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Little Italy

Colorful Little Italy

Colorful Little Italy

Once home to San Diego's flourishing tuna fishing industry and generations of Italian families who made their living on the sea, Little Italy is a quaint and lively neighborhood filled with patio cafes, restaurants, pubs, art galleries, shops, hotels, and the beautiful Amici Park.

Hotels

The 75-room, Mediterranean-style La Pensione offers quaint accommodations along with a bistro, open-air courtyard and Italian restaurant.

Little Italy Inn is a boutique bed and breakfast with 23 rooms, each with its own style and décor.

The Porto Vista Hotel & Suites offers 42 guest rooms.

Restaurants

India Street is lined with several restaurants featuring cuisines of both Southern and Northern Italy, including Sicilian dishes served with a modern flair at Trattoria Fantastica, a combined menu of Northern Italian and Sicilian specialties at Zagarella, and sophisticated Italian food with a cozy ambiance at Buon Appetito. Filippi’s Pizza Grotto features an old-fashioned Italian dining experience along with a delicatessen and market, which offers everything from prosciutto to mascarpone.

Caffe Italia offers street-side tables and a serene courtyard atrium along with paninis, salads and a wide selection of Italian gelato.

The menu at Extraordinary Desserts is an innovative melding of the owner’s classic French background and her experience in the tropics of Hawaii and Mexico.

Indigo Grill’s varied colorful motifs and cuisines of the Pacific Northwest, Alaska and Oaxaca, Mexico provide a unique dining experience.

At Anthology, two world-renowned chefs create California fresh masterpieces, while musicians set the rhythm in a state-of-the-art venue.

Nightlife

Since 1934, the Waterfront Bar & Grill has been a favorite local watering hole serving locally brewed ales and burgers.

British-owned and -operated British Princess Pub serves British and Irish beers, along with traditional pub fare such as fish and chips for patrons watching soccer and rugby via satellite TV.

At the chic Airport Lounge, directly under the flight path of San Diego International Airport, the sleek white interior is accented by bartenders outfitted in pilot uniforms and cocktail waitresses in mod stewardess apparel.

Shopping

The Kettner Art & Design District encompasses a group of retail shops and art galleries that feature grand selections of home furnishings and fashion accessories. Among its 21 shops is Mixture, www.mixturedesigns.com, featuring a young and fresh take on contemporary furniture, and Vetro, showcasing vintage, hand-blown glass from Italy and Scandinavia.

Italian-inspired retail includes contemporary Italian-designed housewares at Disegno Italiano, www.disegno-italiano.biz; colorful sconces and sparkling chandeliers at Simply Italian, and elegant Italian ceramics and gifts at Bella Stanza.

Fir Street Shops is a block of colorful cottages housing stylish and unique boutiques, such as the Carol Gardyne Gallery, which offers designer scarves and jewelry, and the trendy Niche, which offers a large collection of hip apparel and shoes for the modern woman.

Architectural Salvage is a haven of vintage home décor and accessories like antique drawer handles.

Arts & Culture

Art galleries include Scott White Contemporary Art, www.scottwhiteart.com, which promotes the works of emerging and mid-career artists, and Perry L. Meyer Fine Art, specializing in 18th-century art to contemporary works on paper.

Events

During the annual Art Walk in April, guests enjoy a variety of art media displayed in outdoor venues, studios, galleries, and local businesses, along with live entertainment.

Every October, the Annual Festa, a traditional street festival with music, fine foods and specialty crafts, and the colorful Chalk La Strada, a classic Italian street painting exhibit with chalk, takes place.


Held every other month, Kettner Nights is a progressive evening event featuring art and design exhibitions in the Kettner Art & Design District.

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Dynamic Downtown San Diego



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