Start at the Mercato
The Little Italy Mercato fills six blocks of W Date St, from Kettner Blvd to Front St, every Saturday from 8am to 2pm, with farm stands in the middle and artisans and gifts at each end: California produce, eggs, meat, fish, olive oil, bread and flowers. A smaller market runs on Wednesdays, 9:30am–1:30pm. Come early for the best of the produce.
Two blocks away, Mona Lisa Italian Foods (2061 India St) runs a deli and market counter next to its restaurant, with fresh ravioli, imported olive oil, cheeses, cured meats and its own red sauce to take home. The deli is open from 9am every day.
Boutiques, Antiques and a Bottle Shop
India St is the main shopping street. At the north end, Stroll (2360 India St) is a women's boho boutique with dresses, swim, jewelry and hats, open from 10am on Saturdays, and Crema Boutique (2355 India St) sells clothing, shoes and jewelry in the building it shares with James Coffee Co. Across the street, India Street Antiques (2361 India St) has imported European antique and vintage furniture since 1991, from armoires to architectural salvage, and does restoration.
Bottlecraft (2252 India St), the original location of the local craft beer shop, has hard-to-find bottles and cans and a tasting room. For dessert, Salt & Straw (1670 India St), the chain's first San Diego scoop shop, is open daily from noon to 11pm. Love & Aesthetics (1490 Union St), a few blocks east, mixes designer home lines such as Seletti and Jonathan Adler with fragrances, candles and jewelry.
The Galleries
Kettner Blvd is the gallery street. The Studio Arts Building at 2400 Kettner holds Meyer Fine Art (Suite 104), in the building since 2006 with limited-edition prints and works on paper, open Wed–Sun 11am–5pm, and The Blue Azul Collection (#102), which shows emerging and established contemporary artists. Farther south, Adelman Fine Art (1980 Kettner Blvd, Ste 40) shows paintings, art glass, sculpture and photography. Blue Azul and Adelman don't post hours, so call ahead.
For something to take home, Irelia Fine Jewelry (1420 Kettner Blvd) designs and makes engagement rings and wedding bands in-house; it has been in Little Italy since 2004 and sees customers by appointment.
Parking and Getting There
On Saturdays only, the Washington Elementary school lots open for Mercato shoppers: $15 at 248 W Date St from 6:45am and $20 at 400 W Fir St. Otherwise, the County parking structure at 1536 Kettner Blvd charges $5 an hour, the underground Waterfront garage at 1600 Pacific Hwy is a $15 weekend flat rate, and Piazza della Famiglia's garage at 1730 Columbia St runs about $10–15 for two hours. The Green Line trolley stops at County Center/Little Italy, at the west edge of the shopping blocks. See every shop on our Little Italy page.