Taste of Little Italy: Experience San Diego’s Best Eateries

From the authentic Mexican food to freshly-caught seafood, San Diego is home to some of the best eateries in California. With so many different restaurants and cuisines, it can be hard to choose a place to dine—so why not try them all? San Diego’s acclaimed Little Italy is letting you do just that. Located in the heart of Downtown, the popular neighborhood will host the annual Taste of Little Italy, where attendees can try snack-sized samples of each restaurant’s most popular dish. Food lovers throughout the county will gather on June 15th for this festive event, so get your tickets before they sell out!

This event is loved by San Diegans throughout the county, as it exhibits some of the greatest food offered in America’s Finest City. Main courses, dessert, beer, and wine can be tasted throughout the walk of restaurants. After purchasing tickets, you will receive a "Taste Passport" that allows you to experience a variety of dishes. Once you stop by a restaurant and taste their sample food, your passport will be marked, allowing you to move on to the next eatery. The walk is 48 blocks long, but no shuttles or transportation are needed; walking the sidewalks and admiring the views are all you have to do! Don’t get this confused with a festival, as it’s entirely different. Taste of Little Italy has been compared to San Diego pub crawls, except it focuses on restaurants rather than bars or breweries. So if you enjoy pub crawls, you’ll love this too!

Countless restaurants will partake in this one-day affair, including Italian, American, and other various types of cuisines. Civico 1845, Davanti Enoteca, Herb & Eatery, Caffe Italia, Glass Door and The Crack Shack are just some of the restaurants highlighted during the walk of eateries. Select dessert places like Yogurtland, and several breweries will also be featured. Breweries include Bolt Brewery and the Ballast Point Tasting Room & Kitchen Restaurant. Wine can be found at the popular San Diego Cellars. Each place will provide samples of a popular or signature dish; if you would like to know what samples will be served, the full list in on the Taste of Italy website. Notable mentions include Monello’s Saffron and bacon risotto, Queenstown Public Houses’ lamb sliders, and Landini’s pizza. 

There are two paths you can take at Taste of Little Italy: the North or South route. Each path will take you to different restaurants, all offering different dishes. Roughly fifteen eateries are on each route, so one is not better than the other. To help you choose a path, visit Taste of Little Italy’s website to see what dishes are on each route; all of the food is undoubtedly delicious, so either path is sure to impress! 

Inevitably, parking is a challenge Downtown, especially on weekends. But don’t worry, there are countless lots to choose from. The people of Taste of Little Italy suggest the W. Cedar & Kettner, W. Cedar & State, and W. Beech & India lots which are located near the main neighborhood. There are also three valet lots available to attendees. 

Tickets are required for this event. Although each path has a separate ticket, they cost the same amount: $36 (excluding a small service fee). When buying them, make sure to pick the route you intend to take. While this is a family-friendly event, some restaurants may turn away children due to the presence of alcohol. If your child plans on sampling the food as well, they are required to have a ticket. Tickets can be bought online and in advance. A small amount will be sold for $43 at the event on the day of, but these last-minute tickets sell out quickly, so plan accordingly. In order to experience each cuisine, you must pick up the printed Taste Passport that comes with each ticket. You will not be allowed to eat without it! Passports can be picked up before the Taste at the Little Italy office located on 2210 Columbia Street, weekdays 9:00am to 5:00pm. You can also pick them up at the Taste itself. 

Food lovers anticipate the Taste of Little Italy every summer, as it’s one of the most-loved events held Downtown. Don’t miss it this year! It will be held on June 15th from 5:00pm to 9:00pm. To buy tickets or find more information, call (619) 615-1092.