and hope to visit soon and try something here; hopefully, it’s not too heavy on garlic, though! I mean, I can eat some roasted garlic cloves, but not a plate full of them!
7. Caffe Trieste
Caffe Trieste is on Columbus and Vallejo St. and is known for its espresso coffee, pastries, and music. This historic coffeehouse has been a gathering spot for artists, writers, and musicians since 1956. The walls display pictures of all the celebrities who have been here.
They were cash only, at least when we visited. The coffee here was delicious, and we also got the Tiramisu and cheesecake. Everything was great tasting. You can tell by now that we ate quite a bit on North Beach while walking!
8. Langauge of the Birds Murals
This unique public art installation is located at the intersection of Broadway and Columbus. The “Language of the Birds” features books that appear to be flying away.
There is a large jazz mural on the building behind the art, and they look really great together, blending in as one art display. We looked at this during the day; I bet it would look great at night when the books are illuminated.
There are some more murals to look at in the Jack Kerouac Alley behind the City Lights bookstore.
9. City Lights Booksellers
Founded by poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti in 1953, City Lights is one of the most famous independent bookstores in the world. It played a pivotal role in the Beat Generation and continues to be a hub for literary events and readings.
Step in to browse the extensive collection of books and immerse yourself in the literary history of San Francisco. They have three stories filled with new and unique books about poetry, fiction, and non-fiction. You can sit and read here as well.
In this world of digital media, unique bookstores like these are a delight to find, and I always love to explore them.
10. Vesuvio Cafe
Located next to City Lights, Vesuvio Cafe is a historic cocktail bar that was a favorite hangout for Beat Generation writers like Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg.
The eclectic decor and lively atmosphere make it a great place to enjoy a drink. This place is 21+ only. We didn’t go inside to check it out as we were with our kids.
11. The Beat Museum
Across the street from Vesuvio and City Lights, The Beat Museum houses an impressive collection of artifacts, manuscripts, and memorabilia from the Beat Generation. The Beats were a group of artists and writers from the 1950s.
It’s a must-visit for anyone interested in learning more about that era. There is an admission fee to visit the museum.
Some additional North Beach attractions
- Club Fugazi – Known for hosting the long-running show ‘Beach Blanket Babylon,’ this venue offers unique entertainment shows.
- Cobb’s Comedy Club is a premier venue known for hosting top comedians and serving small bites and drinks.
- Chinatown – Grant Ave next to City Lights bookstore is where Chinatown starts. If you have time, you can continue exploring Chinatown after North Beach.
How to get to North Beach
There are several ways you can get to North Beach:
Drive: If you have your own car (locals like us or folks on a road trip) or a rental car, you can drive to North Beach. We drove there and parked at North Beach Garage. Pricing is by the hour.
City bus #39: Bus #39 goes from Fisherman’s Wharf (popular area for tourists to stay) to North Beach and Coit Tower. We took the bus from North Beach to Coit Tower.
Hop-On Hop-Off Bus: If you plan to visit several SF attractions in a couple of days Hop-On Hop-Off Bus is a convenient way to see the city without worrying about parking or figuring out public transit. It drops you in North Beach, just 3 blocks from Tony’s Pizza and Washington Square area.
โก๏ธ Check rates and availability for SF Hop-on Hop-off sightseeing bus
(I highly recommend this for first-time visitors to San Francisco to be able to cover a lot of attractions in a day or two)
North Beach Tours
Below are some popular and highly-rated tours in North Beach:
- Little Italy and North Beach Walking Foodie Tour in San Francisco – Visit some of the best cafes, delis, and shops and sample delicious treats, all while learning about the neighborhood!
- Chinatown and North Beach Walking and Food Tour – Generous samplings of food in both Chinatown and North Beach while seeing sights and learning about the history.
Where to stay in North Beach
Hotel Boheme – If you want to stay in the Little Italy/North Beach area itself, then Hotel Boheme is a nice boutique hotel right on Columbus Ave. It would be great to wake up and try one of the several amazing cafes for breakfast! Note that there is no elevator here for the 2nd and 3rd floor rooms.
Fisherman’s Wharf area, which has many hotels and is popular with tourists, is only 10 minutes from North Beach by bus (#39) or car. Below are some of my recommendations for hotels in the Fisherman’s Wharf area. From here, you can take a cab/Uber or take the bus to North Beach.
San Francisco Marriott Fisherman’s Wharf – I have stayed here once for a staycation in the city with my family. Great hotel and location, walking distance to Pier 39, Ghirardelli Square, Lombard St.
Hotel Riu Plaza Fishermanยดs Wharf – Riu is another great hotel popular with families in the prime Fisherman’s Wharf location. The hotel has free breakfast and a heated pool.
Is North Beach safe?
I found the North Beach area bustling with a great crowd and family-friendly vibe and felt totally safe exploring the main streets in the Little Italy neighborhood. Just keep your common sense with you, and do not go into deserted alleys.
The parking garage where we parked was a covered building as well, and our car was ok for 6-7 hours. Just don’t leave anything in the car in plain sight.
Final Takeaways: Visiting North Beach in San Francisco
North Beach definitely lived up to its hype for me, and I can’t wait to go back and try some more restaurants and cafes. Maybe I will take the walking food tour next time and find some hidden gems!
Whether you’re enjoying an espresso at Caffe Trieste, exploring the literary treasures at City Lights, or savoring a slice of pizza at Tony’s, North Beach offers a culturally rich experience.
A visit to this iconic San Francisco neighborhood is a great addition to your San Francisco itinerary.
More about San Francisco
- Find out how many days in San Francisco do you need?
- Check out my list of top things to do in San Francisco.
- Check out my San Francisco itineraries:
- Things to do in Haight Ashbury – San Francisco’s hippie neighborhood
- How to spend one day at North Beach / Little Italy neighborhood
- 25 weekend trip ideas from San Francisco
โญ Got questions about your trip?
Join my private Facebook group – California Travel Advice & Tips! It’s the perfect spot to connect with me and other California locals, as well as past visitors. It’s a great growing community and the quickest way to get answers for your visit!
โก๏ธ Join my Facebook Group here