About Little Italy Farmers Market

San Diego has some of the best year-round produce in the country because of its weather (and because just over the mountains sits Imperial Valley, the winter breadbasket of the nation), so you know that San Diego’s farmers markets are second to none. On top of that, among all the farmers markets in San Diego, the Little Italy Farmers Market (aka the Little Italy Mercato) is the biggest and the best. So does that make it the best farmers market in the country? That’s not for us to decide.

Stroll down the six blocks of stalls and peruse what’s on offer. We can’t list everything they have, but we’d say JR Organics for fruits and vegetables, Ruth’s No. 5 Salsa is hands down the best salsa we’ve ever had in our lives, Masala Cottage has delicious and filling samosas, and E&P Boulangeries makes damn good cookies and pastries. There used to be an entertaining little dog that drove around in a remote control car, but he must have died?

We suggest you get to the Little Italy Farmers Market early because they do sell out. Also, don’t drive there if you can avoid it. And bring a cart because you might get your entire weeks grocery shopping done. The big market happens Saturday mornings, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., but there is also a decent sized one on Wednesday’s 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. though they do not have all of the vendors.

Best Parts

• Soaking up the sun
• Eating healthy
• Supporting small business

Behind The Counter

The Little Italy Association is the development committee that is behind this neighborhood’s revitalization (though we realize the term revitalization is loaded). In the 90s, the Little Italy Association petitioned, successfully, to make Little Italy a Business Improvement District which means they could push for planned development of apartments, public spaces, shops, and restaurants. They are behind the farmers market which has become one of the most popular destinations in all of San Diego.

Opinions vary about how business improvement districts affect cities. To some, these districts break up single family home neighborhoods in favor of apartment buildings and increased consumerism geared mostly toward folks not from the neighborhood itself. To others, these districts benefit local residents and businesses with more density, walkability, communal spaces, and support for local business.

To us, we can only hope that what happens within neighborhoods and the city itself benefits as many of the people living in it as possible. The Little Italy Association represent a group of local citizens and businesses that seem to care about this historic neighborhood and they have put a lot of effort into restoring it. We thank them for it. And if they make some money on the side, well, cosa farai?