Zia's Delicatessen

I bought the Viareggio (turkey pesto mayo) and some desserts for a picnic at the park nearby. The sandwich was just okay. Decent price. The bread was a little stale at the butt end piece, which was surprising since the long line is evidence of high turnover. The pesto mayo had barely any pesto or green flecks at all. I barely tasted pesto. The desserts came in these cute little glasses. The lemon was nice and light. The espresso creme brulee flavor was terrible. It had a huge layer of about 1-2 Tbsp brown sugar on top that was not bruleed so it was overly sweet. Dumped it all off. Then, the part beneath I thought was frozen because it was so hard. I tried it and it was kind of filmy on my tongue. Didn't like the flavor so I scooped it out to keep the glass. Oddly, 30 mins later it still hadnt melted. I have no idea what that dessert is made with. Butter? Finally, the staff are extremely nice but they are not fast and the payment line is disorganized. Be prepared to wait.

Delicious! Always a good sandwich here. The seasonal special pumpkin bars are my absolute favorite. They even have dolma / stuffed grape leaves. No indoor seating, however plenty of outdoor seating. Inside is a deli counter and lots of Italian snacks & goods. Staff are wonderful and friendly but the line is quite slow sometimes.

Best sandwich place in Davis (sorry panera!) But Zia has been around since 1995, that's 30 years! My go-to is always the Lucca (turkey) on sourdough roll. I ask for without oil and vinegar to keep things dry. When I ordered this recently, at least 4 others in line got the Lucca. The sandwich quality is as I remembered it as a college student in Davis. There is so much to see in the store, and so many non-typical treats to try and buy. It's like walking into a little Italy, and I just love the decor and atmosphere. They also have a bunch of neat drinks and gelato ice cream in their fridges. Just know those lunch rushes can be a pain, and it does take time for people to make it. It takes about 5 minutes, sometimes longer if they have many orders. Seating-wise there are none inside. You have to sit outside, but it's usually not too packed. Parking-wise, it's free 2-hr street parking Mon-Sat. Not sure why, but recently parking in downtown Davis has gotten busy around noon. Regardless, this is a must-try sandwich spot in Davis. Pro-tip: san-pelligrino's taste so good with their sandwiches!

Best pastrami sandwich I have consumed in a long time! Everyone in our group enjoyed their sandwiches. They have an excellent selection of gourmet pasta, sauces, and ingredients if you love to cook. We didn't sample but the desserts looked awesome. We will be back soon!

Welcoming environment, super pleasant and accommodating employees, FANTASTIC sandwiches. I went in just to check out the hype and felt like I had walked into a little shop in Italy. Lots of unique specialty Italian food all over the deli walls, like pasta, sauces and imported candy. The young woman who took my order was sweet and very patient with all of my questions, and me taking forever to order. I got the Lucca and copied another reviewers idea of adding the spicy roasted red pepper sauce and brown mustard. Also added Brie cheese. So delicious! Then I went and ordered another one because everything sounded so good. Got the Siena- as is. Maybe even better than the first sandwich but it’s close to a tie. Had some spumoni gelato while I waited, also really good. I was recommended this place by my Italian family in the area and from my experience, it lives up to all of the hype and awards. I would not leave Davis without stopping in at least once!

Lucca with spicy sun dried tomato sauce and brown mustard… incredible. Flavors melting in my mouth. Taken to flavor station. Incredible ambiance and thank you to the kind workers for the recommendations. Great quick service and really fun to check out their imported Italian goods. Can’t wait to come back!!

Absolutely stellar place to get a sandwich. You will taste the difference between Zia's and all the others.

This place is a hidden gem. The food is very delicious. I got the toscana, with added lettuce and tomato. It was soooo good! The staff was very friendly and attentive. An added plus is that they have imported italian goods, which is very cool/interesting. I will be back soon :)

Such a gem in Davis! Very cute deli with lots of great items imported from Italy. From pasta, sauce, sardines, sweets, they have it all. Order at the counter deli service. With very quick service too! Friendly staff and delicious sandwiches.

Thought about it more, bumping it down to 3 stars. Wouldn't come back i think. The quality doesn't match their vibe.

This place was recommended to me by my coworker in Davis. She said it was so good that her and her friends went back in a matter of days! I've been wanting to try this out, especially the sandwiches since that is what they are known for! I tried their specialty sandwich called Pisa. This sandwich was on a deliciously soft sourdough roll. This sandwich had roasted Italian peppers, cream cheese, lettuce, tomato, oil and vinegar. We had this delivered and the service was quick. I need to go back in person to experience the actual ambiance. I appreciated how they put my sandwich and name on my sandwich to distinguish who ordered what. I will definitely come back to Zia's. My sandwich was really good and I want to try other sandwiches such as Viareggio and Livorno. Please keep in mind that lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles are available upon request.

Food: 5/5 Didn't get a pic of the food because I often eat it too quickly to lol. Will try to remember next time I'm in town. Gelato, sides & sandwiches. I have been here since a child & have had almost every sandwich on the menu. Everything is fresh and tastes wonderful. I always get the sandwiches on a French roll. Also, don't be shy to edit one of the sandwiches...I often add mayo to the Roma. I also rotate between the Roma and Lucca. Definitely recommend bringing a friend & getting 2 sandwiches & splitting them because they are all so different but delicious. Service: 4/5 It can take some time & the line is normally long but it's always worth the wait! Ambiance: 5/5 Cute small place but heads up there is no indoor seating! Small amount of outdoor seating available. A go to staple when in Davis. Just remember they close pretty early so check their business hours! Will be back!

Delish fresh sandwich with really good bread. A downtown Davis staple for students and others for sure. Love a good turkey sandwich. Also delicious lemon bars

Fantastic sandwiches. However, ordering as a first timer was anxiety provoking. Didn't know I was in the wrong line. Didn't know I had to grab my beverages first. Things like that, that made me want to leave. Fortunately the cashier was nice and patient and explained the process to me and still assisted me anyway. Besides that, I would absolutely come back for their sandwiches.

Oh my gosh! I have loved this place for forever! But the viariggio is amazing!!! Turkey pesto cheese tomatoes it is so good! The sauce is so good, creamy pesto... The Turkey is thinly sliced - every now and then I think it's a little too much but over all it's delicious! Ps the bread is perfect! The Asiago pasta is something to write home about too... not overly creamy, the pasta the olives beautiful! Both are must haves!

Grabbed a couple of sandwiches to go from here. Very fresh handmade in front of you. Good Italian bread. Generous with the meat. Staff courteous and kind.

I have been coming here for years but yesterday will be my last time. I took a bite out of my sandwich and looked down and saw the other half had a big piece of hair coming out of it. I tried to call but no answer. I am so disappointed.

I was coming to Davis from out of town and needed a sandwich order to be ready by 10:30 am. I could have gone to Panera across the street but I'd much rather support a locally owned business. I was able to place an order online the day before and arrived around 10:10 am (they open at 10). They had my order ready by 10:20 am and I was like a kid in a candy store seeing all their Italian products in the shelves. I ended up spending an extra $50 on pasta, sauces, and candies to share with my family. The sandwiches were a huge hit with fresh ingredients and wholesome flavors. I saw they also have an espresso machine so it's definitely a one stop shop. Did I mention I scarfed down the lemon bar?!

I rarely leave reviews, but we had a really bad experience at Zia's today. We've been coming for years, but don't think we'll be returning. They do not allow any substitutions for sandwiches any longer, even for allergens. I ended up ordering a plain veggie sandwich, which included only cheese, lettuce, tomato, and pickles. All other veggies (even pepperoccini!) were extra charge. And on top of that, they charged me an extra fee for the cheese. The service was very poor (not even a "thank you") and the sandwiches were very expensive. Disappointing.

It was my first time at Zia's and I'm pleasantly surprised! Sandwiches are normally pretty basic, so I didn't think to come here at first. However, this place has been a staple at Davis for a while, so I thought I had to check it out! Boy am I glad I gave it a shot! I got smoked turkey in my sammie and it was delicious you can taste the quality of the ingredients here! Grocery store deli meat doesn't hit the spot like this place does!! They're also known for their pesto mayonnaise which I had to try! Definitely brought the whole sammie together and made it a special experience compared to chain sandwich restaurants! I will definitely be back to try more! They do close early, so make sure to come on your lunch break or order ahead for pickup!

The service was mediocre the last few times I've stoped by. They're now extremely strict with customizing and won't make any exceptions. In the past I was able to make slight adjustments or add-ons to paninis with the extra fee. Which is totally fine and glad to pay it. However, they won't make the exception anymore even for pregnant people. I asked to swap the deli meat for chicken and they flat out said no without an "unfortunately" or "sorry we can't". Definitely not the same great customer service that it used to be and will be going elsewhere for now.

Walked in right at opening (Tuesday, (11/26/2024), and yet another food borne ridden place like the Hot Dogger. Young man with beard and glasses, proceeds to sneeze in his hands, wipe his hands on shirt, then run his right hand through his hair. Picks up product for my sandwich. When requested to wash his hands, due to violating food handling practices and me not getting sick off his disgusting self, I was met with an attitude. I walked out. Why is the health and safety department of yolo county not bouncing these establishments with fines or monitoring? Why are gloves not being worn? Why is this being tolerated?

It's just okay. They have decent sandwiches and it's not expensive, however the customization options are very limited. Their sandwiches, for the most part, cannot be heated up, even though they have a panini press and heat some sandwiches. On the meatball sandwich which is supposed to be hot, only the meatballs are warm and the bread isn't toasty. Usually meatball sandwich has good toasty garlic bread. I end up taking my sandwich home, deconstructing it, toasting in the oven, and putting back together. If I'm paying for a sandwich I shouldn't have to do this. Also it's kind of awkward the tip location because I felt like I the cashier was staring me down when I selected a tip. This shouldn't happen it made me uncomfortable. Tipping at a take out place should be something that is nice to do but not expected, after all there is no service. I am buying food, which is prepared, put in a bag, and I leave. I am paying for the preparation and food, so I shouldn't be expected to tip. Now it's fine to have the option to tip as I usually tip on food anyways even at take out places because it's a nice thing to do. But to be stared down and have the cashier staring at the screen while I select a tip is... uncomfortable. Overall baseline - 4 stars - 1 star for lack of customization options like heating - 1 star for awkward experience tipping = 2 stars I would go back and give it another shot, but these are issues that can and should be addressed by management if they want to earn a higher review from me and other customers who feel the same.

My server forgot to put both lettuce and pickles in the sandwich I ordered. He was working with his pants down to his knees and with his butt exposed. I have no words to express how inappropriate it is being served food by someone dressed like this.

I am a sucker for an Italian Deli, especially one that serves up amazing sandwiches and Zia's hits all the marks! They get extremely busy during the work days around lunch with the UC Davis crowd and locals coming in to pick up sandwiches. I've learned that you can call in orders, which will save some time, but I like to have time to browse their shop for different Italian specialties and treats- I always find something fun! You can build your own sandwich, but my favorites are the Milano, Toscana and Meatball sub from their regular menu. The balance of flavors on these are amazing and somehow, everytime I order one, I'm surprised when I take that first bite at how good they are! This business is family owned and everyone on staff is super nice, helpful and patient. Unfortunately, their Sacramento location recently closed, however this Davis location is going strong and, for any Sacramento fans, it's well worth the drive to Davis to get your hands on these sandwiches. When you come in, don't forget that they also have fresh sides (like pesto pasta), coffee, gelato and plenty of other goodies to check out. There's a lot to love about this spot!

I got the Milano and it was just ok. The sandwich was a little bland and dry. For the price i wish it came with more stuff. Also, one of the employees gave me a cold/rude stare and didn't thank me after i payed which made me feel a little uncomfortable....

Absolutely loved Zia's. This review isn't about their sandwiches it's about their service. For years, Zia's employees always were friendly and attentive to everyone who walked through their doors. After Covid, their main priory is to service their DoorDash and on-line orders. You can stand in a line for 15 minutes with no one turning around to acknowledge you are in their business because they are so busy fulfilling online orders. It's great that they are clearly making more sandwiches and more money than before but it's at the cost of loosing those customers who have supported them for the last 20+ years. I will be taking a break from Zia's and hopefully they can find a better balance between servicing their online clients and their in person customers.

Was passing thru, came across this deli. I ordered the Siena (hot panini) and got scammed when I opened it in the car. It was cold, loaded with ham, not prosciutto. The fresh mozzarella was obviously not melted, very little basil (only 2 small leaves in my sandwich) and no seasoning. The bread was hard and with just one bite, fell apart. Bad sandwich overall--will not be coming here again. I gave it 2 stars as they have good selection of Italian candy.

When traveling, we love to stop at locally owned delis for our lunch, and Zia's is not a disappointment. While waiting for you sandwich to be prepared, you can shop the store for fun Italian condiments and candies. The only seating is outdoors, but we picked a lovely day to enjoy our sandwiches. Friendly service and attention to details. Delicious food and extraordinary menu selections, including fresh mozzarella cheese. It's a winner we will come back when we are in Davis again.

Great little shop! I love the meatball sandwich & the gelato! Always worth a stop when I pass through Davis.

My favorite sandwich place in Davis, hands down. Between the adorable little market interior, the broad array of desserts, sides, and snacks, the friendly staff, and the high quality ingredients and products, there really isn't anything negative to say about Zia's. Great vegetarian options (I personally love the Zia's zucchini frittata, and the Grilled eggplant panini, the Cinque Terre). Zia's is unlike any other sandwich shop at least I've been to, and you absolutely will not regret stepping in to check it out.

Best sandwiches in town, great price point and the ambiance is very classic Italian. This feels like a gem from the moment you walk in.

We were excited to try this because of the high reviews and we were in the area. The place had potential. It was busy and close to closing time so it did take a little while to order which is fine no big deal. It's Davis so parking sucked I feel like they should work out a better system for taking orders especially for those that haven't been there before. Like a sandwich check list so that you can order your sandwich the way you would like it because Our sandwiches were mixed up. Bread and pesto mayo was requested for one sandwich but added to another. Two out of three sandwiches we ordered were not good. The third one good but not enough for me to go back. Went there for a panini but the panini press wasn't working and they ran out of another sandwich. Not sure how that works in a sandwich place ‍

Enjoyed my first visit so much I went back again the next weekend!! Both trips were great. Seating outside under trees. Sandwiches were quality items. Friendly staff. Gave me a small cup of water for our mini dachshund!!

I'm so sad the one in midtown closed since this is my fav sandwich shop and I no longer live in Davis but when I visit I make sure to stop here to get a Viareggio. You might think that this is just a sandwich shop but it nails the combo of thin sliced turkey with smoked mozzarella and savory pesto mayo on a soft sourdough roll. Paired with chips its chefs kiss. The shop is cozy with a deli counter including desserts and gelato as well as other yummy Italian grocery goodies. Service is efficient enough for a busy small shop. I hope they stick around for decades to come!

This is a very impressive Italian deli. Had the Milano sandwich and it was very tasty. Definitely quality ingredients and also very reasonably priced ($13.74 for Sandi, beverage, chips, tax and tip). Outdoor seating only but plentiful. Expect to wait during lunch rush as it's popular but worth it.

This place is amazing! They have the best sandwiches by far! Anytime family or friends are visiting from out of town and want a delicious sandwich I take them here, and every time they say it's the best sandwich they've ever had. Via Reggio is always a hit. But don't sleep on other sandwiches, the meatball sandwich is delicious and super filling. They have speciality treats that are amazing and their customer service is top notch!

The cutest little Italian/European import store and deli. Sandwiches are great! So many goodies to get.

Please know I do NOT enjoy leaving bad reviews, particularly for smaller, local places. I'm originally from Davis and have eaten at Zia's a plethora of times in the multiple decades I've lived here, and not much changes with them, from the lengthy lines to their menu. People continue to go, so there's not much drive to improve either of those things. They're on DoorDash now though, which saves your sanity from the craze of downtown, but not from Zia's lengthy waits. I genuinely don't know why they even allow DoorDash if orders are inconvenient for them, or place a limit on the amount of sandwiches one can order. We ordered 6 sandwiches at 130 on a Sunday, and it took 2 hours for them TO EVEN START MAKI. I called multiple times to ask if we could pick up our order, but the dasher was not the problem; they had not even started our food yet. I'm not trying to be rude, but there's nothing special about them to justify the wait, and nothing to justify why they didn't communicate the wait time clearly. It's my mom's birthday and we are still waiting for her food, really regretting getting sucked in by Zia's again, but wanted to leave the warning, if you have any remote time constraints, choose one of the million other restaurants here to eat at. To top it off, we had multiple incorrect items when our food finally did arrive.

Calling all calling all BIPOC Queer members of the Davis Downtown delicatessen is deli-disgusting the customer service is lacking to the point with this company. No allergy food substituting since the manager confirms their sandwiches are premade for walk-ins. As for their online ordering services seems to preoccupy their precious minds. I would recommend not going here ever unless they install self pay kiosks and continue about their rudeness towards customers and the ambiance is mediocre. Understand if your into standing around being ignored and after ordering standing around for hours as long as your into waiting hours for a deli sandwich then by all means enjoy yourself. Otherwise warning to customers that are apart of the Queer BIPOC community my wife and I have tried giving this place a chance on three separate occasions and not once were we acknowledge, until I speak up to the six staff members behind the counter. Then after the second visit finally ordered and waiting for over hour only to find out that the sandwiches were forgotten about. Then we seen the Caucasian consumers get comp money back for their waiting. But we were still required to accept a bill for our waiting period, then on our third visit this location in downtown Davis had to audacity to have their manager explain the sandwiches were premade and no substitutions are allowed. So why did you make the majority of the BIPOC POC consumers wait hours. Then your staff only have blank empty stares past our existence's. When I address appalling service and lack of communication with the staff they just look like deer to headlight. Please don't waste your time and resources on this nonsense. This BIPOC Queer couple will not ever recommend you to anyone else. If we're able to save our community from being discriminated against by your establishment and your disregard for our time hopefully reading this will help them make an informed choice to go to other establishment in the area. August 10th 2024

BEST sandwiches in Davis!! Always delicious, good quality ingredients, and friendly staff. The lines are long, but move along quickly. They close @3pm, so go early!!! They are hiring because they are understaffed as well. I recommend the Viareggio, it's delicious! I've also been recommended to try their lemon tart, though I've never gone early enough for it to still be available. I also recommend getting your food, but eating elsewhere (the patio outside is small, and shaded; and when the line is out the door, you'll have people standing right next to your table). Instead, I recommend eating at the arboretum (bring a blanket!), at the farmer's market lawn on a Saturday paired with far-mar goodies, or outside of a coffee shop. Will be going again, of course!

I've been going to Zia's for years. They are quite wallet friendly and have the vibe of a true Italian deli. The staff are always friendly and make for a great experience. In my humble opinion, the viareggio on their soft roll bread is still the best sandwich I've ever had. There's something about that pesto mayo!

It was good. Not great but a solid good. Reasonable wait times, good made to order in front of you. Quality ingredients, reasonable portions. Bread was delicious. Cute store, teensy overpriced but to be expected in a specialty shop.

Lucca with pickles and onions hit the spot. Fast, correct order, great sandwich. Visiting the area but would absolutely go back.

The food is absolutely amazing but if you are in a rush beware they move like the sloths in Zootopia in the nicest way possible! They are super nice though.

Select menu of premium product. Great sandwiches, albeit a bit small. Very nice staff and pretty fast service. Can get pretty crowded inside as the queue grows - may be partially by design as there are lots of spontaneous purchase offerings. A bit expensive, but that probably just reflects the quality of the products.

Very good deli sandwiches in downtown Davis. Most authentic deli in town. Highly recommended.

The sandwiches are incredible. Best ingredients and combos. When I want a great lunch then I head here. I also enjoy the grocery section as well.

HEALTH CODE VIOLATION! We were at Zia's in Davis, June 12, and walked out after we saw two of the three staff handling cash from customers, then touching the food making sandwiches (bread and meats) multiple times with their "Bare Hands". This is a Major CA Health Code Violation Section 5, Number 6 under Major Violations (in red). https://www.solanocounty.com/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?blobid=11205 Gross!

I was delighted to find an authentic Italian style deli that allowed me to get a high quality, hand made sandwich for $8! That's almost unheard of these days. The younger man that made the sandwiches put so much care and effort into them, they were perfect. Portions were nice and toppings were spread out evenly (I care about that obvi). They have cute outdoor seating and a few spots indoors too. It seemed like a very friendly place where they probably have some regulars. Since it was our first time we aren't the regulars (yet)! Nice gelato/dessert options including just a quick truffle or candy. Quite a bit of sparkling water choices (yay) and teas too. Plenty of bread options to find one that truly suits your fancy. Yes they can add avocado to your sandwich, which I think made them taste even better. Just go here, you won't be disappointed to enjoy a tasty $8 sandwich made with love.

Absolutely amazing sandwiches. Had the Viareggio with avocado and pepperchinis. Glad this place was recommended to me recently. I'll certainly be back. Plus the organic ginger beer was amazing.

I tried the Viareggio sandwich and it was pretty good! I liked the soft bread, and all the ingredients were really fresh. The store also had a big variety of snacks and desserts which I hope to try soon!

Talk about a hidden gem! I am almost embarrassed to say that I had never heard of Zia's before eating there for lunch yesterday. I wholeheartedly regret not going sooner. I ordered their Viareggio Specialty Sandwich - a turkey, smoked mozzarella cheese, pesto-mayonnaise, lettuce, and tomato stuffed sandwich that absolutely hit the spot. the ingredients all tasted fresh and delicious but what really knocked it out of the park for me was the special "Zia's Pesto-Mayonnaise" that tied the whole thing together. Not to mention their excellent service. The person who helped me was beyond kind and even helped me with the pronunciation of some of the menu items (I am afraid I am not well versed Italian). The wait wasn't long at all but they still apologized for the delay - they aren't aware I would have waited much longer to eat a sandwich that good. And even if I had waited longer, spending any amount of time inside the deli is a treat. Do keep in mind though that their hours are only from 10am to 3pm. So if you're looking for a sandwich later in the day you'll be all out of luck here. I may have to try a few more of their menu items before I make bold statements like "Best Sandwiches in Davis" - but do know it may very well be deserving of such a title.

Great deli meats and delicious sandwiches. Don't forget to check the freezer area for sweet treats too!

We were looking for a deli or restaurant that had good quality fresh sandwiches. Nothing fancy or hipster-y. There were a few good vegetarian options for my bf which sometimes is difficult to find a place with more than one option. Zia's definitely met our expectations and we enjoyed our sandwiches at a bench nearby. They do have outdoor seating but they were closing ten min after we arrived.

I ordered through doordash, so I cant comment for the service or ambiance. I ordered the viareggio, and thought it was just ok. You can tell the ingredients that are used are good quality, but this just didnt hit it for me. As with most Davis staple restaurants, its just mid.

Stopped in this place after a quick yelp search for a good sandwich shop. We ordered 4 different deli sandwiches and they were all great. The rolls were perfect. Light and delicious but substantial enough to hold the sandwich together. There's nothing worse than a bread sandwich with a trash roll. The meat and fix-in's were all fresh and delicious. The staff was super nice and helpful with helping us make a decision on what to order. The place itself was clean and nice. We tried some of their pastries and my family and I all agreed their lemon bar was the best we've ever had. We definitely be back if we're in the area.