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Little Italy and North Beach Walking Tour in San Francisco

Badge of ExcellenceSan Francisco, United States

From $73.60

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Free cancellation
Up to 24 hours in advance.
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Audio Guides
Kid-Friendly
Likely To Sell Out
Unique Experiences
  • 3 hours (approx.)
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Overview

If you fancy yourself a foodie or culture enthusiast, don’t miss this walking tour of San Francisco’s Little Italy—the neighborhood of North Beach. Voted one of the 15 best foodie tours in the USA by U.S. News, join an insider guide and experience a slice of the top things to do in North Beach, such as tasting coffee and witnessing bread being freshly made. Soak up the lively atmosphere of one of the city’s most popular districts as you learn about its cafes and bakeries and see landmarks like Saints Peter and Paul Church.
  • Explore North Beach/Little Italy's Foods & History
  • Culinary history of San Francisco
  • Taste samples of fresh food at local bakeries and delis
  • Enjoy coffee drinks, teas, Italian sodas and more, while experiencing San Francisco’s coffee culture
  • Explore the Beat Generation Hangouts
  • Close to Public Transportation & Affordable Parking

What's Included

  • Professional guide
  • Focaccia sandwiches from Mario’s
  • Chocolate from Z Cioccolato
  • Cannoli from Stella Pastry
  • Deli delights at Molinari delicatessen
  • Gratuities
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off

Meeting And Pickup

Meeting point

  • 480 Columbus Ave
    480 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA

    We meet at the corner at of Columbus Avenue and Green Street at 480 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94133 (the same corner as the Bank of the West). It is across the street from the Bank of America. Please arrive on time, we will not be able to accommodate late arrivals.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Known as San Francisco’s ‘Little Italy,’ the neighborhood of North Beach is a feast for the senses, from the aroma of fresh bread to the taste of coffee to the sight of Saints Peter and Paul Church. Begin your walking tour by meeting your guide near Washington Square Park, a hub of activity where locals lounge on the grass or play Frisbee.

Stroll past cute shops, bustling Italian restaurants and family-run cafes, and stop to chat with business owners and enjoy samples of the neighborhood’s heavenly delights. Taste coffee, olive oil, specialty meats, bread and maybe even coveted truffles. Learn how some foods are made, watch bread being kneaded and see where coffee beans are roasted.

You’ll also hear about San Francisco’s rich culinary history during this half-day tour, which has won accolades as one of the city’s best tours from outlets like the San Francisco Bay Guardian and Lonely Planet.

Little Italy (Pass By)

North Beach awakens your senses, from the cafes and restaurants, to the smell of fresh-baked bread in the air. Discover quaint shops with crafts and ceramics from around the world. Delve into North Beach life as you join family bakers kneading love into every loaf of bread. Just when you think you have reached food heaven, you'll come across coffee shops which roast fresh coffee beans daily. And if that was not enough, you will uncover authentic Italian cathedrals where hundreds of couples have felt their heartstrings tug!

Little Italy (Pass By)

And, as you taste everything from great coffee, truffles, breads, olive oil, specialty meats, and more, you'll learn how the food is made and what to look for back home. "Best Tour for 2011" - San Francisco Bay Guardian "Top 10 Walking Tours for Globetrotting Foodies - 2013" - Lonely Planet

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Stroller accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Near public transportation
  • Transportation is wheelchair accessible
  • Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
  • Same day reservations available
  • ATTENTION: Each Youth or Child registration requires an Adult registration
  • Proof of vaccination is required on all tours. Masks may be required in some stops.
  • Most travelers can participate
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
  • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
  • This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

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Traveler Tips

I always go on walking food tours in a new city as it's a great way to get a feel for the city and it's food, as well as recommendations on where to eat the rest of my stay.
A must do activity if you’re new to the area and want to know where the good eats are!
We loved the food tasting with delicious pizza at the end, well worth the money.
Reviews
5.0
724 reviews
Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
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Reviews by Viator travelers.
Showing 1-10 of 724 reviews
Food & Convo
Linda_J, Mar 2023
What a great experience. Fun even in the rain! David was a knowledgable guide and as both a history buff and foodie, it was right up my alley. Probably a little history heavy for the under 12 crowd but we stayed within a few blocks, ate a good amount of food and learned a good amount about North Beach. Very organic conversation vs. Lecture so be prepared for digressions and side tracks!!!
Would recommend
Sophie_R, Mar 2023
Fantastic tour guide in Cynthia. We learnt a lot about both the area and food offering. Pace of the day was great and ample food.
Taste, Walk, Learn &Meet Amazing People!
Josie_L, Feb 2023
Excellent tour given by our tour, guide, leader named Brian! He was very comical and all legible of the area. He is well known within the community, and as we walked, people would stop him, and he would give handshakes or hug them. The food was phenomenal. To authentic Italian food! As a school principal, I give it a grade A+. Thank you so much. We met amazing people that took the tour with us as well!
Brian was a great tour guide!
Denisse_B, Jan 2023
My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed our tour of Chinatown. We loved the history we learned from Brian. And the food was delicious. We would definitely do it again!
Great tour!
Wallace_L, Jan 2023
The variety and quality of the Italian food was excellent. I enjoyed the history and sights of Little Italy.
We had a great time on...
Amy_M, Dec 2022
We had a great time on this tour! Even if you are a local, you will still enjoy! We learned a lot about north beach and can’t wait to go back and visit some of the stops.
Little Italy tour walk for foodies
Susan_W, Dec 2022
Hearing Isabella talk about the history of all the locations . Good food and Isabella was a great leader
Rainy but fun experience
IanandBonnie_B, Dec 2022
Food experiences were exceptional. Our guide Lauren was the best. My grand daughter aged 10 told me she learned it was good to try new things.
Great food and great tour!
Ginny_R, Nov 2022
Terrific tour of the area and, of course, terrific food! The arancini were the best we’ve ever had! Would definitely recommend. Isabella was a fantastic guide.
Best food tour
Mo_B, Nov 2022
Our guide, Isabelle, was amazing. She was very knowledgeable and passionate about the area. Her commentary was educational, informative, and entertaining. If I could request her for all food tours I would. Oh, and the food was great too.
Great even for Keto/low carb people
Mark_N, Nov 2022
I am not a foodie. I do low carb/keto so I was not expecting to enjoy this tour. I was wrong. Brian was incredible. He imparted so much historical information that the food was not that important. I are the meats, avoided the bread, had my latte with almond milk and it was a great experience. My foodie DIL enjoyed it as well. For me it wasn't about the food but about the history of the area. My Italian American husband enjoyed it as well. Brian was very entertaining.
Food tour in North Beach
Debora_P, Nov 2022
Brian was a fabulous tour guide. We so enjoyed his knowledge and humor. Great tour and well worth the $$. Thanks.
Best food tour
Emma_B, Nov 2022
The tour guy know a lot and they also take you to very interesting spots that are not food but you will really like
Best way to spend an afternoon in SF
Kumar_S, Oct 2022
A wonderful 4 hours learning the history and culinary delights in Little Italy with Brian who is a colorful and funny guide. Conversation varied from first immigrants to first amendment rights to what makes this small part of SF unique. Tasted from 7 establishments including delicious salami sandwich, aparchini, Italian. fudge to pizza. Highly recommend if u have a free afternoon in SF. Don't eat lunch prior to tour.
Loved it!
Cheryl_d, Oct 2022
Brian was our fabulous tour guide! Excellent! Loved the food, the history, the walk, and Brian’s insights! We live in California, and it was fun making friends with visitors from Germany & Ireland that were on the tour with us!
Short, good, entertaining, and delicious.
Emi_A, Oct 2022
This tour was great. Brian is the best tour guide ever, very entertaining and knowledgeable. I highly recommend it. He lives in the neighborhood and knows everyone.
This is my second time...
Damario_L, Oct 2022
This is my second time taking a tour with Brian and I think I'm already ready for my third. Between history of the food and the hitlatory if the city I'm SHOCKED he was able to still make so many jokes. Hopefully he'll be here in 5 years when I come back
Best Food Tour
TKALBANS, Oct 2022
Isabella was a joy to be on tour with. Not only was she so well versed in SF but entertaining as well. Food choices were amazing and we really enjoyed the experience so much that we went back the next night to one of the restaurants on the tour.
Great tasting
Dawn_K, Oct 2022
It was great to get a taste from so many different places. Nice to start off with a coffee, have fresh pasta, have Specialties from two different delis, and wonderful fudge at the end.
App Screwed up
DouglasRussell_G, Oct 2022
My only issue was with Viator I requested and paid for a tour that was for China Town and this tour was the one the app gave us - Great tour just not the one we wanted
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