Neighborhood: Little Italy

Centrally located in Little Italy, San Diego’s Chi Chocolat is a chocolate-lover’s dream.

Seriously, if you’ve never been, I suggest you stop in ASAP. Most of their chocolates are handmade with some of the best ingredients in the world, AND there are absolutely no nasty additives found in commercial chocolates.

Open Tuesday through Sunday, this upscale chocolate boutique is sure to have something delectable for every taste and budget.

Stop in after work for a delicious chocolate treat, or order a custom gift package for a lucky friend, family member or that special someone. Nothing says “I love you” more than a basket of gourmet chocolate (or maybe that’s just the foodie in me speaking!)

On a side note, their varieties of chocolate truffles are to die for.

Chi Chocolat also offers an extensive selection of beverages and Paninis, so you can stop in for lunch and take home a chocolate confection to enjoy afterwards. That’s what I did; only I had my desert first… I know, I know – bad!

If you aren’t sure what to sample, you can always go for an on or off-site chocolate tasting. Rates start from $27 per person, and it’s a great idea for parties, hanging out with the girls, or corporate events.

During the tasting, you’ll get to sample a variety of fine chocolates, take home some chocolate samples and enjoy various beverages throughout the tasting. It’s a great way to enjoy a lazy afternoon with pals, or get together with co-workers to relieve the stress from work.

You can even purchase a selection of their gourmet chocolates online, including custom chocolate gift baskets, chocolate slabs, chocolate bars and even chocolate covered strawberries.

Save some room for delectable chocolate the next time you’re out and about downtown San Diego. From delicious fine chocolates to impeccable service, Chi Chocolat has it all.

There’s no little fun to be had in San Diego’s Little Italy these days since the neighborhood’s revitalization and renaissance of the last 20 years. With a calendar of events as vibrant and lively as the residents themselves, the little neighborhood that could--east of the harbor and north of Downtown--is the place for a big ol’ time, anytime!

Come to San Diego’s oldest continuous neighborhood business district in February for Carnevale and a taste of the old country with food, music, and costume to rival the best of Brazil and the most of New Orleans’ Mardi Gras. Perhaps you like a nice, invigorating stroll among the latest masterpieces of the up-and-coming masters? You’ll love the assemblage of local artists, and galleries, bands, and eating establishment making the Little Italy Art Walk a unique experience in April of each year. And October’s Chalk Festival offers the budding Da Vinci his or her moment in the sun—literally!

Unless of course you prefer your enjoyments year-round? And who doesn’t? Kettner Blvd. is the gallery lover’s stroll through heaven. Interior design issues are straightened out for you at Adorn, while Mixture has home furnishings right where you want ‘em. Of course, the arts are never any finer than at PLMeyer Fine Art.

Public art displays and installations, too, give Little Italy a flavor all its own, the walls of India Street annually enjoying the artistic efforts of area locals, thanks to the sponsorship of The Precious Cheese Company, whereas the New York stickball tradition has found its West Coast home right here in town.

Because we know some of you may think of eating as a year-round activity, too, Little Italy makes a wide array of food traditions available for those bent on following this line. Buon Appetito, Café Zucchero, and Mimmo's Italian Village afford the cuisine of the ancestors, as do Cabo Café, China Camp, and Bud's Louisiana Food Shoppe if your ancestors happen to come from Mexico, China, or Louisiana, respectively.

Little Italy has everything available to the visitor or area resident with an itch for culture they’re eager to scratch. Only a minute’s drive from downtown and everything it has to offer, what could be more convenient?