For those who would take a big Italian hoagie to the grave, a la Homer Simpson, a Bay Area sandwich institution is launching a new location in the Tri-Valley.
Domenico’s Delicatessen, which has served Italian-style and other sandos for more than three decades in Danville, is planning a second branch at 201 Main St. in Pleasanton. Workers have already started renovating the downtown space in preparation for the opening, said Ashley Freeman, who runs the shop with her husband Ben.
“We were aiming for June, but we’re still waiting on some things. Hopefully summertime for sure,” said Freeman.
The deli — which is not connected to Domenico’s Italian Deli in Alameda — has a long history in the Bay. “Joseph Domenico Giacomini had grown up in the family business, Lucca Delicatessens, before entering the corporate food and wine world in San Francisco,” its website states. “In 1993, desiring to go back to his ‘roots,’ Joe and his wife, Sue, a passionate home chef, left their respective jobs to open Domenico’s Delicatessen.” (They only recently sold it to the Freemans.)
The neighborhood deli is known for its top-notch meats and housemade spreads that include flavored mayos, as well as a virtual armada of fresh pasta salads. And while you’ll find Molinari Mortadella and Hobbs’ turkey breast on the menu, the sandwich artists really excel going vegetarian. In 2024, The Mercury News identified the Carciofi ($11.25) as one of the best sandwiches in the Bay, it being a tasty mix of long-stem artichokes, fresh mozzarella, pesto mayo and spring greens on focaccia.
Details: Planned opening by summer 2025 at 201 Main St., Pleasanton; https://www.domenicosdeli.com