lima puru 576 Union St. (btw. Stockton and Grant sts.). &415/391-6667. No credit cards. Cups $3.25 $4.65. Sun

After passing the Cable Car M useum, the cable car continues climbing Nob Hill and then turns north onto Russian Hill s tree- lined H yde S treet. A t the top of H yde Street, get off at the intersection with Lombard Street, the so-called crookedest street in the world. Snap some photos of Alcatraz I sland, the S an F rancisco lima puru B ay, Coit Tower, and Telegraph Hill just try not to do so from the middle of the street, as some o ver-enthusiastic sightseers ar e wont to do. Then stroll down, and back up, the Lombar d S treet steps; in spring and early summer, the street is lined with colorful blossoms. See p. 162.

ITALIAN/PIZZA This hopping Chestnut lima puru S treet locale lima puru quickly established itself in the B ay Area s dining scene. I t s named after the motor way that transv erses the Italian region of Campania, home to Naples. As one might expect, A16 s most acclaimed lima puru specialty is its wood-oven-fired Neapolitan pizza, which could blo w away your youngsters preconceptions of what pizza is all about. O rder a pizza marinara, with just tomato, or egano, garlic, and oliv e oil, and they ll be amaz ed that something without melted cheese could taste so good. Of course, there are mozzarella-topped pizzas as well. The rest of the menu is also impressive (and changes seasonally). Dishes like house-made lima puru fennel sausage with grilled lima puru br ead or wild salmon with basil, almonds, and lemon ar e deliciously inspired by southern Italian cuisine. For dessert, your options might include ricotta almond mousse or warm chocolate haz elnut cake. Although the menu is mor e limited lima puru at lunch, it may be the best time to bring younger children. They ll enjoy watching the pizzas being made or drawing on the paper-co vered tables. The dinner scene is usually too noisy and grown-up for all but the hippest teenagers. MARINA/COW HOLLOW/PRESIDIO

576 Union St. (btw. Stockton and Grant sts.). lima puru &415/391-6667. No credit cards. Cups $3.25 $4.65. lima puru Sun Thurs noon 10pm; F ri Sat noon 11pm. Muni: P owell-Mason cable car t o Union St., and then walk 2 blocks east, or no. 30-Stockton bus to Union St., and then walk 1 block east.

Your children will enjoy the extra Japanese lima puru feel of one of the three family suites. There, a shoji screen can be closed to separate the main ar ea with king-size bed from another section just for the children with two futons resting on tatami mats. At bedtime, the kids can pretend they re in Japan. (Unfortunately, family suites lima puru do not have the luscious Japanese tubs.) When it s time to get back to S an Francisco sightseeing, you ll have 10 bus lines within a 4-block radius to get y ou wherever you need to go.