North Beach, San Francisco

We didn't spend a lot of time exploring North Beach, the neighborhood that was once all Italian is now a mixture of Italian, Chinese and other nationalities, instead we just seemed to pass through it on our way somewhere else. Many would say that the best Italian restaurants lie outside of this area but we found a perfectly good old world style Italian menu at Pinocchio's along North Beach's main drag, Columbus Street (named of course for Christopher Columbus, a rather well known Italian) after seeing "Beach Blanket Babylon", the long running show nearby.

The one photo I did take as we were wandering by was of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church where Joe DiMaggio married his 1st wife Dorothy Arnold. Since he was Catholic, when he married for the 2nd time to Marilyn Monroe, he couldn't get married in the church but after the civil ceremony, they swung by here to have photos taken

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North Beach is usually described as San Francisco's Little Italy or Latin Quarter. To be sure, Italian restaurants abound on Columbus Avenue, as do small cafes and bars. Of all the neighborhoods in San Francisco, I believe this was my favorite and although it has no doubt changed a lot since the days of Jack Kerouac and Lawrence Ferlinghetti, I still find it easy to understand why the Beat Generation poets elected North Beach as their favorite place to hang out on the West Coast. In fact, several "landmarks" still bear testimony to the presence of the Beat poets, such as the City Lights Bookstore, the Vesuvio (see my nightlife tips), the Jack Kerouac alleyway, and the Beat Museum. But perhaps the best way to feel like a Beat poet is simply to sit at one of the little cafes and order something to drink!

On a different note, "The Strip", an area famous for its numerous striptease clubs and other types of adult-related entertainment, can be found at the corner of Columbus and Broadway. In 1964, America's first topless act was performed at the Condor, which still operates as a stripclub today. Although the area used to be rather seedy, the clubs that are still in operation today kind of have a neat retro look (at least from the outside!).

Caffe Trieste should be a stopping point for anyone interested in San Francisco's literary and historic past. It has been here since 1956, and was the first espresso coffee house on the West Coast. It is said that Francis Ford Coppola wrote his screenplay for "The Godfather" here. Locals look like they've occupied their seats here for ages, but everyone is welcome. At noon on Saturdays the Giotta family presents a weekly musical of varied themes. Any day of the week, however, it is fun to take in the old atmosphere and enjoy a slice of old North Beach life.

For you baseball nuts out there North Beach is a must see place if you are a Joe DiMaggio fan. This is where he grew up and would play sandlot baseball. There is a park named after him and even though the neighborhood has changed over the years it doesn't take much imagination to envision what it would of been like to grow up as a poor Italian immigrant in the early 1900's, the times have changed but the architecture and setup of the neighborhood is still the same.

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This is a popular destination for both locals and tourists, there is a park where you can almost always find a volleyball game going on and plenty of people sunbathing on the grass or sitting on the benches that surround the square. The square is in the heart of North Beach and surrounded by a heavy Italian influence and many different Italian eateries. A heavy aroma of tomatoes and bread is always lingering in the air with promises of delectable delights. Washington Square is also the home of the famous St. Peter and Paul Church where Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe were married. Coit Tower, Fisherman's Wharf, and Lombard St are all close by making this square the center of activity!

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Most of the topless clubs that lined Broadway Street in the North Beach section are gone, maybe because of competition from X-rated home videos, maybe just because times change and it became no big deal to watch people dance with approximately no clothes on (except for my favorite LUSTY LADY on 1033 Kearny at Broadway).

North Beach Was Part of the old Barbary Coast, North Beach is steeped in the past -- Grant Avenue itself is the oldest street in San Francisco. In the early days, North Point docks served as a gateway for immigrants from South America, Europe and the Australian penal colonies. It wasn't until the late 1800s that thousands of Italians made the area their stronghold and turned it into the local Latin Quarter

Whether prowling for historic landmarks, sampling house-roasted espressos, shopping, clubbing, or chowing down, you'll find North Beach has plenty to offer for both a leisurely afternoon visit and a night on the town. Take a detour off the main drag of Columbus and you're likely to run across some unexpected treasure of a shop, restaurant or spectacular view. A word to the wise: avoid driving if possible, or plan to use a parking garage, as street parking in the area is notoriously scarce. Instead, try taking one of the three major bus lines (#15, #30 and #45) or two Cable Car lines that pass through the neighborhood.

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North Beach, the traditional Italian neighborhood, is vibrant and teaming with coffee shops in the morning, Italian restaurants in the day, and bars and strip clubs at night. The main thoroughfare, Columbus Avenue, begins at the base of the Transamerica Pyramid and cuts a diagonal across the city to Northpoint and Leavenworth.

It's best known as San Francisco's Little Italy, with its high density of check-clothed ristorantes, caffes and Old World delicatessens. Small boutiques carrying handmade clothing and imported goods dot the streets, particularly on upper Grant Avenue. Though Italian restaurants appear to dominate the dining scene, there are plenty of other good spots to try once you've had your fill of lasagna, with menus featuring Japanese, French and contemporary fusion cuisine.

Since the early days of San Francisco, North Beach establishments were known to have a very open attitude towards sex. Even though the neighborhood is one of the hottest tourist destinations in San Francisco, this sexual freedom still reigns as North Beach has many adult entertainment establishments, including strip clubs (for example, Larry Flint's Hustler Club at 1031 Kearny) and adult bookstores, mixed among the Italian restaurants and coffee shops.

"When the revolution comes, the sparkpoint of ignition will be Specs!!"

or not....


but someone who needs fodder for a counterculture piece will probably claim it was.


An interesting and peaceful little alcove right off Columbus Ave. with old historical architecture and vibes, Specs is a good place to step into and take a little "spanish pause" while enjoying a North Beach walk for a drink or even a smoke on the bench in the courtyard in what was purportedly an old occasional Herb Caen hangout.

The bar inside is populated imho with a mix of regulars, a sprinkling of tourists and a few of the North Beach obligatory late-to-the-party beat wannabees. Vesuvio and City Lights are right across the street. And if there is an older looking gentleman with a goatee & glasses sitting in back checking out everyone else... guess who that probably is?

I was actually going to put a tip on Specs 12 under "off the beaten path" simply and only because it is so easy to cluelessly stroll right past it.

I won't rehash all the old myths and legends about Specs. If you care, click below on either or both of the two excellent essays:

Specs Twelve Adler Museum Cafe -- Specs to you

Contrary to what I read in a Warren Hinckle column, I didn't find any fart pillows "around the walls"... maybe I didn't try hard enough