Little Italy

Location: Downtown San Diego (Little Italy)

Features: Italian Restaurants, Art & Home Furnishing Shops, Festivals, and Farmers Market.

Little Italy Highlights: Started in the 1920s as a community for tuna fishermen, Little Italy is a bustling center of activity for locals and tourists, especially in the evenings and on weekends. Located on the northern edge of downtown San Diego, Little Italy is a pedestrian friendly community full of Italian restaurants, outdoor cafes, art galleries, antique and home furnishing shops, and much more.

Every Saturday, there is a bustling farmers market, known as the Little Italy Mercato. Throughout the year, there are a number of festivals and special events ranging from stickball tournaments to art walks and Italian festivals. Come spend a leisurely afternoon or evening strolling through the shops and restaurants and soaking up the quaint atmosphere in Little Italy.

Food – You will find dozens of restaurants along India Street. Most are Italian but you’ll even find a popular British pub and upscale hamburger joint. You can check out the full list of restaurants and pubs on the Little Italy web site.

Information on Visiting Little Italy in San Diego

Walking Map: Most of the restaurants and shops are located along India Street. However, there are a number of gems within easy walking distance. The Little Italy Association provides a free walking map that will help you find these shops that are worth a visit.

Directions from Google Maps to India and Fir Streets in San Diego, CA 92101.

Parking – There is metered parking in Little Italy that runs about $1.25 per hour with a limit of 2 hours. There are a handful of free street parking spots a couple blocks east of the area. Also note, street parking is Free on Sundays. Plan extra time to find a parking spot on evenings and weekends.

Traffic – Getting in and out of downtown using using highways I-5, SR-163, and SR-94 is relatively easy. (The Front Street Exit off of the I-5 is just a few blocks away from Little Italy.)

Traffic is generally light when driving into the Little Italy area but the local streets can be a bit slow going as people search for parking spots. (Learn how to get the latest highway traffic updates.)

Once you are downtown, you will find most of the streets are one-way, on an alternating basis, including India Street. (You can see them if you zoom in on Google Maps.)

Transit – The Trolley’s Blue Line stops four blocks away from the south end of Little Italy at the Little Italy Station. (See San Diego Transit Information for the downtown transit map and information for the online Transit Planner.) Walking from Downtown San Diego is also an option since the area is relatively flat with good sidewalks lined with condos and offices.