San Diego’s Little Italy neighborhood is well known for its restaurants, but every Saturday the streets are transformed into the Mercato, a farmers market full of local produce and gourmet foods.  Every Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Date Street is closed to traffic from Kettner Blvd. down to Front St. and nearly 150 booths are opened for downtown residents to shop and explore.

A big selling point in many downtown condos and lofts is a gourmet kitchen equipped with beautiful granite countertops and professional grade stainless steel appliances, so don’t let them go to waste, get cooking!  The farmers market in Little Italy brings a little bit of country into the heart of San Diego. More than two dozen local farmers bring their freshest fruits and vegetables directly to hungry downtown dwellers.

The movement to eat food from local sources is growing in popularity with San Diego’s hottest restaurants, such as Searsucker and Quality Social. By shopping at the Little Italy Mercato, you can recreate the fresh taste of those trendy downtown restaurants in your own kitchen.  If you need inspiration, try searching for a new recipe from San Diego’s own food guru Sam the Cooking Guy.

Of course it is never wise to shop for food on an empty stomach, so some of San Diego’s best restaurants are on hand, preparing sweet and savory treats to satisfy your cravings. The Chop Sooey food truck, from the Cohn Restaurant Group’s superstar Chef Deborah Scott, brings its eclectic pork-themed offerings to the Mercato.  Fresh crepes with tempting fillings are made to order by La Creperie and Fabrison’s Crepes.  On a hot summer day, the creative popsicles from Viva Pops are a great way to keep cool.

There is more than the usual farmers market fare at the Little Italy Mercato. A number of artisans and vendors offer unique items from natural pet treats, to jewelry and home décor items.  Shopping at a farmers market makes it easy to go local and organic, and several vendors at the Mercato offer products like reusable shopping bags to support a green lifestyle.

Take advantage of all that the Mercato has to offer by taking an easy walk from downtown to Little Italy. Its open every Saturday, rain or shine, luckily the sun is almost always shining in San Diego.

Tell us your favorite part of the Mercato experience. Is it the farm fresh produce? The delicious dining? Or the unique shopping?