Today, when Angelinos reflect on Olvera Street in DTLA, they probably think of its rich history as the heart of the Spanish-Mexican pueblo of Los Angeles. What many do not realize is that for a time in the 19^thcentury, the street was known as Wine Street, and was dominated by thriving Italian owned wine cellars. From downtown’s long gone Little Italy to the Valley, L.A.’s early Italian immigrants brought their love of good food and good drinks to Southern California and expanded the region’s palate forever. 

L.A.’s first Italian settlers arrived in the dusty pueblo in the 1820s. Like all transplants, they brought their knowledge and skills with them.