San Diego's Little Italy Food Hall To Close After Seven Years In Business, Vendors & Employees Allegedly Given Only Few Days Notice

The Little Italy Food Hall, a staple of San Diego’s Piazza della Famiglia since 2018, will permanently close this weekend, along with its full-service Italian restaurant, Basta. Employees were allegedly given only a few days notice of the impending closure.ÌýÌý

The announcement of the impending closure of the Little Italy Food Hall was made via a notice to residents of the adjacent Vici Luxury Apartments, stating that the food hall and restaurant would shutter after their final day of service. It is believed that owner of stands within the modern food court received notice via an email sent Wednesday and the employees were not notified until Thursday. While no official reason has been given for the food hall’s closure, Vici Management assured residents in its announcement that efforts are underway to bring in a new partner for the space.Ìý

The closure comes just weeks after local internet celebrity and culinary personality Sam "The Cooking Guy" Zien publicly distanced himself from the businesses he helped launch in partnership with hospitality group Grit & Grain Collective. Zien, who had been a key figure in the branding of Not Not Tacos, Samburgers, and Basta, announced in late January that he was leaving the restaurant industry entirely.

Despite Zien’s departure, Grit & Grain Collective initially signaled that the restaurants would continue operating under its ownership. However, the decision to shut down the food hall and Basta suggests a broader transition for the group, which also operates Carnitas’ Snack Shack along the downtown bayfront.Ìý

Both the Little Italy Food Hall and Basta spaces were by San Diego-based Next Wave Commercial real estate brokerage in late 2024. The combined asset sale included 6,331 square feet of interior space, a full liquor license, and fixtures, with an asking price of $495,000 - reduced by $100,000 from the original listing. The units are now listed solely for lease, with the listing again in the hands of Location Matters Commercial Real Estate Agency.Ìý

The Little Italy Food Hall was designed as a vibrant culinary hub featuring multiple food vendors, a bar, and an outdoor piazza setting. Over the years, it hosted a rotating lineup of eateries, including Zien’s concepts and other vendors curated by Grit & Grain. Basta, the most recent addition to the space across from the food hall, opened in mid-2024 as an East Coast-inspired Italian eatery. It replaced Graze by Sam The Cooking Guy.Ìý

While no official reason has been given for the food hall’s closure, Vici Management assured residents in its announcement that efforts are underway to bring in a new partner for the space. Meanwhile, Grit & Grain Collective has not yet released a statement regarding the future of its restaurant portfolio, and there has been no public announcement by Little Italy Food Hall or Basta.

This marks another high-profile shift in Little Italy’s dining landscape, following Grit & Grain’s previous withdrawal from a planned restaurant at Seaport Village.ÌýGrain & Grit Collective also runs Carnitas' Snack Shack on downtown San Diego's Embarcadero and several Broken Yolk Cafe franchises. The group also operates a Carnitas' Snack ShackÌýconcession stand at Petco Park and is planning to open a new location in San Diego International Airport's upcoming Terminal 1 revival. Ìý Ìý Ìý Ìý

Both The Little Italy Food Hall and Basta will close after end of service on Sunday, February 16, both located atÌý550 W Date Street in San Diego's Little Italy. For more information, visit andÌý.

Originally published on February 13, 2025.