Source: Dale Yurong, "Dine and Dish: Piemonte's Italian Deli in Fresno's Tower District," ABC30 Fresno, published October 31, 2024.
Piemonte's Italian Delicatessen is one of Fresno's longest-running food businesses. A 2024 ABC30 feature traced the shop's ownership and location history using interviews with the current operators.
According to that report, Gino and Olga Porasso opened the business in downtown Fresno in 1929. Larry and Joe Porasso later ran the deli before Neil and Nancy took over in 2001. The Olive Avenue location in the Tower District has drawn steady lunch crowds since 1966.
Neil Porasso told ABC30 that running the shop is "an honor because of the history." The segment notes that customers return for sandwiches, homemade sausage, and flavors that have stayed consistent across generations. When asked about retirement, he said they were "having too much fun right now" to set an end date.
The Tower District itself grew as a walkable neighborhood north of downtown Fresno, with the Tower Theatre opening in 1939. Today the area remains known for independent restaurants and small shops. Piemonte's fits that pattern: a family-owned counter where quality and routine matter.
Visit us at 616 E. Olive Avenue. Check map and directions, call (559) 237-2038, or plan an event with our catering menu.
