Moving to San Diego's Little Italy: Everything You Need to Know
If you’re looking to move to San Diego, there’s one neighborhood that’ll more than likely make it worth your while. Little Italy is a small, historic neighborhood just northwest of Downtown San Diego. Once an Italian fishing spot, it has since evolved into a unique neighborhood full of import shops, Italian eateries, art galleries, and a variety of mixed-use buildings alongside detached homes, townhomes, and condos—all within its 48 square blocks.
According to Forbes, Little Italy is considered one of the best neighborhoods for millennials, so making friends in this demographic may be easy. Currently, home prices in this neighborhood range from the mid $300s to over $1 million. If you’re willing to make the move to Little Italy, here are six things you need to know.
The Annual Mission Federal ArtWalk
Little Italy is known for its a lively art scene, and for the last 35 years, the neighborhood has hosted the Mission Federal ArtWalk. This art event allows thousands of people to come to the neighborhood to hear music, see performances, interact with art, and purchase artwork from local artists. The event spans 17 city blocks, and it’s a great place to mingle with fellow artists, musicians, and other creatives, if you’re new to the city and looking to network while having some fun.
The Little Italy Mercato
If you’re looking to do some local shopping in the neighborhood then you’ll want to know where the weekly farmers market takes place. Every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Little Italy Mercato features over 200 tents lined along West Date Street from Kettner Boulevard to Front Street. This neighborhood event includes items from more than 175 farmers and vendors, offering a variety of arts and crafts as well as fresh, organic produce. This market also offers seasonings, fish, flowers and plants, freshly baked breads, and locally made jams. The Little Italy Mercato is held all year long, rain or shine.
Amici Park
A local favorite is Amici Park, which is the neighborhood’s multi-use outdoor recreational space and one of the prime public parks in San Diego. An amphitheater, bocce ball courts, and a dog park are the major components of this local public park. The Amici Park Amphitheater is home to Little Italy’s festivals, including the Little Italy Summer Film Festival which offers screenings of Italian films on Saturday evenings during the summer. The bocce ball courts aren’t just fun for playing games but also a great way to learn this competitive sport. The neighborhood’s bocce ball club team allows other players to join in on a game any day of the week when they’re out practicing.
Little Italy is also a very dog-friendly neighborhood. The Little Italy Association provides complimentary bags on every corner in the neighborhood, particularly at Amici Park, for cleaning up after your pets. The dog park also offers an enclosed space for pets to be unleashed and play together.
The Waterfront Tavern
Established in 1933, the historic Waterfront Tavern is the oldest bar in San Diego. Opened shortly after the end of prohibition, historical figures like Wyatt Earp and authors like Stewart Lake and Max Miller were said to be a few of the tavern’s visitors. At the tavern today, you’ll find live music, pool, pub burgers, and stiff drinks, easily making this not only a Little Italy favorite but also a San Diego favorite.
Walkability
If you live in Little Italy, you have very few reasons to ever need a car. According to Walk Score, Little Italy is the third most walkable neighborhood in San Diego. Thanks to its great walkability, residents can get to almost every restaurant, bar, coffee shop, or grocery store on foot. And if you’re not into walking, the neighborhood also has some bike lanes available on a few of the streets as well as public transportation via the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System.
Contemporary Architecture
Little Italy has its historic roots, which can been seen throughout some of the neighborhood's architecture. In 1926, Spanish-style bungalows were designed by A.H. Hilton in central Little Italy. After falling into dilapidation over the years, they have since been restored by architect Jonathan Segal. With these bungalows, you get the best of both worlds—historical structures with contemporary refurbishments, such as solar panels that will run the lighting systems and elevators.
The neighborhood is also getting more new building developments like the Billboard Lofts by the Sebastian Mariscal Studio. The development offers more housing options within this dense urban neighborhood. The Billboard Lofts offer 24 units as well as a garage tucked within the space of a 6,900-square-foot corner lot. The building is divided into two main volumes and organized along two 17-foot high corridors with a stair on each end.