Handpicked by Locals: 5 places to eat, drink and explore in and around Little Italy

Little Italy resident Trevor Baptiste played several sports growing up in New Jersey, including football and swimming. But it was in middle school that he discovered lacrosse. 

“I didn’t really know what it was, growing up, since I played football a lot,” Baptiste said. “But then some of my friends started telling me, ‘Trevor, you gotta come out and play lacrosse. You would love this game.”

Baptiste gave lacrosse a shot because he loves competition, and it was another opportunity to play a sport with his friends. 

“I realized pretty quickly that I really liked this game a lot,” he said. “I’m definitely fortunate that I had the opportunity to play growing up in a hotbed like New Jersey and the northeast region, where it was pretty accessible for me to play.” 

Baptiste said that by being a swimmer growing up, he built up the skills to “run for days,” which helped his stamina on the field. He made his high school’s varsity team as a freshman and was later recruited to play at the University of Denver by National Lacrosse Hall of Fame head coach Bill Tierney.

Baptiste helped the University of Denver win a national championship as a freshman in 2015, and in 2018, he was the No. 1 pick in the 2018 Major League Lacrosse draft by the Boston Cannons.

“To be honest, I didn’t think that was gonna be my path, until probably my junior year of college,” he said. “I got invited to try out for the men’s national team, and there I noticed that I could kind of hang with some of these pros.”

He was selected to the men’s national lacrosse team to play in the 2018 World Lacrosse Championship, and again in 2019, where he won a bronze medal.

Now he is a professional lacrosse player for the San Diego Seals, entering his third season with the club. Baptiste arrived to the Seals via a trade from the Philadelphia Wings during the 2023-2024 National Lacrosse League campaign. After the season was over, the club signed him to a three-year contract. 

“When I had the opportunity to come out west to play, I knew San Diego was gonna be such a great fit for me,” the faceoff specialist and transition player said. “With our owner Joe Tsai and CEO Paul Speaker, I knew it was gonna be a class A organization.”

Baptiste added that it was also the coaches in place with the Seals that made him want to come back to the team. Staff such as Patrick Merrill, head coach, Cam Woods, defensive coordinator, and Jordan Hall, offensive coordinator, with whom Baptiste played in Philadelphia.

“And I already had a great rapport with a lot of guys on the team, like Danny Logan and Wes Berg, who I played with in college,” he said. “So there’s a lot of things that really gravitated me towards the team.” 

The San Diego Seals began their 2025-2026 campaign by winning their first match versus Ottawa Blackbears on Nov. 29. The squad’s first home game this season will be on Dec. 14 against Rochester Knighthawks.

“I think fans can expect an electric environment, you know, a very high-paced, physical, exciting game,” Baptiste said.“We play a very athletic and skillful style of lacrosse. We got guys that run up and down the floor, run down and play defense, and run back and play offense, and we’re tough.”

The Seals season goes through April, with the last home game this season landing on April 17. When Baptiste is not on the indoor lacrosse field (box lacrosse), he is exploring Little Italy, where he lives.

“It’s got really good energy to it,” Baptiste says of Little Italy. “You feel like you’re downtown, but it’s not as overwhelming. It’s a little bit more laid back. It’s very walkable, has great food, great restaurants and you can see planes right above you before they land.”

Here are Baptiste’s favorite places in Little Italy. 

Q: Where is your favorite dining option?

A: For drinks, I really like Born and Raised. It’s a great vibe, especially on the rooftop. They also have a really good espresso martini. For food, I like to go to Vinarius Wine Bar & Restaurant because it’s really great and because of Giuseppe, the owner of the restaurant. He’s just so inviting, like every time I’m walking down India Street, even if I’m not hopping in, he’ll pop his head out and say hi.

Q: What is your favorite small retail business or pop-up vendor to support?

A:. Brothers Products. They are always at the Little Italy Farmers Market, bringing great energy, and they have great selections of hummus and spreads. If you make it down there, they are extremely generous with samples.

Q: Where is your favorite open space?

A: My favorite open space would be the Piazza della Famiglia. It has great restaurants and bars to stroll into, great for eating outside and the farmers market sets up in the piazza, and it’s always a great time.

Q: Where is the best piece of artwork?

A: I’d say my favorite is the Little Italy fountain. I think it’s a great gathering spot and fits perfectly in the Piazza della Famiglia. You always see people gathering around there and taking pictures.

Q: Where is your favorite entertainment attraction or historic landmark?

A: My favorite would be the USS Midway Museum. I think it’s so cool how it’s an actual ship. Seeing the history on board the actual ship is really special. Also, the restored planes on the carrier are a cool touch.