Sam's Italian Deli & Market in Fresno builds sandwiches at a full-service deli counter, including Tuscan-style signature sandwiches like The Crudo and The Saverio, the classic Sam's Special, hot pastrami subs, Italian-style focaccia sandwiches, and a full menu of cold deli sandwiches. Every sandwich is made with meats and cheeses sliced to order.
Quick Answer
Five things to know about sandwiches at Sam's:
- Two signature sandwich lines. Sam's makes Tuscan-style sandwiches on garlic rosemary focaccia and tomato focaccia (The Crudo, The Nicola, The Anthony, The Saverio) and deli-style sandwiches on white sesame rolls (Sam's Special, Meat Lovers Trio, Paisano Piccante, and more). Different builds, different breads.
- The top-ordered classic is Sam's Special. Our most-popular deli-style sandwich, built with dry salami, mortadella, ovengold turkey, deluxe ham, and jack cheese on a white sesame roll with mayo, mustard, lettuce, tomatoes, wax peppers, and kosher dill pickles by default.
- Bread is part of what makes the sandwich. We bake garlic rosemary focaccia and tomato focaccia fresh daily for our signature sandwiches, and offer white sesame rolls, crusty baguette, and sourdough as alternatives for any deli-style build by request at the counter.
- Sliced to order, every time. Every meat and cheese on every sandwich at Sam's is sliced fresh at the counter, not pulled from a pre-packaged bin. That single difference is part of why most Sam's regulars stopped ordering deli sandwiches anywhere else in Fresno.
- Hot, cold, vegetarian, gluten-free, and family-size. Beyond the signature picks, we make 10 hot sandwiches (including the New Yorker Hot Pastrami and the Big Baller), six Italian-style focaccia sandwiches, a Sandwich Bowl option for gluten-free or low-carb customers, and a 2-foot family-size sub for groups of four to six.
What's the bread program at Sam's Italian?
Sam's bakes garlic rosemary focaccia and tomato focaccia fresh every morning as the foundation for our signature sandwiches. Deli-style sandwiches come on a white sesame roll by default, with crusty baguette, sourdough, or tomato focaccia available as upgrades by request. Bread is matched to the build, not chosen at random.
The breads we use for sandwiches:
- Garlic Rosemary Focaccia (fresh daily). A savory, herb-rich focaccia we bake every morning. The base for our Tuscan-style signature sandwiches The Crudo, The Nicola, and The Anthony.
- Tomato Focaccia (fresh daily). Our other daily focaccia, built with tomato baked into the surface. Has its own flavor, color, and character. The Saverio sandwich is built on this bread.
- White Sesame Roll. The default bread for every deli-style sandwich, including Sam's Special, Meat Lovers Trio, and Italian Salami & Provolone. Holds up well under multiple meats.
- Crusty Baguette Roll. An alternative for deli-style builds by request. Common for the Prosciutto alla Barese, the New Yorker Hot Pastrami, and the steak sandwiches.
- Sourdough Roll. Available by request on any deli-style sandwich. A tangier base for customers who prefer it over white sesame.
When a customer asks the counter what bread to use, the answer usually points back to the build. Heavier sandwiches with multiple meats hold up best on the sesame roll. Lighter, herb-and-pesto-driven sandwiches work better on focaccia. The deli team can recommend the right bread for any combination.
The four Tuscan-style signature sandwiches
Sam's Tuscan-style signature sandwiches are built on garlic rosemary focaccia or tomato focaccia and feature imported Italian meats, fresh cheeses, and house-made pestos. Each one is named, each one is distinctive, and each one is among our most-ordered focaccia sandwiches. They are designed to feel a level above a standard deli sub.
The four Tuscan-style signature sandwiches at Sam's:
- The Crudo. Prosciutto, basil pesto, fresh mozzarella, roasted tomatoes, and arugula on garlic rosemary focaccia. The classic prosciutto build, where the cured meat leads and the herbal and roasted notes round it out underneath. One of the most-ordered focaccia sandwiches we make.
- The Nicola. Mortadella, pistachio pesto, stracciatella, arugula, and fig spread on garlic rosemary focaccia. Sweet, nutty, creamy, and savory in one bite. The fig and pistachio combination is what most customers remember the first time they try it.
- The Anthony (hot). Fried mortadella, provolone, dijon sauce, mayo, and pistachios on garlic rosemary focaccia. Our hot Tuscan-style option. Crispy mortadella against melted provolone, with dijon for bite and pistachio for crunch.
- The Saverio. Mortadella, Calabrese salami, soppressata, prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, arugula, basil pesto, extra virgin olive oil, and balsamic on tomato focaccia. The most layered sandwich on the menu, named after our founder. A full Italian board on a single sandwich.
These sandwiches are not afterthoughts. Customers come in specifically for The Crudo or The Saverio, and many regulars rotate among the four across visits. The bread alone makes them feel different from a standard deli sub, even before the fillings are added.
The top five deli-style signature sandwiches at Sam's
Sam's deli-style sandwiches come on a white sesame roll by default, dressed with mayo, mustard, lettuce, tomatoes, wax peppers, and kosher dill pickles. The five below are our most-ordered classics, each built around different combinations of meats and cheeses sliced to order at the counter.
Sam's top five deli-style signature sandwiches:
- Sam's Special. Our top-selling sandwich. Built with dry salami, mortadella, ovengold turkey, deluxe ham, and jack cheese on a white sesame roll. The combination is balanced enough that no single meat takes over and savory enough to keep regulars coming back for it for decades.
- Ovengold Turkey Breast Sub. A clean, simple build with ovengold turkey and jack cheese on a white sesame roll. A smoked version using hickory-smoked turkey is also available. Both are popular for customers who want a lighter sandwich without losing flavor or substance.
- Meat Lovers Trio. Roast beef, pastrami, ovengold turkey, and jack cheese on a white sesame roll. Built for customers who want the full deli range in one sandwich. Heavier than Sam's Special, leaner than the Italian Club, and a long-time top seller at the counter.
- Paisano Piccante (spicy). Spicy Calabrese, spicy red capicollo, Molinari hot salami, provolone, and spicy cherry peppers on a seeded roll. The spiciest sandwich on our menu. Built for customers who want real heat layered across three different cured Italian meats.
- Italian Salami & Provolone. The simplest classic. Italian dry salami and mild provolone on a white sesame roll. A pure deli sandwich for customers who want salami and cheese done right, with no extras competing for attention.
These five are Sam's most-ordered deli-style regulars and have been for years. New customers usually start with Sam's Special, then branch into the others depending on what they ate growing up and what their family already orders.
What other sandwiches does Sam's make?
Beyond the Tuscan-style and deli-style signatures, Sam's makes a full menu of hot sandwiches, Italian-style cold focaccia sandwiches, custom premium builds, and group-format sandwiches. The menu is broad enough that customers can come in five days a week and not have the same sandwich twice.
Other sandwich categories at Sam's:
- Hot sandwiches. New Yorker Hot Pastrami (with grilled onions, Cooper Sharp cheese, and dijon on a baguette), Steak Sandwich, Chicago Steak Sandwich (spicy with Chicago Marconi giardiniera), Grilled Chicken Caprese, Grilled Sausage Sandwich, Chicken Parmigiana, Eggplant Parmigiana, Meatball Sandwich, Chicken Meatball with Vodka Sauce, and The Big Baller (smashed meatballs, sausage crumbles, and fried pepperoni in meat sauce).
- Italian-style cold focaccia sandwiches. Cali Caprese (vegetarian or with meat), Sam's Focaccia Sandwich, Rosemary Ham Focaccia, Prosciutto alla Barese, and Muffalata. All built on focaccia for customers who want something more substantial than a deli-style sub.
- Premium Off the Menu. A custom sandwich option with two premium meats and one cheese, priced separately and built to order for customers with specific cravings the standard menu does not cover.
- 2-Foot Family Size Sub. A fully loaded two-foot deli-style sub serving four to six. Available with Sam's Special combo, Meat Lovers Trio, Cali Caprese, and other configurations. Built for family meals and group orders.
The menu also includes a Sandwich Bowl option, a sides menu (calamari fries, mozzarella in carrozza, Parmesan fries, pastrami fries), and Italian desserts (Sicilian-style cannoli, tiramisu, sea salt truffle brownie, carrot cheesecake) to round out an order. Sam's Italian Deli & Market Italian Market
Frequently Asked Questions
What's in a Sam's Special sandwich?
Sam's Special is built with dry salami, mortadella, ovengold turkey, deluxe ham, and jack cheese on a white sesame roll. It comes with mayo, mustard, lettuce, tomatoes, wax peppers, and kosher dill pickles by default. It is our top-selling deli-style sandwich at the counter.
What is the Saverio sandwich at Sam's?
The Saverio is Sam's most layered Tuscan-style signature sandwich, named after our founder Sam Marziliano. It is built with mortadella, Calabrese salami, soppressata, prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, arugula, basil pesto, extra virgin olive oil, and balsamic on fresh-daily tomato focaccia.
Does Sam's offer vegetarian sandwich options?
Yes. The Cali Caprese (vegetarian) is built with pesto, tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, avocado, basil, balsamic glaze, and extra virgin olive oil on focaccia. We also build a Cheese Combo sandwich with a variety of natural cheeses, and most deli sandwiches can be ordered without the meats by request.
Does Sam's offer gluten-free sandwich options?
Yes. Sam's offers a Sandwich Bowl that turns any deli-style sandwich into a gluten-free, low-carb bowl using the same meats, cheeses, and toppings without bread. Sandwich Bowls are available in regular size only and built to order at the counter for any cold deli-style configuration.
Can I customize a Sam's sandwich?
Yes. Most sandwiches can be customized with add-ons including extra meat, double meat, extra cheese, avocado, pickle spear, spicy cherry peppers, black olives, extra wax peppers, roasted red peppers, marinated artichoke hearts, marinated mushrooms, fresh mozzarella, and Chicago Marconi spicy giardiniera, all available at the counter.
What is the spiciest sandwich at Sam's?
The Paisano Piccante is the spiciest sandwich on Sam's menu. It is built with spicy Calabrese, spicy red capicollo, Molinari hot salami, provolone, and spicy cherry peppers on a seeded roll. The Chicago Steak Sandwich is a close second, built with spicy Chicago Marconi giardiniera and Cooper Sharp cheese.
How to order a sandwich at Sam's
The fastest way to order a sandwich at Sam's is to come into the deli, take a ticket, and decide while you wait. A few steps customers typically follow:
- Take a paper ticket when you walk in. Wait for your number to be called and step up to the counter with the deli clerk.
- Pick a category. Tuscan-style signature on focaccia, deli-style classic on a white sesame roll, hot sandwich, or Italian-style cold focaccia sandwich.
- Pick the sandwich and the bread. Bread is set for the Tuscan signatures, but every deli-style sandwich can be moved to a baguette, sourdough, or tomato focaccia for a small upgrade fee.
- Add anything extra. Extra meat, double meat, avocado, fresh mozzarella, marinated mushrooms, artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, or Chicago Marconi giardiniera. Onions and Sam's Original House Dressing are available by request.
- Or order a tray for a group. For offices, parties, or family events, order a Mini Sandwich Tray, a Focaccia Sandwich Tray, a Deli Style Sandwich Box, or a 2-Foot Family Size Sub with at least 24 hours notice. Sam's Italian Deli & Market Catering
Forty-five years of building sandwiches has taught us one thing. A real sandwich starts with real ingredients, and the rest is just paying attention. When the meats are sliced right, the bread is fresh, and the build matches what the customer actually wants to eat, the sandwich does the rest of the work.
Ready to experience it yourself?
