Noe Valley - San Francisco, CA Area Guide

Noe Valley was founded in 1854 when Mormon immigrant John Meirs Horner bought the land from Jose de Jesus Noe, the last Mexican alcalde, or mayor. Originally named Horner’s Addition, the neighborhood was renamed Noe Valley in the 20th century.

After the 1906 earthquake, when rebuilding was taking place all over the city, Noe Valley quickly developed into a residential area. Since it was built over many time periods, classic Victorian and Edwardian architecture exist next to working-class row housing. Many facades of these homes have remained unchanged since the time they were built.

From the 1950s on, Noe Valley slowly became more expensive and gentrified. Working class families were driven east, to the Mission district, and south. Professional families moved in and brought businesses specialized to their tastes into the neighborhood.

St. Paul’s Catholic Church was the setting for the movie "Sister Act" and is one of four churches in the area periodically tolling their bells. The area doesn’t support any museums to speak of, but several smaller galleries take up the slack. Cradle of the Sun, 24th Street Studio Gallery and Secession Art & Design have locally made artworks and housewares to make your space prettier.

The arts scene is bolstered by many places to take classes. Spark Creativity, Rozanoff Art, Terra Mia Ceramic Studios and Ripe Fruit School of Creative Writing all offer ways to get your creative juices flowing, whatever your passions are.

Noe Valley also hosts the annual Harvest Festival, a family-friendly event with food, music and fun, each October.

The restaurants of Noe Valley are primarily found along the area's main drag, 24th Street. Cuisine ranges from New American and Italian, both of which are very popular in San Francisco, to sushi, cafe style food, Spanish and Mexican.

Griddle Fresh provides the area's best breakfast options, with banana mascarpone souffle pancakes and smoked salmon tartine. A casual vibe presents a lazy way to spend a Sunday morning, or a great way to try some extremely good food.

Meanwhile, Firefly cooks up some classics with a twist. Some of the more popular dishes include grilled swordfish with autumn peppers, eggplant and fingerling potatoes, and roasted cauliflower soup with toasted almonds and pickled shallots. Firefly offers more choices than most for vegetarians, which keeps everyone happy. Be sure to add this to your list of date night restaurants.

The Little Chihuahua provides residents with incredibly fresh Mexican food, with uniquely San Francisco touches. The carne asada is available with wild mushrooms, tacos with salmon and cilantro cream salsa, and burritos with garlic shrimp. Let your palate run wild, and maybe try some agave wine margarita or a draft beer with your meal.

Noe Valley has morphed into more of a family neighborhood over the years, so the nightlife isn't raucous. However, along 24th Street and Dolores to the west are a few local bars worth checking out.

The Valley Tavern has a sporty vibe and offers drink specials to go along with the many big-screen TVs broadcasting local games. A few small bites are available if you forgot to eat dinner or just want a midnight snack. All go perfectly with the wide selection of draft and bottled beers and ciders, not to mention the specialty cocktails.

Caskhouse, a popular dive bar, remains a popular place to meet up with friends. Noise levels here can get high, especially when San Francisco sports teams are doing well.

Unlike nearby Castro and Mission districts, Noe Valley doesn't support much in the way of live music. Residents rent movies at Video Wave of Noe Valley or head to clubs in the Mission or Castro.

Parking in the Noe Valley area is a little easier than in other parts of San Francisco, but not much. What you do find will be expensive, so leaving the car at home may be your best bet. The area is served by two BART stops, and several Muni lines run in the area. This may be a good option if you’re heading up the steep hill toward the Castro later.

Hailing a cab is also very easy here, as is arranging an Uber pickup. It’s an extremely walkable neighborhood, as long as you’ve got comfortable walking shoes and don’t mind a few lesser hills.

Noe Valley is fairly close to the 101 Freeway, which takes you to San Jose and points south. Biking is considered safe in this area, and many streets have bike lanes.

San Francisco is a town that loves its green spaces, and Noe Valley keeps this tradition alive with several parks devoted to kids, families and local professionals. Douglass Playground and the Community Park both offer playground facilities, as well as open spaces for dreaming, relaxing and picnicking.

Meanwhile, the Douglass Dog Park provides opportunities for puppies to play while their owners chat each other up. Parks are free and very kid- and dog-friendly, as long as you clean up after yourself. Many feature space for yoga, running or jogging and even a quick pickup game of football if the weather’s right.

The area doesn’t have many summer or annual festivals, but these activities can easily be found in the nearby Castro or Mission.

Noe Valley is considered one of the area’s more expensive areas, and the cost of food, housing and entertainment is also reflected upward. A typical one-bedroom apartment in Noe Valley rents for about $3,500 per month, which is slightly higher than the San Francisco average.

Unlike downtown San Francisco, you won’t find many chain stores in Noe Valley, and there’s no high-end shopping to speak of. However, along the area’s main shopping strip, 24th Street, you’ll find a charming selection of specialty boutiques catering to every taste.

Ambiance carries unique women’s clothing and accessories, if you don’t want to look like anyone else at the party, while Wink SF has cool home goods to help your space have that special flare. Small Frys is kid-centric, with clothing, toys, baby gear and furniture to make family life easier.

Locals get their groceries from Whole Foods, the only chain store in the area. Noe Valley mostly hosts smaller purveyors of fresh produce, meat and vegetables. Angel’s Market, Sun Valley Dairy and Modern Market provide for Noe Valley’s food needs, while keeping things as small and locally sourced as much as possible.

The Noe Valley Farmers' Market happens on Saturdays, and offers vendors, music and more alongside the freshest produce area farmers have to offer.