Opened in 1956 by Italian immigrant Giovanni ‘Papa Gianni’ Giotta, Caffe Trieste is often called the West Coast’s first true espresso house and remains the beating heart of North Beach’s Italian coffee culture. Beat writers like Ferlinghetti and Kerouac lingered here, and Francis Ford Coppola reportedly worked on ‘The Godfather’ script in a corner. Grab an espresso, settle in, and if you visit on a Saturday you may catch the long-running live opera.
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Do it like a local · food tour
San Francisco North Beach & Chinatown Food Tour
Caffe Trieste anchors San Francisco dining — this North Beach & Chinatown food tour grazes Italian-American and Chinese classics with a local guide.
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601 Vallejo St · Italian espresso cafe · coffee, pastries; Saturday opera performances