Business Profile: Tarantino Gourmet Sausages — A San Diego Tradition Since 1917
By Chris M. Forte
Some businesses simply sell food. Others become part of a community's history.
For more than a century, Tarantino Gourmet Sausages has been one of San Diego's most recognizable family-owned food companies, serving generations of locals with authentic Italian-style sausage while helping preserve the city's rich Italian-American heritage.
Founded in 1917 by Italian immigrants, Tarantino Gourmet Sausages has become a household name throughout Southern California. What began as a traditional family butcher shop evolved into one of the region's premier sausage manufacturers, yet the company's commitment to quality, family recipes, and old-world craftsmanship remains unchanged.
Today, you'll find Tarantino products in grocery stores, restaurants, festivals, sporting events, and community celebrations across San Diego County.
A Century of Italian Tradition
Like many Italian-American success stories, Tarantino's began with immigrants bringing the recipes and traditions of their homeland to America.
Using traditional methods, quality cuts of meat, and carefully blended seasonings, the company built its reputation one customer at a time. More than one hundred years later, that reputation continues.
Whether it's sweet Italian sausage sizzling on the grill, spicy links served at festivals, or classic bratwurst at community gatherings, Tarantino has become synonymous with great food and great memories.
More Than Just Sausage
Food has always been one of the strongest connections between Italian Americans and their heritage.
Recipes are passed from grandparents to grandchildren.
Meals become celebrations.
Festivals become reunions.
For that reason, companies like Tarantino Sausages play an important role beyond simply providing food—they help preserve traditions that bring families and communities together.
A Familiar Sight at Community Events
If you've attended one of San Diego's major Italian festivals, chances are you've seen the familiar Tarantino grill with the unmistakable aroma of Italian sausage filling the air.
Their team regularly supports community celebrations, nonprofit fundraisers, and cultural festivals throughout the region, helping make these events successful while feeding thousands of guests.
As someone who volunteers throughout San Diego's Italian-American community, I've had the opportunity to work alongside the Tarantino team on several occasions, and it has given me an even greater appreciation for what they do.
I've volunteered with them during December Nights at Balboa Park, where thousands of visitors stop for one of San Diego's largest holiday celebrations. Working the booth, you quickly realize how much people look forward to that famous sausage sandwich each year.
More recently, I also volunteered with Tarantino during the Rock & Roll Dinner Dance at Amici Bar, presented by The Convivio Society. It was another wonderful evening where great Italian food, music, friendship, and community came together—exactly the kind of event that reminds us why organizations like Tarantino continue to be such valued partners in San Diego's Italian-American community.
Those experiences also gave me the chance to see firsthand the professionalism, generosity, and friendliness of the Tarantino family and staff. They work incredibly hard, often behind the scenes, helping nonprofit organizations and community events succeed while serving outstanding food with a smile.
A Company That Gives Back
One of the things I've always admired about Tarantino Sausages is their willingness to support community organizations.
Over the years, they've partnered with countless festivals, churches, cultural organizations, civic groups, and charitable events throughout San Diego. Their participation helps these organizations raise funds, bring people together, and continue celebrating Italian heritage for future generations.
In many ways, Tarantino has become more than a food company.
They've become part of the fabric of San Diego's Italian-American community.
What Customers Are Saying
One of the strongest indicators of Tarantino Sausages' enduring reputation is the loyalty of its customers. Across multiple review platforms, people consistently praise the company's quality, flavor, and friendly service. Tarantino Wholesale Food Distributor currently holds a 4.0-star rating based on dozens of customer reviews, with many reviewers highlighting both the products and the people behind the company.
On Tarantino's own website, longtime customers describe the sausages as among the best they've ever tasted. One San Diego customer writes:
"Tarantino's makes the best sausage bar none… We buy their Italian and breakfast sausage at Costco; both are the best we've ever had."
Another customer from Washington praised the company's traditional recipes, saying:
"Terrific Italian Sausage! Wow, what great flavor."
Even former San Diegans now living elsewhere often mention that Tarantino reminds them of home. One reviewer who grew up in an Italian neighborhood in Buffalo wrote that Tarantino's sausage was "the best I have had west of the Rockies" and lamented not being able to find it after moving away.
Independent review sites echo those sentiments. MenuPix gives Tarantino an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars, with customers frequently describing both the food and the staff in glowing terms. One recent reviewer simply summed up the experience as, "Great food and great people!"
Not every online review is universally positive—something that's true of almost any long-running business that serves large crowds at festivals and public events. Some customers have mentioned isolated disappointments related to event logistics or individual festival experiences. However, the overall pattern across reviews is one of appreciation for Tarantino's traditional Italian sausages, longstanding family ownership, and continued presence at community celebrations throughout San Diego.
That reputation has been built over decades, not only through quality products but also through active support of churches, nonprofit organizations, neighborhood festivals, and Italian-American cultural events. As someone who has volunteered alongside the Tarantino team at events like December Nights in Balboa Park and the Rock & Roll Dinner Dance presented by The Convivio Society, I've seen firsthand why so many people stop by their booth year after year. The food certainly draws a crowd—but it's the welcoming attitude and genuine commitment to the community that keeps people coming back.
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