Union St, Cow Hollow

Union Street in North Beach has lots of great three story Victorians and is just close enough to the action to make it a great place for young professional types to live. It is well worth the inflated North Beach prices for a year or two when you are young and want to be close to heart of the city.

Union Street also runs right by the southern end of Washington Square Park when you hit Columbus and some people live above the store fronts and can stare out at the old Asian ladies as they do their morning Yoga. Very distinctive to North Beach.

One really interesting eccentric place worth checking out is Mixed Use. It is part vintage clothing store and part furniture store. The guy who runs the store will make silk screens and things himself so you can get some things here that you will never find anywhere else. Prices vary! You should think of it a little bit like a bazaar where you go to look for deals. You can also sometimes talk him into lowering a price a bit if you are persistent—but don’t tell him you heard it from me.

As far as food goes, you will find your usual assortment of Italian food in the North Beach area—North Beach Pizza has its home on Union for example, as does Don Pisto’s, Joe Dimaggio’s and Tony’s Nepollitano Restaurant. On the corner with Columbus you find the pizza shaped corner store of Mario’s Bohemian Cigar Store which does not in fact sell cigars, but does have great sandwiches which you can take to go and eat in the park across Union.

If you are sick of Italian, you just cross Columbus and you can get authentic Basque (mix of Spanish and French) cuisine at Illuna’s.

The best place to live longer term on Union Street is in the Russian Hill and Cow Hollow neighborhoods. In Russian Hill you will find lots of nice Victorians and taller older buildings with great views. You still get the corner markets that people who live in the city love, but you don’t get as many of the other types of stores that tend to created a crowded over-populated feel on other streets.

On my last visit to the city by the bay my favorite place I visited was Union Street. This beautiful street has some of the most elegant residences along with some of the trendiest places to shop and dine. The street is filled with tons of stuff to do. I spent a whole day exploring the area without turning down another street. I ate dinner at place called Betelnut at 2030 Street. This beautiful Asian style hot spot was elegant, delicious, and relatively inexpensive. This street is a must see for anyone in the area.

Union Street is one of those streets in San Francisco that travels through several neighborhoods, but that features delights along its entire length. It stretches from the Presidio to the Embarcadero. Starting from the Embarcadero end, you'll quickly come across Levi Strauss Plaza, a semi-hidden treasure. It's the ideal lunch spot for any workers within walking distance. Happily, I am one.

Slightly further on, you'll find yourself in the heart of North Beach. This neighborhood is equally touristy and charming. Union Street here is a blend of residential and commercial spaces, with a few blocks filled with cute shops, restaurants, coffee houses, and other examples of the local color that people come to North Beach for. Union Street also marks the southern border of Washington Square Park, another green oasis.

The intrepid urban explorer will next find themselves hiking up through the residential Russian Hill neighborhood. It's quieter here, with less through traffic. Who's got the stamina? On Russian Hill, Union street runs parallel to one of San Francisco's most famous literary locations, Macondray Lane. Macondray Lane was Armisted Maupin's inspiration for Barbary Lane in his wonderful Tales of the City series. The neighborhood is worth a visit for that reason alone.

Continuing on past Van Ness Avenue, you'll eventually hit the Cow Hollow portion of Union Street. This is the part that I visit most often, as it's a quick walk from my Fillmore Street home. It's where I head to dine al fresco on a sunny Friday off, or just to go window shopping. There are plenty of venues for both activities. Some of my favorite sidewalk cafes include Left at Albequerque, Rose's, and Betelnut. It's a wonderful vantage point for watching the world go by. Likewise, for shopping there are antiques collectives, interior decor, and clothing and jewelry stores galore.

The Cow Hollow shopping district holds many community events during the year, including an Easter parade, a holiday festival of lights, and a summer street fair.