Tony's Deli on Palisade | Our Story
From grandmother's kitchen to Palisade Drive
Tony's Deli on Palisade is the neighborhood chapter of a longer story — one that started in a Southern California café, ran through some of Napa Valley's best kitchens, and landed right here in Santa Maria.
Where it started
Anthony Minniti, Jr. grew up helping his grandmother run her Southern California café — early, unglamorous kitchen work that turned a childhood interest into a real passion. That hands-on start is still the foundation of how Tony approaches food today.
The Culinary Institute of America
Tony enrolled at the CIA in Hyde Park, New York — widely regarded as the most rigorous culinary school in the country — and completed the program early, with honors. He was then awarded a fellowship to help open the CIA's West Coast campus in the Napa Valley.
Napa Valley restaurant years
Tony chose to stay in Wine Country, cooking at celebrated spots including Auberge du Soleil, Celadon, and Bistro Don Giovanni. That time shaped his eye for ingredient quality and his feeling for how food and wine work together.
Food Inc. and the road to Santa Maria
Tony brought those same standards home through Food Inc. of Santa Barbara — catering, private-chef work, weddings, and events — before opening Tony's Deli on Palisade, a community spot near Allan Hancock College built on the simple idea that everyone deserves great food.