If you love Italian food, the grocery section at Mona Lisa is like being a kid in a candy…read morestore...except the candy has been replaced with pasta, olive oil, cookies, and enough imported goodies to make you question how much room you have left in your pantry. We wandered through every aisle and had the best time discovering products you just don't see at your average grocery store. From authentic pastas and sauces to chocolates, cookies, and specialty ingredients, there was something new around every corner. The deli case is equally impressive, filled with meats and cheeses that would take any charcuterie board from "nice" to "where did you get all of this?" The store isn't large, but every inch is packed with something worth looking at. It's the kind of place where you go in for one item and somehow leave with a bag full of things you never knew you needed. If you're spending time in Little Italy, don't just visit the deli--take a few extra minutes to explore the market. Just be prepared for the toughest decision of the day: figuring out what not to buy.

First of all not sure who our server was but he was amazing! Order came out wrong but he fixed it…read moreasap! Very attentive and great customer service! So if it's just for him 5/5! The ambiance was also very nice! Reminds me of a vintage Italian shop! But the food was very lackluster. The chicken piccata tasted like lemon soup with noodles! Really sour! It was to the point my teeth were hurting. We ordered the tiramisu and and Alfredo which were okay! We also got the Italian soda which was good! The side salad and soup were just there nothing special! All of that came out to $90 because of the tip! Also the other servers there are very obnoxious! They are literally screaming across the restaurant! It really ruined the mood of the restaurant!

Super fast and easy to grab a few pounds of Banh Uot (rice noodle rolls) for a party. It comes with…read morefish sauce and fried garlic. All we did was make our own toppings at home (we went with stir fried mushrooms and ground chicken). The only annoying thing is you need to be prepared to peel apart the rice noodles, but it wasn't too bad. After the party, we pan fried the leftover rice noodle rolls and that was delicious too! This is exactly the kind of authentic, no frills, establishment that I love supporting. Don't forget to bring cash! They don't take card.

**cash only This…read moreplace has been around for decades! It's one of the oldest tofu factory. Parking is hit or miss and really tight. You will find their soy milk at local Asian supermarkets but it's cheaper here. All things tofu. The unsweetened soy milk is the best. The white cap is unsweetened. Ask for it hot and it's made fresh daily. The ones in the fridge are a day old. The ingredients list soy as the first not water. Creamy rich texture. You can get cooked tofu, lemon grass tofu, fried, tofu pudding, etc. they sell bánh ướt (no meat) and Bánh cuốn (meat) by the pound. Buy 2 get 1 free. Other cooked items available and sweets on the counter.

Some of the best home made tortillas I've had in San Diego county! A little hole in the wall gem. I…read moredefinitely recommend grabbing some there!

Great tortillas. Hard to park in the area. Will be going back soon. Nice staff.oooooooread more

I loveeee this store. I've been a customer for over 17 years. They have fresh produce and the store…read moreis immaculate and neatly organized. I was walking up and down the aisles having trouble looking for a product. We were so lucky to have ran into Huyen the manager. She helped us locate it and was so nice about it. 10/10 experience and I'll be a customer for another 20 years.

Affordable and varied food. The service is efficient…read more However two things are glaring, the first is forgivable but it feels gloomy scene in this store. The second is more important, but they need to clean their baskets, found some gunk and juices at the bottom. Otherwise, I love this place.

I love this store! I rarely shop here, but one day after lunch, I wanted dessert and I remembered…read morethey had Julian apple pies. I've been in before and bought one of my favorite wines, but it was all about dessert today. I also grabbed a Talenti vanilla gelato because you can't have apple pie without it being ala mode! I waited at the register since there wasn't anyone around, but then the friendly worker came out from over by the coffee area. Apologized and rang me up. He: The pie is 50% off Me: What? He: Yes Scored! They offer the discount when the pie is a day after its "sell by" but it was still delicious! Ok, so now I'm going to stop in when I'm in the neighborhood. I still would've paid full price because I love Julian pies! Great little market!

Great little market in Little Italy. They have so many nice products from Italy. They also have a…read moredeli and fresh produce. Staff was friendly and asked if we needed any help. Very clean and organized. Grear vibes. The hubby amd I brought home some highly suggested pasta. We can't wait to try it.

I stooped in after a a event I went to in San Diego California . This was a nice little Grocery…read more Outlet . Great meat reaction and produce. Frozen section. I did get some lemons cup cakes and little Debbie minni muffins. I mainly stopped to check the store out. Staff was polite and professional. Great prices on some things. If I am back down that way I stop in again. Thank you I do recommend this store.

Just an average grocery store…read more However, the smell in there... I honestly had trouble breathing after being in there a while. I don't know if it's mold, or the wood they used to construct the place, or something going rotten, or just the smell of people in there, but something's off. It's like being in a Dollar Store, but not as bad, but worse than a Home Depot.

It's not fancy for sure not for date night. Definitely for lunch and take out. But I love it here…read more It feels authentic. Feel like home. Staff are super nice and sweet. I always come here when I have a chance.

Stopped through to order the spicy papaya salad and it did not disappoint. It was super spicy and…read moredelicious.

Yes, do ask for a receipt. I had an experience getting shortchanged here . You live and you learn.read more

I love that they added carts. I couldn't carry my basket anymore and obviously i like to buy many…read morethings because the products r really good and healthy. Staff is nice. and vibe is chill. BOMB TACO MEAT TOO i made tacos

Don't know what I liked most about this place: The food, the owner, or the "Holy Shit! What the…read morehell is a Thai restaurant doing there!" location. After jogging and exploring past this place a few times, I decided it was time to drop in for lunch. I was immediately consumed by that distinct feeling you get when you walk into a lunch place at 12:30, only to find that you're not only the only person to eat lunch there today, but quite possibly the only person to eat lunch there this week. It's a feeling that tells you: "This place is either gonna' be really good, or I'm gonna' need my stomach pumped." As of now, 3 hours after eating there, the contents of my stomach are still very much where they should be. This is a very good sign. The woman who owns the place and greeted me is pretty much exactly the person you'd expect to meet in such an unexpected location -- as friendly as her English is broken, as young as the overdone decor. She'll recommend things when all you want to do is read the menu; she'll talk to you when all you want to do is listen. She won't offer you dessert. Not even a 'happy ending'. But she'll unwittingly demonstrate what is right about City Heights, right about San Diego, and right about America. The Green Chicken Curry was good. The rice was Uncle Ben's. In a Thai place, this should be a crime. In City Heights, this should be expected. But my 5-star enthusiasm for Mekong Village says more about the restaurant's aspirations than for its curry, its character or its decor. With condo conversions sprouting up around it like poop from a diuretic anus, a place like this actually stands a chance -- especially if it dresses itself up a bit for the people who live IN those houses, rather than those who live under them. You never know what will happen with the right marketing. And it's in this vein that the owner really made her impression. She doesn't like the name, she wants to change it, and she asked me for my suggestions. I gave her one. It is fantastic. So crazy it just might work. And she really sounded like she'll take it . So don't be surprised if, on this nondescript corner of 47th and Imperial, you see the name emblazoned in lights: "Imperial Thai Cuisine" You heard it here first.

Great place for ka piek sen (lao chicken noodle soup). The papaya is ok.read more

Great neighborhood butcher, excellent quality at a fair price. Only note to be aware they don't…read moretake credit cards; Venmo or cash

Yay-- so happy I found an amazing butcher shop in my neighborhood! They make some DELICIOUS…read moresausages. I wanted to make pizza so I got the spicy Italian & pepperoni sausages for it, and both of them were soooo tasty. Three sausages + the $6 basil pesto totaled a little over $18. Of course $12 for three sausages isn't particularly sustainable for a lot of us, but when it's a special occasion or you're wanting to treat yourself, it's very worth it :) The staff is great, and the place is located in an area a lot of parking and close to balboa. The basil pesto was also really yummy, I added a little lemon to it because I love a little more citrus in mine and it really made all the flavors pop.