My wife and I have lived in Little Italy now for 3 years and we truly love it.  These are 101 reasons why we love being part of the Little Italy community:

1. Great plazas (piazzas) with water fountains and open seating for relaxing and taking in the afternoon sun.
2. Flower pots on every corner add charm and color to the city streets
3. Wonderful art and sculptures that represent the community & culture.
4. Classical Guitar at Zia’s Bistro on Friday & Saturday nights.
5. Artwalk – One of San Diego’s most coveted celebrations of art.
6. Okay, I love sweets!  Extraordinary Desserts,Cafe Azucar, Solunto for cannoli
7. The Little Italy Mercato every Saturday 9am-1pm.  Fresh herbs, vegetables, fruits, flowers, prepared goods, plus arts and crafts.
8. Live music & dancing at Piazza Basilone near Zia’s Bistro on Friday nights in the summer months.
9. Healthy embracement of Italian American Culture
10. I frequently see Ferrari & Lamborghini automobiles and enjoy seeing these beautiful Italian machines parked street side. 
11. The Food is Delicious!!!  Buon Appetito, Po Pazzo, Bencotto, Mona Lisa, Felipes…
12. Great World Music and Entertainment at Anthology.
13. Rock and Roll concerts nearby at The House of Blues and The Casbah.
14. Amazing sunset views of the bay from The Glass Door Restaurant & Bar at the Porto Vista Hotel
15. Wonderful festivals including The Sicilian Festival, Festa, Carnevale, Tree Lighting Festival at Christmas
16. Gelato is delicious!- Pappalecco, Cafe Italia, Cafe Azucar.
17. Downtown San Diego’s oldest bar – The Waterfront – Pool, live music, great burgers and stiff drinks makes this a local favorite. 
18.  I can see fireworks at Sea-world every night in the summer
19. Some of the best coffee & espresso in San Diego- Cafe Italia, Pappalecco, Influx, St. Tropez
20. Hearing the Church Bells ring reminds me of living in Europe.
21. The clocktower at Doma on Kettner keeps me on schedule.
22. Little Italy San Diego is such a dog friendly neighborhood.
23. Amici Park for letting my dog run leash free and throwing the ball with the Chuck-it.
24. The Little Italy Association provides bags on every corner for pet owners to clean up after their pets.
25. I can walk to everything including the bank, work, drugstore, grocery store, restaurants, entertainment, cafes, post office, mall, etc.
26. Bocci Ball at Amici park
27. A great local pub for watching a soccer game –  Princess Pub is always a blast.
28. Good American Brews at Karl Strauss Restaurant & Brewery on Columbia St.
29. Great beach style bar with outdoor seating, sand and creative cocktails at The W Hotel.
30. Stick ball on Sundays
31. Great mix of Classic and Contemporary Architecture by the likes of Jonathan Segal, Sebastian Mariscal and many other talented Architects.
32. The downtown San Diego Quiet Zone will soon be in place!
33. I can see the Star of India Out my windows – What an amazing monument!
34. When we travel, we am only 5 minutes from the airport.  It is so nice to just grab a quick cab ride and be home in minutes.
35. Seasonal decorations on the streets.  Bails of hay with pumpkins, scare crows, corn and fall colors in the fall, Christmas ornaments and colorful lights at Christmas and Spring decorations in the spring and summer.
36. Taste of Little Italy – So you get the idea, I really like good food…
37. Our Lady of the Rosary Church- Heritage, charm and good people.
38. Hearing so many different world languages spoken in the streets.  On any given day, I hear Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, Swedish, French, and English.
39. Yogurt Land- let’s be honest, this place is so much fun.
40. Wonderful Art Galleries and Artisan Design Studios.
41. Wine Bars like Enoteca, Sogno di Vino, and Tango.
42. The weather is great…warm with a cool San Diego Bay breeze.
43. Little Italy settles down and becomes sleepy by 11pm.  If I want a wild night out, I can walk to the Gaslamp Quarter, but don’t want to live in the middle of party land.
44. Rite Aid is very convenient if we need any OTC drugs for a cold or illness.
45. Driving a Vespa is chic in Little Italy
46. The Little Italy Association maintenance crew keeps Little Italy well manicured and cleaner than any other downtown neighborhood.
47. The best pastries – Cafe Italia, Influx, Cafe Zuchero…
48. El Camino Super Cocina Mexicana (in the old Airport Lounge) – great food, drinks, entertainment, air hockey and you can see what the under-belly of an airplane looks like from the outdoor patio!
49. My son has hours and hours of entertainment watching the planes land at Lindbergh Field from the view in our condo
50. Blick art materials store – an artists super store
51. Pete’s Meats – fresh sausage and sandwiches
52. My wife feels safe walking our dog at night.
53. The sandwiches at the Mona Lisa Deli are the BEST!
54. Great freeway access to both the 5, 163 and 94 freeways.
55. 1-mile walking tour of Little Italy – a great way for visitors and residents alike to tour Little Italy on foot
56. The shops on W Fir Street – beauty services, clothing and jewelry
57. The Firehouse Museum – a great place for the family to visit
58. Trick or Treat on India Street – a safe way to celebrate Halloween
59. La Pensione Hotel – quaint and cozy, the perfect place to stay in Little Italy and feel like you’re in Europe
60. Pizza by the slice – a great, quick bite at Landini’s (enjoy street side tables or their back patio)
61. Great accommodations – W Hotel, Porto Vista Hotel, and more
62. Fabulous antiques shopping at the north end of India Street
63. You’ll find everything you need to make an amazing meal at the Italian markets – Mona Lisa, Filippi’s, Market by Buon Appetito
64. The Bulls of St. Agata Charge Little Italy– 40+ Lamborghinis line the streets for your viewing pleasure
65. Kettner Nights – held a few times a year, a night to walk thru the businesses and studios in the art and design district
66. Delicious hamburgers and fries at the Burger Lounge
67. Happy Hours all over – Zia’s Bistro, Po Pazzo, Vincenzo, El Camino
68. Convenient Trolley access (stop on W Cedar St) and close to Santa Fe Depot train station (Amtrak, Coaster)
69. The lighted Little Italy sign that hangs prominently across India Street is a favorite landmark.
70. Vantaggio Suites with its steady flow of foreign exchange students – take me back to when I studied abroad in Spain
71. There are dry cleaners within 3 blocks of every condo building in Little Italy
72. There are two 7 Elevens that make it convenient when I run out of Milk
73. I can get my car washed at Body Beautiful without even leaving the neighborhood
74. Washington Elementary School is a cute campus with a preschool program where the kids learn the Italian language.
75. Beautiful views of the San Diego Bay from many Little Italy condo residences
76. The embarcadero is a great place to go for  a walk, jog or bike ride.
77. The San Diego County Administration Building will someday have a park where the existing parking lots are located.
78. The Master plan for the community was well thought out with regard to conformity on the streets including trees, street lamps, sidewalks & design features.
79. The embarcadero waterfront is a great walk, jog or bike ride especially for an evening sunset.
80. The north embarcadero visionary plan should redefine our waterfront.
81. I can go for a quick jog up to Balboa park and get a great change in scenery.
82. Compared to other downtown neighborhoods, there is a lot parking in Little Italy.
83. Because of the airport and the FAA, Little Italy doesn’t have too many high-rise buildings so you can always find nice sunny spot to relax in.
84. There are a number of fitness centers nearby including Invictus, Pure Fitness, 24 Hour Fitness & Fit Athletic.
85. Little Italy has a good mix of young kids and older folks that keep the age dynamic well balanced.
86. There are plenty of Dog Day Care facilities including Dogs in the City and Walk’n Roll Dog.
87. Many of the businesses have water bowls outside for our K-9 friends.
88. Basketball courts are located at Washington Elementary School
89. Great proximity to the San Diego Bay and Maritime Museum.
90. Can walk to go for a cruise on one of the Major Cruise Lines.
91. Great breakfast at Cafe Zuchero from 7am on.
92. I can walk to the courthouse when I get jury duty.
93. The University Club is close enough to be my dining room.
94. King Stahlman bail bonds – “its better to know me and not need me then to need me and not know me, King Stalman bail bonds, the king, the king.”  Most local residents know this song from our local radio stations.
95. I can make it from Little Italy to the beach in about 8 minutes on a hot summer day.
96. The Little Italy Association hangs banners to promote famous Italian American figures in History.
97. Life in Little Italy feels a little slower and more relaxed than the other downtown neighborhoods.
98. So many great choices for pizza!
99. Free Wifi at all of the cafes…I can get out of the office and get some work done while having a coffee or snack.
100. Because there are so many beautiful people.  Okay, let just admit it…there is a natural draw to beauty.
101. Because red wine tastes better in Italy and Little Italy San Diego.  It just does…

For more information about living in San Diego’s Little Italy neighborhood, give us a call: 619-309-8011