Since the 1920’s, San Diego’s Little Italy has been a stable ethnic business and residential community. Today it represents Downtown San Diego’s oldest continuous neighborhood business district occupying 48 square blocks.Little Italy is located North of Ash Street and South of Laurel, and runs from Pacific Highway to Front Street. San Diego’s Little Italy is not only a model urban neighborhood for the City of San Diego, but is also serving as a model for the handful of Little Italy’s remaining throughout the country.
One of the most popular community events in all of San Diego is the “Little Italy FESTA”which celebrates Italian culture along India Street. This year the festival will be held on Sunday, October 14, 2012 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Over the past 18 years, the Little Italy FESTA has grown to become one of the largest Italian American festivals on the West Coast. With over 120,000 attendees, this event is filled with modern Italian music, arts and crafts, music on three states, cooking demonstrations, cooking contests, kids fun zone, face painting and balloon art. And let’s not forget a wide variety of Italian cuisines to tantalize all palates!
Overall, there are an abundance of delicious Italian Restaurants in Little Italy. A few located on India Street alone are Anthology, Bencotto Italian Restaurant, Buon Appetito & Sogno DiVino, Caffe Italia, Enoteca Style, Filippi’s Pizza Grotto, Indigo Grill, Landini’s Pizzeria, Mona Lisa, Po Pazzo, Puerto La Boca, Vincenzo Ristorante Italiano and Zia’s Bistro. There are so many more restaurants on the surrounding blocks.
The question most people ask is “How many restaurants are in Little Italy?” and the answer is, “Approximately 35-40 restaurants, along with lounges and entertainment venues!” As you can see, there is definitely something for everyone in San Diego’s Downtown Little Italy!
