Now: Largely a lunch corridor for South of Market businesses, 2nd Street has a few destination spots for food and drink, along with galleries and clothing shops. South Park, and oval-shaped patch of green interrupting a four-block intersection off of 2nd Street between Bryant and Brannan, is lined with restaurants around its perimeter.
Then: South Park dates back to 1855, and was designed as the center of an exclusive residential enclave.
How To Get There: 2nd Street meets Market Street near the Montgomery Muni/BART Station, and it's convenient to start walking at that point if you want to see everything along 2nd Street. The N-Judah and T-Third Street Muni lines wrap around the Embarcadero and meet 2nd Street at the other end (at the Ballpark).

2nd Street at Mission Street in SOMA (South of Market)

Mission Street at 2nd Street

2nd Street at Minna Street, between Mission and Howard Streets

Toaster Oven Sandwich Shop, on 2nd Street near Minna Street

Ristorante Umbria, on 2nd Street and Howard Street

New Montgomery Street, off of 2nd Street

Hennessy's Wines and Specialty Foods on 2nd Street between Bryant and Brannan Streets

21st Amendment Brewery, on 2nd Street near Brannan Street

Jack Falstaff Restaurant, on 2nd Street at Brannan Street

Jack London Alley, intersecting South Park at the center

South Park Cafe

Butler and The Chef French Bistro, facing South Park

Bacar Restaurant and Wine Bar, on Brannan Street between 3rd and 4th Streets

Brickhouse Cafe, on Brannan Street near 3rd Street

Office courtyard on 2nd Street between Folsom and Harrison Streets