I really liked North Beach because it was a far more human area than where I was staying (one block from Union Square). I went on a Sunday morn. People were walking their dogs, sitting at tables in the sunshine, strolling around and just hangin'.

I really liked North Beach because it was a far more human area than where I was staying (one block from Union Square). I went on a Sunday morn. People were walking their dogs, sitting at tables in the sunshine, strolling around and just hangin'.
I love this part of town. Interesting sights and smells, lots of great restaurants, priced high and low. Hadn't changed much since my last visit 20 years ago, a good thing.
What a neighborhood! It was easy to navigate the sidewalks on foot despite the hills. Streetcars plied Columbus Avenue and major other thoroughfares. There was limited on-street parking. Within a short walk, I saw Washington Square, the Saints Peter and Paul Church, the National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi, the Beat Museum, and City Lights Bookstore. In the same...
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This is Italian neighborhood which is packed with restaurants. They all have tables outside where people sit, eat, and enjoy coffee. Great place to sit down and relax with a coffee or a drink of your preference.
I have decided that if I had enough time, I would just start on one end of North Beach and eat my way to the other side. As it was, we just had to settle for a few tastes. Sodini's is a little place off Washington Square. No reservations taken, but well worth the wait. Try their lasagna. Il Pollaio...
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North Beach is always a treat for the restaurants. Our favorite is US Cafe. We also love the pastries at a shop i cannot remember but know where it is.
I spent a few hours bar hopping and wandering around the eclectic selection of stores. It's much more interesting at night! There are heaps of places to eat, but it you want to try one of the more popular places on trip advisor I'd recommend booking ahead. Going up Coit Tower at night is worth it too.
Visitors wonder what it is that makes SF unique. North beach is one of the quintessential neighborhoods. Old eateries, lazy people mixed with the avant guard make this an interesting visit any time.
This is one of my favorite neighborhoods in San Francisco. Here and there you can still find mo and pop shops where the owners still speak Italian. Don't miss City Lights Bookstore.
...and walking from one country to the next in half a block and eating (or viewing others eating) the great variety of continental foods.
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