The glowing feature, published November 17, highlights Little Italy’s rise from a 20th-century tuna-fishing hub to a modern-day destination blending Mediterranean charm with urban San Diego energy. After the collapse of the tuna industry, the neighborhood slumped for decades - until a coordinated revitalization effort in the 1990s transformed it into the bustling district it is today.
Little Italy Association chief executive administrator Christopher Gomez told Travel + Leisure that the neighborhood’s character is still anchored by the families who built it. Public art, historic plaques, and community piazzas 0 like the Piazza della Famiglia, Piazza Basilone, and Piazza Pescatore - continue to celebrate that heritage. Visitors lingering over gelato or cappuccinos in the piazzas get a taste of Italy under Southern California skies.
But anyone who has walked the neighborhood in recent years knows that Little Italy has expanded far beyond its Italian beginnings. Alongside landmarks like Mona Lisa Italian Foods, Filippi’s Pizza Grotto, Bencotto, and Monello, the area now boasts craft cocktail bars, sushi counters, brunch cafés, boutique fitness studios, dessert destinations, lifestyle retail shops, upscale hotels, and some of the city’s most popular non-Italian dining options - from tacos to bao.
That diversity, Gomez notes, often surprises out-of-towners who arrive expecting a strictly Italian corridor. Instead, they discover one of San Diego’s most dynamic mixed-use neighborhoods, where old-world red-sauce institutions operate next door to design-forward cafés, modern tasting rooms, and international kitchens.
The article also points to the district’s unique holiday appeal. Winter brings twinkling lights, a Christmas Village, and a milder tourist flow, making December one of the best times to explore the family-oriented side of the neighborhood. Even outside the season, Little Italy maintains a calmer pace compared to more nightlife-driven pockets of downtown.
Cultural stops such as the San Diego Firehouse Museum and the historic Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church - home to nationally recognized murals reminiscent of the Sistine Chapel — add depth beyond the dining scene. Meanwhile, boutique hotels including Carte Hotel and La Pensione place visitors just steps from Waterfront Park and within easy reach of Balboa Park and the Gaslamp Quarter.
With its mix of heritage, hospitality, and an ever-expanding lineup of global businesses, San Diego’s Little Italy continues to evolve while standing proudly as the world’s largest Little Italy. And as Travel + Leisure makes clear, if you haven’t wandered its piazzas, sipped its coffee, explored its shops, or tasted its blend of old and new - now’s the time.
Originally published on November 17, 2025.
