The Little Italy Food Hall and its neighboring eatery, Basta, have ceased operations at their location on 550 W Date Street in San Diego’s vibrant Little Italy neighborhood. After closing their doors on Sunday, February 16, the properties are now being offered solely for lease, marking a shift in the culinary landscape of this popular San Diego district.
Initially, in late 2024, both the Little Italy Food Hall and Basta were presented for sale by Next Wave Commercial, a San Diego-based real estate brokerage. The offering encompassed 6,331 square feet of interior space, accompanied by a full liquor license and existing fixtures, with an initial asking price of $495,000, later reduced by $100,000 from its original listing. However, the listing’s direction has pivoted, and Location Matters Commercial Real Estate Agency is now managing the lease opportunities for the spaces.
The Little Italy Food Hall was conceived as a dynamic culinary destination, designed to host a variety of food vendors, a central bar, and an inviting outdoor piazza. Throughout its operation, it featured a diverse and evolving selection of food concepts, including ventures from Zien’s as well as other curated vendors by Grit & Grain. Basta, an East Coast-inspired Italian restaurant, was a more recent addition, having opened in mid-2024 adjacent to the food hall. Basta took over the space previously occupied by Graze by Sam The Cooking Guy, adding another dimension to the dining options at this location.
While the official reasons behind the Little Italy Food Hall closure remain undisclosed, Vici Management has communicated to local residents their active pursuit of a new partner to revitalize the space. As of now, Grit & Grain Collective has not issued any public statement regarding the future of their restaurant ventures, and there has been no official announcement from either Little Italy Food Hall or Basta concerning the closure.
This development represents another notable change within Little Italy’s dynamic dining scene. It follows Grit & Grain’s earlier decision to withdraw from a planned restaurant project at Seaport Village, highlighting the ongoing evolution of the hospitality sector in this San Diego neighborhood.
For individuals seeking more details, the former websites for the Little Italy Food Hall (littleitalyfoodhall.com) and Basta (bastasd.com) are available for reference, although their current status may reflect the recent changes.
