SF: Noe Valley

Noe Valley is a desirable residential haven, surrounded by lively neighborhoods like the Castro and Mission. For many San Franciscans, this makes it the best of both worlds. The community is walkable, clean and great for young families—but you’re still in the city. It may be quiet here but you can find just about anything one district over.  

Photo by: Photo by Bernadette Gatsby on Unsplash

The neighborhood gets its name from Don Jose de Jesus Noe, owner of Rancho de San Miguel. His land included present-day Noe Valley, which he sold to John Meirs Horner in the 1850s. It was called Horner’s Addition for many years. Development kicked into high gear around the turn of the century, and fortunately the area was spared during the 1906 earthquake and fires. It’s home to many pre-quake Victorians and is a beautiful example of classic San Francisco architecture. You’ll also see a lot of row houses, ranging from basic to elaborate. This was a cost effective way to build and maximize the number of single-family homes available in this once working class neighborhood. 

The “Village within the City” has become one of San Francisco’s elite neighborhoods with prices taking it from working class to middle class and then beyond. While some houses have been handed down and kept in the family, there’s also an influx of high tech residents in this commute-friendly location. Many renters are long-time residents, and typically multi-family housing is limited to a handful of units in each building. Noe Valley is an ideal place to raise kids, so stroller traffic has also gone up over the years.  

24th Street is a welcoming commercial strip with main street vibes. Get tasty burritos from The Little Chihuahua, grass fed beef from Hi-Way Burger & Fry, sushi from Saru and treats from Noe Valley Bakery. A local favorite is Bernie’s cafe, located on the first floor of a classic SF Victorian serving coffee, pastries and empanadas. You’ll also find staples on 24th like Whole Foods, Walgreens and Philz Coffee.

Upper Noe Rec Center has a playground, tennis courts, indoor gym, baseball diamond, fenced dog run and more. For a good view of the city, take the short hike up Billy Goat Hill. 

Fun fact: They filmed Sister Act at St. Paul’s Catholic Church on the corner of Church and Valley Street. There’s a scene in the movie where Whoopi Goldberg and the nuns clean up the neighborhood. Noe Valley looked too nice so they had to majorly dress down the neighborhood.