San Francisco/Castro-Noe Valley

Originally an Irish working-class neighborhood of San Francisco, the Castro has been transformed for the past 35 years and recognized by many as the gay mecca of the world. Filled with bookstores, clothing outlets, video stores and bars (and practically anything else you can think of) that cater towards the LGBT community, the Castro is a required visit for anyone even slightly interested in gay lifestyle and culture, and is truly a local authentic gem of San Francisco.
Noe Valley is a long gentrified neighborhood in San Francisco with many hip and trendy restaurants and boutique shops. The main commercial corridor is on 24th Street between Church Street and Diamond Street. Walking along 24th Street during the day you will see well-attended coffee shops, chic boutiques and several baby strollers. You can learn more about the goings-on in Noe Valley by reading either the print or online edition of the Noe Valley Voice.

By Muni

This is the best way to get to the Castro. The , , or MUNI Metro underground lines are the quickest way from Downtown, stopping at the Church Street station at Market and Church and the Castro Street station at Market and Castro, with the line also serving trips inbound to Downtown. The Church line can also get you to the Castro, although it comes above ground and turns south on Church Street, which runs along the eastern edge of the district. For a more scenic ride, take the historic Market streetcar line from Fisherman's Wharf, the Embarcadero and Downtown down Market to Castro Street.
MUNI bus lines which serve the area include 24-Divisadero, which runs along Castro Street through most of the district, heading north to Pacific Heights and southeast to Bayview-Hunters Point, the 33-Ashbury/18th, which runs east-west along 18th Street, the 48-Quintara/24th Street, which runs east-west along 24th Street, continuing east to Potrero Hill and west past Twin Peaks, West Portal and into Sunset, and the 35-Eureka and 37-Corbett neighborhood lines.
The BART system runs through the nearby Mission neighborhood, where you can either get off at the 16th Street station and transfer to the 33 bus line, or get off at the 24th Street station and transfer to the 48 bus line.

By car

Don't drive into the area. Use public transit instead. There is a public parking garage on Noe just north of Market, but it is small. Street parking is very hard to find, especially on the weekends. If you park at the Safeway on Market and you don't go exclusively there, you will be towed. There are some metered spots along 18th between Sanchez and Eureka, but these are hard to come by. On weekends, parking is better as the 2-hour neighborhood permits don't apply. Noe Valley has one small public lot, but you will likely need to find street parking, and this can be particularly scarce on weekends during brunch and dinner times.

• The Castro Theatre

  phone: +1-415-621-6120
  address: 429 Castro St
  A lovingly restored Art Deco jewelbox of an independent movie theatre, with a Wurlitzer organ and splendid organist, special sing-along showings, and more. A "rep house" or repertory theater, it tends to screen a wide variety of classic or obscure but worthwhile films, and be a venue of choice of local film festivals.

• GLBT History Museum

  phone: +1-415-621-1107
  address: 4127 18th St
  A GLBT history museum, with exhibits that take you from the bedrooms and back rooms to the bookstores and bars, from Harvey Milk's victories to transgender sex workers' riots, from social movements to secret fantasies.

• Randall Museum

  phone: +1-415-554-9600
  address: 199 Museum Way
  A small but fun children's museum with several interactive exhibits, including live animals, a science exhibit, a toddler play area, and a railroad exhibit which includes a model railroad layout which is open on Saturdays. The museum is perched on a hill, offering great views of the San Francisco skyline.

• Michael McClure house

  address: 264 Downey St
  Former home of the Beat-era playwright and poet.

There are several major cultural festivals and events in the Castro annually.

• Pink SaturdayA street party, organised by the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.

• Castro Street Fair

  phone: +1-415 841-1824
  Vendors, dancing, fundraising for community groups.

• Cliff's Variety

  phone: +1-415-431-5365
  address: 479 Castro St
  Toys, gifts, kitchenware, hardware, and the newly remodeled annex next door is where to shop for do it yourself home decor items and is THE place to get rhinestones.

• ImagiKnit

  phone: +1-415-621-6642
  address: 3897 18th St
  These women opened up the yarn shop that they'd like to hang out in and the whole neighborhood concurs that they're doing it right.

• Noe Valley Farmers Market

  phone: +1-415-248-1332
  address: 3861 24th St
  Year-round California-certified farmers market.

• Just For Fun & Scribbledoodles

  phone: +1-415-285-4068
  address: 3982 24th St
  Stationery and gifts; custom color printing and calligraphy for announcements. They have also opened an art supply store across the street.

• Church Street Flowers

  phone: +1-415-553-7762
  address: 212 Church St
  Rated 'Best of the Bay' #1 Florist for the past six years, this adorable flower shop has the most beautiful and unique blooms from all over the world.

• 24th Street Cheese Company

  phone: +1-415-821-6658
  address: 3893 24th St
  Carries hundreds of cheeses where you can taste before you buy.

• Eric's

  phone: +1 415 282-0919
  address: 1500 Church St
  California Chinese cuisine (e.g.: many vegs are fresh, white or brown rice, mu shu comes with grilled flour tortillas) with a nod towards Hunan and Mandarin styles. Tasty food in a bustling place. Accessible, vegetarian friendly, beer and wine. Minimum charge of $8 per person.

• Firefly

  phone: +1-415-821-7652
  address: 4288 24th St
  A favorite neighborhood restaurant among locals with creative home cooking and friendly service. Vegan and gluten-free options. Not usually too noisy. Reservations recommended, especially on weekends.

• Haystack Pizza

  phone: +1-415-647-1929
  address: 3881 24th St
  A neighborhood favorite with a full menu with many choices for various diets.

• Hot Cookie

  phone: +1 415 621-2350
  address: 407 Castro Street
  Bakery known for their macaroon cookies distinctively shaped like a piece of male anatomy.

• Kasa Indian Eatery

  phone: +1-415-621-6940
  address: 4001 18th St
  Indian food in a casual setting emphasizing from-scratch cooking with fresh ingredients.

• La Ciccia

  phone: +1-415-550-8114
  address: 291 30th St
  Gourmet Sardinian food, Italianate but often surprisingly spiced. Large list of unusual Sardinian and other Italian wines.

• Lovejoy's Tea Room

  phone: +1-415 648-5895
  address: 1351 Church St
  Combination antique store and one of the best places to have a cosy high tea in the city. Pub fare also served. Minimum charge $12 per person.

• Noe Valley Bakery

  phone: +1-415-550-1405
  address: 4073 24th St
  Considered one of the best local bakeries in the area. They supply some of the better SF restaurants as well as neighborhood demand for baked goods.

• Pomelo

  address: 1793 Church St
  Small, quiet restaurant with an affordable variety of international dishes.

• Sausage Factory

  phone: +1-415-626-1250
  address: 517 Castro St
  An Italian restaurant that's larger than it looks from the outside, extending back into the middle of the block. Delivery.

• Savor

  phone: +1-415-282-0344
  address: 3913 24th St
  A popular brunch spot.

• Sparky's 24-Hour Diner

  phone: +1-415-626-8666
  address: 242 Church St
  Delivery. Full-on diner fare, good salads and baked items.

• Thai House Express

  phone: +1-415-864-5000
  address: 599 Castro St
  Excellent Thai food in a gay atmosphere, with some dishes that are not on the menu of most American Thai restaurants, such as Kao Soy, chicken with soft and crispy noodles in mustard sauce.

• Alice's Restaurant

  phone: +1 415 282-8999
  address: 1599 Sanchez St
  Good, not fanciful Chinese food, and quiet enough that you can talk to your dinner companions.

Bars

• 440 Castro

  phone: +1-415-621-8732
  address: 440 Castro St
  Heavy gay bar with a rowdy crowd and lots of bears, but for some this is the definitive Castro bar.

• The LookOut

  phone: +1-415-431-0306
  address: 3600 16th St
  Very popular gay bar with great food, a nice balcony, and a much calmer crowd than the 440 Castro.

• Mix

  phone: +1-415-431-8616
  address: 4086 18th St
  Billing itself as a "neighborhood bar", Mix has strong drinks and a great back patio.

• Moby Dick

  phone: +1-415-294-0731
  address: 4049 18th St
  Great bartenders, cheap strong drinks, music videos, and pinball.

• Twin Peaks Tavern

  phone: +1-415-864-9470
  address: 401 Castro St
  Very nice gay bar with a great atmosphere and nice staff. Historically this was the first gay bar in the US to display its patrons to the public, offering large windows looking IN to the bar. Until this addition, most all gay bars were underground bars/clubs that kept the clientele hidden from the general public.

Coffee

• Cafe Flore

  phone: +1-415-621-8579
  address: 2298 Market St
  Go for the good tea or latte and the prime people watching, not necessarily the food.

• Samovar Tea Lounge

  phone: +1-415-626-4700
  address: 498 Sanchez St
  Live jazz on Fridays, a Stitch-and-Bitch knitting aficionado gathering on Sunday afternoons, over 100 kinds of tea. Comfortable hangout.

• Cafe Sophie

  address: 3463 16th St
  A great local cafe serving excellent cappuccino.
• Noe Valley also has the nickname "coffee gulch". While Starbucks is popular, the locals prefer Martha's (24th Street between Church and Sanchez) and (24th between Noe and Sanchez).

• Inn on Castro

  phone: +1-415-861-0321
  address: 321 Castro St
  An upscale bed and breakfast in a restored house.

• Parker House

  phone: +1-415-621-3222
  address: 520 Church St
  A gay owned and operated hotel in a very pretty old building.

• Twin Peaks Hotel

  phone: +1-415-863-2909
  address: 2160 Market St
  Not the Ritz but a cheap budget hotel option

• San Francisco Public Library - Eureka Valley Branch

  phone: +1-415-355-5616
  address: 1 Jose Sarria Ct

• San Francisco Public Library - Noe Valley Branch

  phone: +1-415-355-5707
  address: 451 Jersey St