Before discovering Tony’s on Palisade, Craig Diamantopoulos was indifferent about driving with his wife to her doctor’s appointments. She commutes from their home in Lompoc to the Marian Regional Medical Center campus in Santa Maria. But for months now, Diamantopoulos has insisted on making the trek with his wife so he can grab a bite.
In the unlikely spot of the Marian Hancock Medical Building lobby, a 10-month-old delicatessen offers breakfast, lunch, sweets, and beverages made with local, organic ingredients. Diamantopoulos thinks Tony’s has become a destination for the medical center.
For the love of sandwiches
Tony’s on Palisade is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The deli is located at 116 S. Palisade Drive in Santa Maria. Order on DoorDash or online at foodincsb.com. Follow on Instagram @tonysonpalisade.
Diamantopoulos’ favorite menu item is the bacon breakfast burrito, which comes stuffed with hash browns, scrambled eggs, and cheddar cheese. Staff make sure to drizzle salsa inside the burrito for Diamantopoulos, just the way he likes it.
“I have to say, this is the best burrito I’ve had, and I’ve lived on the Central Coast since ’08,” Diamantopoulos told the Sun.
Tony’s also makes an incredible macchiato and half-pound cookies fresh from the skillet, he added. The regular customer appreciates that staff make everything from scratch, rather than unwrapping Costco muffins for their display cases like some cafes.
From the outside, deli food might seem simple, but Diamantopoulos believes owner Tony Minniti approaches everything with balance and great care.
“He’s an artisan,” Diamantopoulos said. “He really has a craftsman-like approach to it.”
Minniti is a trained chef hailing from fine dining. In previous roles, he headed culinary teams at Fess Parker Winery and The Willows at the Chumash Casino Resort.
More recently he helped make 2,000 sandwiches every week for the Santa Maria-Bonita School District. When that gig ended, he kept riding the sandwich train. The chef’s philosophy is that if he’s going to do anything, including at the deli level, he’s going to strive to be the best. It comes from a place of passion and heart.
“I’ve always loved a great deli sandwich,” Minniti said.
Minniti takes his time with every ingredient and takes immense pride in his sandwiches. The chef prepares turkey breast and beef in the good ol’ Santa Maria barbecue-style way, over an open flame.
Then, he sous-vides the turkey to finish it off. Try it on Tony’s Roasted Turkey sandwich with tomatoes, basil pesto mayo, fire roasted peppers, mozzarella, and lettuce. Produce comes from Sunrise Organic Farm in Buellton when available.
Minniti’s favorite is The Italian, with four kinds of meat imported from Italy, sharp provolone, pepperoncini, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, mayo, mustard, and a homemade vinaigrette. Order it cold or baked.
“Believe it or not, they’re two distinct things,” the chef said.
Wash a bite down with one of Minniti’s special drinks. He jazzes up iced tea with muddled fruit, citrus juice, and flavored syrup. He adds a similar twist to Red Bull or lemonade.
For customers looking for an ooey-gooey sweet treat, the deli’s half-pound cookies are something to write home about. Minniti said he likes turning people on to new things, like his non-traditional oatmeal cookie.
Though you’ll never go wrong with chocolate chip, the oatmeal confection is a showstopper. In one bite you could get toffee, bittersweet and dark chocolate, and cranberries. If a customer calls ahead or has 30 minutes to spare, Minniti will bake cookies to order.
“It’s got to be a good 30-minute window because they have to cool a little bit,” Minniti said. “My favorite is the chocolate chip. I think the oatmeal kills them all.”
Feeding the community is one thing Minniti loves about his job. His current post at the Marian Regional Medical Center campus welcomes a broad representation of the Central Coast community. Most are patients coming in for appointments or medical staff. Minniti said it feels gratifying to serve them.
“Knowing that I can make somebody happy through their stomach, feed them and nourish somebody—and that they enjoy it—it’s always made me happy,” Minniti said. “That kind of drives me.”
The other bunch of his customers likely came across the deli after a doctor’s appointment but now make an effort to return, like Diamantopoulos and his wife.
Minniti and his team don’t take anything for granted. They pay attention to all of their customers.
The chef has big dreams for the deli’s future. For now, he’s starting small, building up a following, and showing the community that Tony’s on Palisade makes a damn good sandwich.
Staff Writer Madison White will be returning to try Tony’s breakfast burrito. Send salsa and eggs her way at mwhite@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in April 30 – May 7, 2026.