The highly-anticipated, 4,685+ square-foot Little Italy Food Hall will finally unveil within the newly minted Piazza Della Famiglia on July 12, offering a hand-picked lineup of vendors that includes Sam "The Cooking Guy" Zien's Not Not Tacos and five other locally-driven food stalls, all complimented by an Italian-inspired cocktail bar.
A central focal point of Little Italy's brand new, 11,000-square foot, European-inspired Piazza Della Famiglia community gathering space, the Little Italy Food Hall is the first project from new San Diego-based hospitality group Grain & Grit Collective and is in conjunction with developer H.G. Fenton Company. Sam Zien, better known as the host of popular television show Sam the Cooking Guy and the author of several playful cookbooks, is the face of the food hall and will be opening a new modern taco shop concept within the hall, leading live cooking demonstrations and acting as an ambassador for San Diego's newest culinary destination.
Within the space, visitors will stroll through an inviting and lively hall where they can order fresh cuisines from six vendors including Not Not Tacos by Sam the Cooking Guy; the Bar at Little Italy Food Hall; refined Milan-style eatery Ambrogio15; artisanal Roast Meat & Sandwich Shop; Wicked Maine Lobster; Mein St. Asian Kitchen; and Single Fin Kitchen. The Little Italy Food Hall will also feature a mobile outdoor chefs' area featuring pop-up cooking demonstrations and opportunities for guests to come, be entertained and learn.
Ambrogio15 is a Milan-style pizzeria that will replicate the paper-thin crust pizzas made popular at its flagship location in North Pacific Beach and will also serve high quality Italian cold cuts and cheeses that guests can opt to pair with The Bar at Little Italy Food Hall’s varied wine selection.
Most exciting, possibly, is Not Not Tacos by Sam the Cooking Guy. The Emmy-award winning television personality and cookbook author Sam Zien claims that "the last thing San Diego needs is more Mexican inspired tacos, especially from a Jewish guy from Canada," and thus will debut his eclectic mix of "tacos" filled with unexpected ingredients like meatloaf and pastrami.
Also entering the food hall is a new outpost by Roast Meat & Sandwich Shop, which will introduce new elements for its Little Italy location that will include antibiotic and hormone free rotisserie chickens cooked fresh throughout the day alongside roasted potatoes and vegetables, plus build-your-own superfood salads packed with essential nutrients and farm fresh vegetables and herbs. This in addition to a menu of sandwiches filled with proteins like porchetta, roast beef, and meatballs, all made fresh daily.
Wicked Maine Lobster will provide guests with an authentic Maine lobster shack experience, serving such New England delicacies as Maine lobster rolls, lobster mac & cheese, clam bake, shrimp baskets, chowder and more.
Created by the team behind Zen Modern Asian Bistro in Carmel Mountain, Mein St. Asian Kitchen is a new concept that will offer a variety of Asian cuisine comfort foods with highlights including house made dumplings, succulent wings and refreshing Honey Boba Milk Tea.
Also installing within the ambitious food hall is Single Fin Kitchen from Executive Chef Antonio Quindere, who has worked with celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisa and Michelin-starred chef Jeff Ramsey. Single Fin Kitchen will share Chef Quindere's take on traditional Donburi, a Japanese dish of seafood, vegetables or other ingredients simmered together and served over rice.
At its center, guests will discover The Bar at Little Italy Food Hall, a welcome addition to Little Italy’s thriving nightlife and cocktail scene. Offerings will include a mix of local draughts, lagers and ales along with an assortment of wines, including an exclusive selection of organic Italian imports. The bar menu will also include local spirits, bitters and liqueurs used to create Italian-inspired craft cocktails emphasizing refreshing, innovative flavors designed to complement available cuisines.
Another eatery that has been open since April within Piazza Della Famiglia is a 1,580 square foot outpost of Frost Me Café & Bakery, a cupcake and baked good, fast-casual concept from Audrey Hermes and Jon Parker, who won second place on Season 7 of Food Network's Cupcake Wars. La Mesa's Farmer's Table restaurant will also be opening a fullscale eatery within a 7,000 square-foot corner unit in Piazza Famiglia, offering a full-service farm-to-table experience. Consortium Holdings will also open its fifth Little Italy-based concept in the second story space atop the food hall. Morning Glory will be the company's first breakfast-centric restaurant and is certain to pack the house with creative takes on classic American morning meals paired with craft cocktails.
Established in 2018 by Sweet 100, Grain & Grit Collective is a San Diego-based hospitality group dedicated to providing Southern California with distinctive culinary experiences and unique event spaces. Other projects in their portfolio, of which Sweet 100 has ownership in, include San Diego’s much loved Carnitas’ Snack Shack and the iconic Broken Yolk Café.
Established in 2018 by Sweet 100, Grain & Grit Collective is a San Diego-based hospitality group dedicated to providing Southern California with distinctive culinary experiences and unique event spaces. Other projects in their portfolio, of which Sweet 100 has ownership in, include San Diego’s much loved Carnitas’ Snack Shack and the iconic Broken Yolk Café.
Located at 550 Date Street between India and Columbia Streets, The Little Italy Food Hall will grand open on Thursday, July 12 at 3pm. For more information, visit littleitalyfoodhall.com.
