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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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