The Real Italian Deli Sogno Fatto — Restaurant in Palm Desert

We’re Dining with The Davids. We create video content about the best restaurants and small businesses in the Coachella Valley. We sat down with the owner and executive baker at The Real Italian Deli — with locations in both Palm Springs and Palm Desert — to learn about their favorite items on the menu.

The first thing you should know is these guys are known for their bread. They bake over 15 varieties of bread daily, all starting with a mother starter flown in from Italy. That level of dedication shows in everything they do.

We asked them what they’re most proud of — and here were the standouts:

Top Sandwich Picks: • The Spicy Combo – Mortadella, spicy capicola, spicy Calabrese salami, provolone, lettuce, tomato, and balsamic glaze on a torpedo roll. • The Parma – Thinly sliced prosciutto, mozzarella, arugula, tomato, and EVOO on focaccia. (This one might be our personal favorite!) • Turkey Pesto – Roasted turkey, pesto mayo, provolone, lettuce, and tomato on ciabatta.

They also offer a curated selection of Italian pantry goods, fresh and frozen pastas, and handmade lasagnas — including a vegetarian version made with spinach and white wine sauce.

Save room for dessert. The raspberry tart is a must-try, followed closely by the cheesecake and their house-made tiramisu, which comes in classic, chocolate, and pistachio varieties. Cannoli lovers, don’t worry — they’ve got those too.

A few insider tips: – Their pesto, sun-dried tomato spread, and olive tapenade are available to-go. – Ask about their house-made raw Italian sausage — it’s not on display, but it’s worth asking for. – Their fresh pasta sells out fast, so go early if that’s...

How did I miss this place for the last two years? WHAT A GEM in Palm Desert, an Italian deli that is really Italian. We discovered it two weeks ago and have already been twice.

So let's talk about the deli part, and sandwiches. These will knock your socks off, large, full of meat and on bread; oh God the bread. Not some soft fluffy tasteless everybody does it bread. Real, crusty, full of flavor bread. Made for you, heated in an oven or press. Oh so good. Our favorite to date is the meatball. Oh, try it you'll like it.

Did I mention the bakery? Yeah a real Italian bakery, full of real Italian treats, made that day by a baker that started work at 2am. And breads that have all the texture of real bread, crunchy, tasty. Italian ice cream.

How about pastas. Plenty of those, dry and fresh. Shapes and tastes you are not likely to find at Ralph's. And prepared dishes like meat lasagnas and pizzas to take home. Oh my you have to go. Olive Oils, Olives, sliced meats.

During the COVID they have taken a portion of the parking lot for tables and umbrellas. They have cold beverages. Why are you still...

BEWARE!! Wow!! Due to recovery from surgery I was unable to stand and cook for small dinner party (4 people) so I bought small lasagna. Seemed over priced but I had heard such great things I felt it would be $$$ well spent. When I arrived home I read the cooking directions which stated bake from frozen @ 375° for 45 minutes (which did not seem like enough time from frozen). There was a cardboard top on the lasagna that I assumed I need to remove before baking (paper in oven is not a good mix), but the cardboard was impossible to remove.

I called the deli to confirm baking time and if the cardboard should be stuck to top of lasagna. I was told that the 45 minute bake time was if defrosted (not what the instructions state) and that the cardboard should come off but it was okay to bake with it on if needed. Wwwweeeeelllll ...fast forward 1 hr and 30 minutes of baking time and the cardboard was still stuck to the lasagna and removing it took of the top layer of cheese. The lasagna looked awful to serve to our guests. Thankfully they had a good sense of humor and insisted we all laugh our way...