Dine and Dish: Piemonte's Italian Deli in Fresno's Tower District

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Customers have been packing Piemonte's Italian Delicatessen on Olive Avenue in Fresno's Tower District since 1966.

"I'll answer the phone and 'I want a Piemonte.' That's it. Give me a name and they hang up, that's it," Piemonte's co-owner Neil Eberwein laughs.

The Piemonte sandwich, which comes with two different salamis, mortadella, ham and provolone cheese, can be served up at least 250-300 times a day. Often times bought in bulk by locals.

"The turkey avocado runs a close second and our hot sandwiches, the New York hot pastrami is real popular. Meatball, the sausage," Nancy Eberwein says.

Neil and Nancy Eberwein rely on their hardworking team to help when times, especially during the holidays, get crazy.

"These kids do everything. We answer the phone but we have a hard time doing that because we can't hear anymore," Neil laughs.

"Holidays are crazy around here. Crazy good," Nancy says.

Neil and Nancy took over Piemonte's in 2001 from Larry and Joe Porasso. Their parents, Gino and Olga, started the business in downtown Fresno in 1929.

"We consider it to be an honor because of the history," Neil says.

"A lot of people are like, 'we cannot make a sauce - meaning a spaghetti 'gravy' or sauce, whichever - without your sausage in it.'" Nancy says.

"We got some phone calls when we first bought the place. I guess you could call them threats. Don't mess up with that sausage recipe," Neil recalls.

Piemonte's offers a variety of sausages, from the northern sweet sausage that is mainly garlic, to their top-selling medium and their spicy hot sausage.

"My mother's southern Italian. They're all fromCalabria. The toe of the boot. It'sCalabria. They call themCalabrese. We call themCala-crazy," Neil laughs.

Shoppers know they have the meat. But they also come for hard-to-find cheeses and their most popular macaroni, potato and pasta salads.

The salads go hand in hand with their conveniently packaged take-out Lasgna, which is made with homemade sauce and sausage.

The Piemonte's name has been synonymous with quality and flavors that have served generations.

"It's an old business, old established business so you have to treat it very carefully," Neil says. "People say when are you going to retire. I don't know. We're having too much fun right now."

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