The Real Italian Deli Sogno Fatto

I was recently recommended this spot by friends, and I’m so glad I decided to check it out! If you’re in the mood for a delicious Italian sando made on freshly baked bread, look no further. The service here is fast and efficient, adding to the overall great experience. While waiting, I explored their mini grocery store, which is stocked with everything you need to create an amazing Italian dinner at home. Don’t forget to save room for dessert—I was lucky enough to grab the last pizza to go, and after heating it in the oven, it was absolutely delightful! If you’re like me and have a craving for Italian sandwiches, this place is an absolute gem!

Pros: Delicious deli sandwiches. Some of the best in the valley. Mortadella, roast beef, turkey pesto, tuna…and more. I think I’ve had them all at this point. Then for cooking at home their frozen ravioli is amazeballs. Cons: It’s not cheap. But what is these days. It’s also not great for hanging out and having lunch. Not bad or dirty or anything like that. It’s just a deli. No big deal. Give them a whirl. BNP Paribas Open pro tip: Get takeout and take these sandwiches courtside and watch tennis. I do this every year and people around me ask which place I got it from.

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 on your list.

Delicious cold cuts! Tried the spicy combo and it was on point. Great portions of different meats. The hot sandwiches were great as well. My kids tried the meatball sandwich with a side of cucumber salad. The lasagna was also very very good. Don't forget desserts at the bakery!

Visiting from Virginia Beach Va, sister and I split a turkey pesto on Rosemary Foccacia, cucumber and tomatoes salad side. It was fantastic! Fresh turkey, bright lettuce and tomato, and the perfect amount of pesto mayo. Staff were friendly and efficient, venue was sparingly clean and check out the desserts, which are not to be missed.

This place is amazing! The best Italian sausage peppers and mozzarella sandwich I’ve ever had! The bread was crisp, and it was hollowed out making more room for the filling. Crispy and crunchy. This place is like tasting Italy in Your mouth in every bite. Great selection of pastries and breads and foods to go and Italian pastas and just about anything Italian you can think of is there. Can’t wait to go back for more. Craving another sandwich right about now. Adding this to my weekly circuit.

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 through dinner!

Love this place! The prepared food is amazing... The best sandwiches in the desert and don't miss the bakery. They also have an excellent grocery section, they're my go-to for semolina flour. It's always busy, so have patience when you go in... the staff isn't rude, they're just helping customers ahead of you :)

Our friends said they have a place that has great Italian sandwiches/ food to take out and eat at there house. I bought a Toscano sandwich for my friend. Prosciutto piled high with Provolone cheese, lettuce and tomato, and homemade olive tapenda on focaccia bread. I had a hot Chicken Cutlet sandwich with Provolone, and marinara sauce on focaccia bread. They toasted the sandwich and it made the Provolne ooze out. Nice. Both sandwiches were "Perrrfect". Great customer service too!! Looking forward to future visits when we're back in town.

Stopped here today on our drive from Arizona to California. to try the porchetta sandwich as featured on DDD and also tried the eggplant Parmesan. We arrived around 1 PM around the end of the lunch rush, but they were still somewhat busy. The small parking lot was packed so we parked down the street and walked. It was a beautiful day! We waited in line for about 10 minutes before our order was taken and watched the guy make our sandwich. You get a choice of four types of bread. He also warmed up our eggplant once he realized we wanted to eat our food here. After you get your order, you go to the cashier to pay for it. They do not take cash. There's about a dozen picnic tables outside and most of them were available. We split the sandwich and the eggplant. Both were very good, but since this is 15 minutes off of the freeway, we wouldn't stop again unless we're on our way home to Arizona and want to pick up some dessert or their crusty bread. It looked fabulous!

As an Italian, Chicagoan who grew up in Italian delis as a young girl (and desperately misses them), I can't begin to tell you how thrilled I was to discover this local gem! Where do I start? There's the amazing deli sandwiches made fresh right in front of you with the best bread and ingredients?. It's the incredible, homemade: bread, pizza dough, gelato, cappuccinos/espressos, and pastries to die for! Not to mention there's also a mini-market selling all types of imported pastas, giardiniera and other foods we love from Italy! Oh, less I forget the great selection of daily made hot & cold appetizers &/or side dishes in the deli window (to the right of the front door), to add to your in deli meal or as take away, maybe!?! I don't know what's better...the quality of everything here, or, the large "selection of perfection"!?! Grazie! The Real Italian Deli, for making this Italian American midwestern woman SO incredibly happy .

Amazing sandwiches (the bread! Omg), side dishes, entrees and desserts! They offer to go meals, dried and fresh pasta, and a variety of beverages. You can enjoy it all on right in front of the store outside at one of the picnic style tables (with shade). I love this place! Friendly staff, hospitable service, and wonderful owners. Don't walk...run!

I was just visiting El Paseo and this option only popped into my search results because I specifically wanted a deli. It felt like a real local's hidden gem. Everyone seemed to know what they were doing and it's situated in a corner next to a gas station. But the sandwiches were amazing. There was also a huge selection of frozen items (like lasagna) and desserts that I didn't get to try this time.

Just stopped in to see if they had the flour I wanted. They did. Ended up speaking with 2 bakers for about ten minutes with tips on making different doughs. Lots of great italian items available, maybe a little pricey, but it is everywhere these days. At least here you get top quality and great customer service, in a very clean, well maintained store. Sandwiches looked great so tried one. WOW, I can't believe we have bread this good in the desert. Sandwich was great(maybe a little light on the meat,similar to Italy) but the bread really made the sandwich. Great place,can't wait to go back.

Wowww I would say this is the best sandwich I've had in Palm Springs. The bread was so fresh they had multiple types to pick from. All the ingredients were quality. They had premade options or you could build your own. Also the staff was so friendly which really was the cherry on top!

We knew we had to pack lunch on our way to hiking while in Joshua Tree and yelped deli sandwiches when we spied the Real Italian Deli & by golly the sandwiches that we ordered lived up to the name of this establishment. We came when they opened at 9 am on a Saturday and our group of Five ordered two of the Spicy Combo, one Mild Combo, the Parma and a Custom sandwich. Everyone loved what they ordered as we got to share them with one another as the sandwiches are huge! We wanted to come back on Sunday to eat those sandwiches on our flight back home butalas they are closed on that day. Highly recommend if you are looking for a fulfilling deli sandwich!

I live in the San Francisco Bay area and had already heard about this place prior to my trip to Palm desert. I was even more impressed than I thought I would be. The sandwich my friend and I shared was probably one of the best sandwiches I've ever had. Beautifully fresh bread, gorgeous meats, and cheeses, lovely fresh produce, and the people at the deli were really friendly and warm. And the mini cannoli was a nice little dessert. So amazingly fresh and delicious. I highly recommend this place. I also wish I lived in the area because that wonderful premade pizzas and pastas and lovely things to take home would be a great addition to my life.

One we're Italians from NYC, living Part time here in Palm Springs. Not too easy finding our products for nice meals! Theres no bread like home, but at least their's is decent. The cannoli was a G grade not bad. Its sort of a sandwich place/Specialty store. We've not had the sandwiches. But they had some nice cookies + at Christmastime they had Pannetone. A fee nice jarred items we needed like stuffed hot peppers. Good olive oils + pastas (dried) too. All snd all maybe the only place like this in the desert. Lots of people enjoying the sandwiches. They have tables/benches outside for take out. Not bad.

It love the spicy Italian sandwich that are usually pre made for sale in the deli counter . However today the pizza bread on the sandwich was delicious but there was hardly any meat so it Was not as good as usual. I hope they are not getting skimpy with the meat because these sandwiches are around $18. Also I bought three of the smallest sized salads which were just okay. I added One spumoni ice cream for $13.99. All was to go. The total was $51 for a so so lunch at home.

Fantastic meatball sandwiches!!!! Enjoy everything here and don't miss the wonderful bakery that is separate from the deli section. Mangia! Enjoy!

This place has excellent service, excellent food! My husband ordered the turkey, and I ordered the chicken. Both of the sandwiches were excellent! He even went and picked them up and ran into errands and came home, and they were not soggy. I would definitely recommend this place, we also got a couple pizzas as well. They and they were excellent at home as well. The dough was phenomenal. It will definitely be returning and I would recommend this business.

Food was so good!! Cute little deli. The focaccia bread was so fluffy and nice. The fried risotto ball w marina sauce was a nice surprise. My absolute favorite was the carrot cake!! So light and loved the sweetness from the coconut flakes. Will definitely be back when I'm in the area.

Made our way back here after our last visit a few years ago. We were looking for a sandwich place to grab lunch, and remembered how great the sandwiches were at this place. Unfortunately, this time was not as great. Turns out the sandwiches are now pre-made, which resulted in my sandwich not tasting as fresh. My husband agreed that his sandwich was not as good as in the past. A few bites of my prosciutto tasted a bit fishy, the arugula was not crisp, and my bread was more hard than crusty. For around $18 a sandwich, I'd prefer to have it made fresh in front of me.

Awesome! Five STARS hands down! Exceptionally clean! The service and staff are friendly and inviting. Amazing selection of food from premade items including sandwiches, salads and deserts. Pasta, frozen homemade pizza, Sauces, Brandini toffee and SO much more!

Just look at the photo that I'm posting regarding my lunch. The Toscano. I added mild capicola, yellow peppers, the tomato spread, salt and pepper, mustard and Italian dressing. It's Ahhhmazing. I chose focaccia bread . The sandwich was over the top!

When we are in Palm Desert we hit this place 2-3 times a week! Their cakes, pastries and breads are top notch! Salads are fresh and the sandwiches on their house made breads are unbeatable! They also have a fantastic selection of frozen pastas and other wonderful Italian based products! The staff are well trained, fast and friendly! Minor complaint is that many of us like to tip but don't carry cash. Put a tip line on your credit card receipt so us cashless people can tip!

They will tell you that the meatball sandwich on rosemary focaccia will be soggy. DO IT ANYWAY. So very delicious - I haven't bothered to try anything else just yet because this just hits the spot.

Great food....so many options...sandwiches, lasagna available to take home and bake, plus an amazing bakery with sweets, bread, everything. I can't believe it's been there 10 years and I just found it.

So I originally saw this deli on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives and I was so excited to try them out. I was going to choose a nice pasta only to find out the pasta is pre made and all the employees do us heat up your food in the microwave. I decided to have a sausage and peppers sandwich. The prepared it and I sat down to eat my sandwich. So my sandwich only has small slices of sausage not a whole sausage in sight. The sandwich was tasteless. I ordered a caprese salad on the side. It had grape tomatoes and fresh mozzarella balls. They didn't add basil & definitely didn't add oil & vinegar. This also was tasteless. I was very underwhelmed with this deli and would not go back.

OMG this place won't disappoint you. From Sandwiches, delicious pastries, wine, pastas, gluten free rigatoni and more. Definitely will be returning.

Came back from a vacation in Italy and was craving something relatively authentic. Found this place on google and was impressed. Great sandwiches made fresh in front of you and a whole store of authentic italian options. Bought a couple of their frozen pizzas and have to say for a frozen pizza I was blown away. Will return soon!

Excellent food. Their lasagna vegetarian is the best I've ever had. They have wonderful bread and the sandwiches are excellent. I always get a turkey sandwich and never disappointed. The last time I was there, a young man helped me and he was so nice and friendly. They also have frozen Italian food, theirs, and an assortment of desserts. A wonderful place for Italian anything.

Sandwiches here are unreal! We just visited all over Italy and this place actually emulates the feel of delis and cafes in Italy! All authentic Italian items as well! Highly recommend the bakery!!!

don't even bother with this deli because they don't bother giving you what you pay for- very disappointing.

Found this place on yelp while looking for an easy spot for an early lunch and what a gem it turned out to be. In our group we ordered several different types of sandwiches to dine-in and then got some pastries before leaving. The chicken cutlet sandwich was a star, as were the cannolis. Service at the deli counter was friendly. There are only two small tables, though, and it seemed like most others took food to go. The grocery selection seemed worthy of a return trip too!

The food is good but the constant rising prices has put me off. A basic sandwich is now $17 and the prices go up from there. For these prices you can have a nice, sit-down lunch at many of the nearby restaurants. I get that Places have to make a profit but the cost to make a sandwich is under $4. The markup is excessive vis-a-vis the product.

We stopped in based off a nearby search for sandwiches and were extremely satisfied. Our sandwiches were excellent! We also left with many grocery items. We will be back when we're in town!

Good food - but, not many places to sit though. We arrived at 2:30, and they already had chairs on top of the few tables. Yes, they have outdoor seating but when it's 110 outside, you really don't want to sit in a brazing pan to eat your food. As if the chairs on the tables weren't enough of a "get out" - we were reminded three times by staff that they closed in half an hour. I'll be visiting their Palm Springs location instead. (I live an hour+ away, so taking the food home isn't an option.) Not going to return to this location for this reason.

I was so excited to order a turkey pesto sandwich from this establishment but was equally disappointed with what I got. The outside wrapper was soaked in oil and the sandwich itself was as inedible. There was so much oily spread that the sandwich was wet. No excuse for the price!

Coming from a city like Chicago I would say that we are somewhat spoiled with amazing deli food and great sandwiches. Yet the sandwiches at this place blew us away! The four of us had lunch at this special and unique Italian Deli yesterday. We had the Turkey Pesto, the Muffuletta, and the chicken cutlet sandwiches. We tasted all of them and loved all of them very much. The selection of pastas, pizzas and other carry out Italian goodies is huge. The service is quick and precise. The ambiance makes you feel like you're in an Italian Deli somewhere in Italy and there are plenty of outdoors benched to dine at. The owner came out to chat with us and welcome us to he's amazing establishment. The staff is friendly and welcoming. We are grateful to have found this jewel of a place in the desert and will be dining here again and again.

I had been wanting to get an Italian sandwich after seeing a couple on Instagram that looked good. I found this place after searching and decided to try it out. I have now been here for the second time and both times were very delicious. They also sell all kinds of other Italian stuff here such as desserts, pasta and pizzas to take home. The staff is very friendly and I definitely recommend this place.

Great Italian deli tucked away with amazing sandwiches, pastas, meats, and desserts. The staff were super friendly and helpful as we navigated through their bakery, market and deli. We stopped for lunch and left with great stuff to make dinner at home. Their homemade pizzas and pastas are fresh and delicious. You can tell they put a lot of heart in what they offer. A must try in Palm Desert!

Stop by here for my morning cappuccinos, Never disappoints. The chicken parm sandwich is delicious and reminds me of back home in New York. This place is home away from home. Simply the best.

Sometimes I think about the meatball sub. Like right now... I'm thinking about it again. It's superb. I've also tried a couple of their salads and sandwiches and everything was excellent. It's the meatball sub that stands out to me, though. The meatballs are fluffy but substantial and the marinara is rich and obscenely flavorful. The torpedo bread is just hearty enough to stand up to the generous portion of tomatoey and cheesy goodness.

Muffuletta Sandwich was meh and over priced. Seems to be a popular place maybe just an off day.

How have I lived in Palm Desert for three years and not known about this? Especially since I reviewed the restaurant next door? Anyway...this is a deli reminiscent of one I went to in North Beach for years. Every week I would have a caprese sandwich, and I've missed them. Here they are! I realize now that it wasn't just the mozzarella and pesto, it was the bread. They make it in house and it is perfectly crunchy and authentic. Also tried a combo with cappacola. Wonderful. My SO wanted to test them, so asked for speck. They got it out and sliced it amazingly thin. We'll be back.

The sandwiches were good, they were served on good focaccia bread. The amount of meat was right for the price. I would visit again. The desserts were average not much to choose from.

Had a wonderful cream puff from here last time in the area! Would like try some of their lunch and meat items next time.

I discovered this deli a few years ago. Their Spicey Italian Sandwich on a torpedo bread is life changing. The portions of meat and cheese are prodigious. Every bite reminds me of dining in Italy. I suspect if you try one of these sandwiches and are a big guy like myself (6'7"), you'll be satisfied. Give them a try!

Love everything about this place: imported italian coffee beans, top notch bread and deserts from the bakery, great sandwiches (the meatball is amazing), pesto mayo, cheeses, frozen dishes, etc. Glad it's in my neighborhood.

I ordered some Cannolis to pick up. I unfortunately showed up a few after they closed. Well I called and they still gave them to me! I will be back. The Cannolis were so delicious and soft. You can tell the are quality. My husband grew up in New York and said he liked them so that says something.

Absolutely the best sandwiches and bakery around. We visit this place every time we come to Palm Springs. The sandwiches are always fresh, and the assortment of fresh bread is a plus. I was skeptical of ordering the pre-made sandwiches versus the special made for a dollar extra, but they were just as fresh. Service is fast and organized by a friedly staff. Try out their bakery for absolutely delicious pastries. I will keep coming back, and I recommend you try it. You won't be disappointed.

The best for take out and for helping to fill your counter with great food for company...love it

It is with a heavy heart that I write this review. I LOVE THIS PLACE. We have been eating here for years. Their sandwiches, salads, frozen entrees and of course the bakery are some of the best in the valley. I love buying pasta and olive oil in there. These are all the reasons for 5 stars. My husband and I ate there yesterday. He had the Parma. I had the Marla. So good! $32.00 for two sandwiches with no drinks. Ok saved half for dinner so we got two meals . We ate in the bakery so of course we had to try a cookie. I paid with cash. When the gentleman handed my change back he said " Starting next week we will not be taking cash." There are no signs anywhere. There are going to be many surprised people next week. Be patient when you order. When the kids get done laughing and talking they will help you. At least they are not on their phones! I'm sure we will go back but not soon. Maybe after I win the lotto HA HA. 5 stars food 0 stars service,$$$$, no cash (really).

Good food and plenty of Italian options. You can tell everything is freshly made too. Sandwiches aren't too filling unfortunately, especially for the price. $40 for two deli sandwiches and we're still hungry

Such a cute place!! My first time I went for lunch, it was busy, always. Good sign, but employees working there were fast and on top of things!! I ordered the Parm sandwich on Focaccia, delicious! I took half of that home because it was a good size Portion; I also picked up an Italian mix salad.. the bread, the sauces looked amazing & smelled amazing!! Literally I could've popped so much but I figured I'd go back and get more! They Also, have a place where you can sit down & enjoy your lunch/snack.. sorry this time I completely forgot to take pictures‍

UN AMERICAN. Going cashless is a huge part of the problem with this country. Their food is good but not good enough to push the country and economy over the cliff. I will steer people away from this restaurant. I used to recommend it regularly but no more. Funny, they take cash tips... 2 faced!!!