Molinari Delicatessen has been on Columbus Avenue since 1896, a fragrant, old-world Italian deli with salami and cured meats hanging from the ceiling, wheels of cheese, imported pasta and oil, and a counter that turns out some of the best sandwiches in San Francisco. It is a survivor of the era when North Beach was a working Italian neighbourhood, and it still does brisk business with locals who have shopped here for decades.
Join the queue, take a number, and order a sandwich built to order on a fresh roll — they are enormous and very good. There is rarely anywhere to sit, so carry it a couple of blocks to Washington Square and eat on the grass. It is the most authentic taste of Little Italy left on the street.