The 17 Best North Beach Restaurants and Bars

Few neighborhoods correlate hype to the actual dining experience as well as San Francisco’s North Beach. The idea, from the history books through to what’s trending on your social feed, is the neighborhood’s pizza parlors, wine bars, and high-end restaurants

will blow you away. Then you spend a day and night in North Beach traipsing from Liguria to Vesuvio to Golden Sardine to Hilda and Jesse to April Jean to Savoy Tivoli to Golden Boy Pizza — all before calling the Waymo. That’s when it becomes apparent the hype is to be believed. These 17 restaurants, bars, and cafes prove San Francisco’s still got boisterous decadence spilling out from the rafters.

— Additional reporting by Dianne de Guzman.

Butter & Crumble

271 Francisco St, San Francisco, CA, 94133, US

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Few bakeries struck the city to its line-drawing core like Sophie Smith’s pandemic-born Butter & Crumble. The gorgeous work she and her team put into each flaky (and, yes, buttery) laminated treat speaks for itself. The business is woman-led, the walls and La Marzocco espresso machine a matching mellow pink, and fans can’t seem to get enough of the rotating croissants, including passionfruit and a BEC riff.

Liguria Bakery

1700 Stockton St, San Francisco, CA, 94133, US

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After a fire paused operations for four months in 2023, Liguria picked right back up and reopened, resuming its reign as a 113-year-old San Francisco institution. A word of warning: You’ll need to arrive early to get the goods at Liguria. The family-run bakery specializes in focaccia, and the massive sheets of bread — studded with everything from raisins to olives — are a wonder of airy, pillowy bread and olive oil richness (the green onion version is what makes the sandwiches at Mario’s Bohemian so excellent). Grab a piece or 10 to take across the street to the park, or buy it frozen to finish at home.

Bodega

700 Columbus Ave (at Filbert St), San Francisco, CA 94133

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While North Beach is best known for its many old-school restaurants and bars, Bodega is a new-school wine lover’s dream with a robust list of options by the glass and a respectable list of plates to pair, including tacos, chicken nuggets, and grilled cheese. There are plenty of funky natural wines for fans to explore, and the enticing descriptions make it easy to choose, even if you don’t know a pet-nat from a petit verdot. Pull up a stool to a community table or the bar and make a game of observing the many dates undoubtedly taking place around the intimate interior.

Victoria Pastry

700 Filbert St, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA

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Sugar rushes are inevitable at Victoria Pastry, a pusher of the sweet stuff since 1914. Sample classics like tiramisu and cannoli, or go big with slices of rich layer cakes. This classic bakery is known for Easter egg-hued princess cake layered with raspberry, whipped cream, custard, and triple sec. But don’t skip the fedora — the dense chocolate cake is loaded with chocolate cream and rum. There are a couple of tables outside, but these sweets are best enjoyed with a coffee in the park.

Tony's Pizza Napoletana

1570 Stockton St, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA

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Tony Gemignani’s pizza empire stretches far beyond North Beach, but its heart and soul remains in the neighborhood. Tony’s Pizza Napoletana packs in the crowds, and with good reason — the extensive menu reads like a crash course in regional pizza styles and history. Next door, the Slice House slings wedges of coal-fired New York and Connecticut-style pies plus Chicago-style Italian beef sandwiches. Down the street, Capo’s is all about the gut-busting, Chicago-style fare.

The Savoy Tivoli

1434 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA

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This destination for live music and stiff drinks opened in 1907, beginning a storied history punctuated with landmark events like debuting San Francisco’s Beach Blanket Babylon in 1974 and appearances by the Ramones in 1976. The venue reopened after a few years of closure in 2022 and is packed with cocktails and crowds once again, hosting local musical acts such as the Tuesday People on the regular.

Mario's Bohemian Cigar Store Cafe

Mario’s Bohemian Cigar Store Cafe/Facebook" />

566 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA

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There are no cigars to be found at this corner cafe, but hot, melty sandwiches on pillowy focaccia abound. The meatball is legendary, but the eggplant sandwiches (both breaded and grilled) are worth a taste. A bonafide local joint in the midst of Columbus Avenue’s touristy glut, Mario’s is the kind of place that makes you feel like a regular. Many consider this to be a true San Franciscan delight.

Flour + Water Pizzeria

532 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA

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One of San Francisco’s favorite pasta destinations branched out with a titanic pizza parlor in the city’s Italian restaurant proving grounds. In June 2023 the Flour + Water group satisfied its fans’ demands — 13 months after closing its Valencia Street restaurant — by throwing open the doors to a massive Columbus Avenue location. While a full-service restaurant, there’s also a Pizza Shop for takeout and casual service on the Stockton Street side, and a dough room showcasing the behind-the-scenes action of making those smoky eggplant pies. The gluten-free pizza is not to be missed.

Hilda and Jesse

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701 Union St, San Francisco, CA, 94133, US

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The Hilda and Jesse team has had an impressive 2024, with co-owner Rachel Sillcocks receiving the Michelin Outstanding Service Award and the restaurant earning a Michelin star. Chef Ollie K.C. Liedags spreads their vision of #funluxury with a chic take on brunch. But it’s not all breakfasty items here; the “chef’s adventure” menu at dinner showcases the best of what they can do in five courses. If you’re going a la carte at brunch, just make sure to try the signature Pancakes Without Boundaries dish, two fluffy, stacked buttermilk pancakes topped with grilled maple syrup that you won’t be able to stop thinking about.

Golden Boy Pizza

542 Green St, San Francisco, CA, 94133, US

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This North Beach institution has been serving Sicilian-style pizza since 1978. Wait out the line and order a hefty square of pizza to enjoy at the bar. A couple of plain cheese slices make for an inexpensive and fairly unimpeachable lunch. The version topped with a ton of chopped garlic and clams? It might very well make your entire week. For some, Golden Bay is a quintessential San Francisco restaurant.

Sotto Mare Oysteria and Seafood Restaurant

552 Green St, San Francisco, CA, 94133, US

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North Beach has a reputation for being touristy at times, with lines for the more popular places on the weekend. Sotto Mare commands a wait during peak dinner hour, but it still remains a charming place for seafood and pasta if that’s what you’re in the mood for. The cioppino is what the restaurant’s best known for, and while it may seem like an expensive bowl, it’s among the best in town and does receive a decent amount of seafood for the price. Otherwise, grab a pasta with seafood (the linguine with clams or risotto with seafood might be your best bets) with a cup of clam chowder. Add on a half carafe of red or white house wine, too, while you’re at it.

April Jean

1371 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA, 94133, US

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April Jean is one of North Beach’s newer bars, and it’s already earned a following for its drinks and comfortable space. The cocktail menu is themed around childhood, with drinks that recall snacks and meals made by mom. Pat’s Pie is a take on key lime pie and comes with a small cookie on the side, while the Watermelon Mama pairs tequila with Italian aperitif, salted watermelon, lime, and ginger. It does tend to get crowded on the weekends, but if you’re looking for a buzzy, vibrant spot, this is the place.

Qua O La

1318 Grant Avenue, San Francisco, California 94133, United States

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Qua O La brings together Italian and Croatian food and wine in one space thanks to couple Sal Annuzzi and Angela Lazarich. The wine bar highlights both Italian and Croatian wines by the glass or bottle, exposing more folks to lesser-seen Croatian producers. The food menu is better suited for bites, rather than a hefty dinner, with dressed burrata options plus meat and cheese plates. That being said, it’s worth seeking out the Croatian bites, such as kobasica, a Croatian sausage served in a roll.

Caffe Trieste

601 Vallejo St, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA

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As North Beach staples go, Trieste is almost unbeatable — the storied corner cafe claims to have been the very first Italian-style espresso house on the West Coast when it opened in 1956. Its timing was fortuitous; Trieste became a gathering place for poets, artists, musicians, and the Beat scene at large. Grab a cappuccino and get working on your next novel. You’ll be in good company — Francis Ford Coppola reputedly wrote the script for The Godfather here, and still sometimes frequents the cafe.

Golden Sardine

362 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco, California 94133

Fans of poetry and riesling will find a home in Golden Sardine, as this North Beach bar specializes in both, with frequent poetry reading events and an owner who is involved with the West Coast Riesling Society. But that being said, this bar serves more than rieslings and is a nice, cozy gathering spot for even the non-poets in your group. The food selection rotates, but leans toward the tinned fish persuasion, making for a nice, light pairing with wine.

Molinari Delicatessen

373 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA, 94133, US

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Both Mario’s and Molinari offer sandwiches in the North Beach area, but Molinari skews more deli (rather than cafe). It’s a better stop for those on the way to a picnic or a friend’s house, where you can pick up provisions like wine and cheese (maybe even panettone) beforehand. Go for a custom sandwich if you must, but the Italian Combo is a classic cold cut option. The sausage sandwich is also one to look for, made with Molinari sausages.

Vesuvio Cafe

255 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA

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Channel your inner Beatnik and throw back a few at Vesuvio, a two-level bar that’s been slinging drinks since 1948. Jack Kerouac himself was known to spend considerable time at Vesuvio (and missed meeting with Henry Miller because of it, so they say), and the bar maintains its no-frills charm when it’s not slammed with tourists. Vesuvio is best on weeknights — grab a table in the upstairs window and let your poetic inclinations take over.