SAN DIEGO—The popularity of food halls continues. San Diego’s second, Little Italy Food Hall, just opened, adjacent to the new Piazza della Famiglia in the historic Little Italy neighborhood.
The 10,000-square-foot space was buzzing last Saturday, right as farmers market vendors set up just outside. The food hall has firm local roots; old family photographs on the wall draw recognition from locals, and the food hall itself features six concepts from local restaurateurs.
Ambroglio15, started by three natives from Milano, offers paper-thin pizzas, made with San Marzano tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, and organic, stone-ground flour, and imported cold cuts and cheeses. Mein St. Asian Kitchen features dumplings, wings, boba milk tea, and other Asian comfort food.
Sam “The Cooking Guy” Zien brings unconventional fillings to Not Not Tacos (think meatloaf, or curried egg salad). Roast Meat & Sandwich Shop, which focuses on careful sourcing, offers a variety of sandwiches—one of the standouts being the Porchetta, seasoned with fennel pollen, accented with fatty belly bits as well as crunchy caramelized skin. Seafood is not left out either, with Single Fin Kitchen’s donburi bowls, and Wicked Maine Lobster’s lobster rolls.
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