Our Take on Vesuvio Cafe
Vesuvio Cafe opened in 1948 and has operated continuously since, directly across Jack Kerouac Alley from City Lights Books. Jack Kerouac drank here. Allen Ginsberg drank here. Dylan Thomas drank here. The bar has the kind of provenance that most bars in America manufacture after the fact. Vesuvio never needed to invent it.
The room is two stories of painted murals, old photographs, and that specific quality of light that only bars acquire after decades of use. The drinks are unpretentious and honestly priced. This is not a craft cocktail destination in the modern sense. It is a bar in the original sense: a place to drink, think, talk, and watch North Beach go about its day.
Vesuvio sits at the intersection of the hidden gem category and a genuine San Francisco institution. It deserves a visit from anyone who cares about the history of American bar culture. It also deserves a visit from anyone who simply wants a glass of wine and an hour of watching the street. Read our full editorial on San Francisco bars for the complete picture.
What to Order
01
The Kerouac
The house cocktail. Rum, tequila, orange and cranberry juice with a lime squeeze. A drink that tastes more considered than its simplicity suggests. Order it once to pay respects.
02
A Glass of House Red
Vesuvio does not take itself too seriously, and neither should you. Order a glass of wine, take the window seat upstairs, and watch Columbus Avenue. This is the correct way to spend an afternoon here.
03
Draft Beer of Your Choice
A rotating selection of California beers on tap. Priced fairly and poured without ceremony. The right choice if you are staying for a few rounds rather than one considered cocktail.
04
Whatever You Feel Like
Vesuvio has no pretensions. The bar staff have seen everything and judge nothing. Tell them what you want and they will make it. That is the point of the place.
Best Time to Visit
Weekday afternoons between 2pm and 5pm offer the quietest version of Vesuvio. The upstairs window tables are perfect for an hour of reading or writing. Weekend evenings are louder and livelier. The bar is open from 8am daily, which makes it the rare destination appropriate at nearly any hour. It sits two minutes from the Comstock Saloon, making it the natural first stop on a North Beach evening.
