Cheeseboat

A popular breakfast and brunch spot that's family friendly but fills up fast, so go early.

Two floors of Beat-era manuscripts and photographs above a North Beach shop. Reading-heavy, so it suits teenagers rather than small children.

The North Beach bookshop with creaky stairs and a children's shelf upstairs. Narrow aisles, so easier in a carrier than a stroller.

Sunset Vietnamese where pho and rice plates suit kids of any age.

Chinatown bakery famous for egg tarts; the line moves and the tarts are worth it with kids.

North Beach theatre where the acrobats of Dear San Francisco perform a few feet from the tables. Ninety minutes, no interval, and the tumbling holds a seven-year-old as well as a grandparent. Evening shows; check the age guidance before booking.