North Beach, San Francisco’s Little Italy, defies our urge to define it. For starters, there is no beach in North Beach. It's most famous sight, Coit Tower, is technically a part of the tiny Telegraph Hill neighborhood. Columbus Avenue, North Beach's main drag, edges up against San Francisco's Chinatown – the two neighborhoods most clearly overlap where Broadway meets Columbus.

Once the heart of California’s Beat movement in the 1960s, North Beach still holds onto its beatnik, boho vibe while also playing host to a thriving bar and nightclub scene. That's especially true on Grant Avenue and Broadway on the northeast side of Columbus, where the neighborhood abuts the Financial District.