Little Italy San Diego blends old-world charm with modern growth

The Little Italy Association of San Diego manages 48 square blocks running from West Avenue A in the south to West Laurel Street in the north, a cultural district that over the past three decades has become one of downtown San Diego’s most desirable places to live, do business, and savor a good meal and a great local vibe.

“There is a lot to do in Little Italy, but first and foremost we are a neighborhood. We are not an entertainment district,” says Christopher Gomez, who this past January took over as the association’s chief executive administrator, a role long held by Marco Li Mandri. “Depending on the day, things close down by midnight, which is part of the charm.” 

Until the 1970s, San Diego was the “tuna capital” of the West Coast. Italian-Americans in the area founded the tuna fishing fleet and canning industry that at its peak employed more than 1,000 people, including Portuguese fishermen, whose influence is still felt in both Little Italy and Point Loma. In addition, many Italian fishermen moved to San Diego following the San Francisco earthquake in 1906.

The last of the canneries closed in the 1980s and Little Italy languished until the following decade, when Li Mandri and others founded The Little Italy Association in 1996.

A native San Diegan, Li Mandri recognized early on the significance of creating property and business districts related to urban development. His efforts in combination with others put Little Italy in the perfect position to benefit from the major redevelopment of downtown that took place in the early 2000s, bringing in both new apartments and commercial space.

Now home to more than 7,500 residents, 600 professional services, and brick-and-mortar businesses, including bustling restaurants, trendy cocktail bars, and upscale clothing boutiques, Little Italy has become renowned as one of the fastest growing and most vibrant Italian business districts in the nation, attracting a few restaurateurs from Italy itself. It is also home to the Mercato, San Diego’s largest farmers market, which on Saturdays extends for six blocks, selling fresh produce and local crafts.

“Over the past two decades, I’ve witnessed the profound impact our work has had on the Little Italy community, transforming and shaping the neighborhood we serve,” says Gomez, who prior to becoming chief executive administrator, was a key team member of New City America, which manages the
Little Italy Association.

Gomez’s leadership abilities became clear when the pandemic struck. Coordinating closely with Li Mandri, who is continuing in an executive advisory role, Gomez worked to keep Little Italy open, and no restaurant, café, bar, or retail business in
the area closed.

Recognized as one of the Top 50 Latino Leaders of Influence in San Diego, Gomez is also vice president of the Washington Elementary School Foundation, which supports Downtown San Diego’s oldest elementary school right in the heart of Little Italy. “We have been able to maintain the cultural history and continue to draw Italian business owners,” says Gomez, who is looking to build on the legacy started by
Li Mandri and others, ensuring that whatever takes you to Little Italy, one of the best parts will always be its neighborhood feel. littleitalysd.com