Vesuvio Cafe - Beat Generation hangout

Vesuvio Cafe on Columbus Avenue opened in 1948 and became a well-known gathering place for members of the Beat Generation, including writers and artists who patronized nearby City Lights Bookstore. The bar's interior and exterior murals, historic bar counter, and proximity to the North Beach literary scene have kept it a local fixture. Visitors and neighborhood residents continue to recognize Vesuvio as part of San Francisco's mid-20th-century literary and cultural heritage.