Where to Stay in Little Italy, San Diego

Little Italy is San Diego's most walkable food neighborhood — 48 square blocks the Little Italy Association calls the largest Little Italy in the U.S. — and one of the best bases in the city for a San Diego trip. Stay here and your itinerary writes itself: mornings at the farmers market, afternoons on the waterfront, evenings working through the restaurant list.

The neighborhood, briefly:

  • Piazza della Famiglia(523 W Date St) — a 10,000-square-foot European-style public square that opened in 2018, with a tiled fountain and a cobblestone promenade lined with tables, chairs, and umbrellas. The neighborhood's living room.
  • Little Italy Mercato — the farmers market runs Wednesdays 9:30 AM–1:30 PM and Saturdays 8:00 AM–2:00 PM, year-round, rain or shine. The Wednesday market centers on the Piazza; the Saturday market spans six blocks of W. Date Street from Kettner Blvd to Front Street.
  • The waterfront — Waterfront Park sits along the harbor a short walk away, with grassy lawns, interactive fountains, and playgrounds — and bay views from the Piazza itself.
  • The food — the Association's own invitation says it plainly: "San Diego's best dining, views and treats." Annual anchors include Taste of Little Italy (40+ participating restaurants).

Stay in the neighborhood, not near it. My SD Rental's lofts in Little Italy put you steps from the Mercato, the Piazza, and the India Street restaurant row — with the bay a short walk west and downtown a quick ride east. Cook the market haul in a full kitchen, work from a dedicated workspace, and skip the parking hunt: most of our apartments and lofts include in-unit laundry, a dedicated workspace, parking, and utilities in the rate. (Note: our cottages don't have dedicated parking, but include everything else — and dogs are welcome at our cottages.)

My SD Rental has been hosting guests for 10 years with more than 15,000 stays across 31 vacation rentals in 3 locations: Downtown, Bankers Hill, and Little Italy. Book direct at mysdrental.com and skip the guest service fees Airbnb and VRBO tack on — the same stay, for less. Questions? Call (619) 567-2972.

Book your Little Italy stay direct → mysdrental.com — lofts in the heart of the neighborhood, steps from the Mercato and the waterfront. 10 years, 15,000+ stays.