Pacific Coast Pasta Co. began as a food truck rolling through Amador and El Dorado counties and now has a permanent home in El Dorado Hills. The Italian-style deli has a menu to satisfy all lunchtime appetites—from salads and build-your-own sandwiches to gourmet sandwiches and pasta. Naturally, I tried a little bit of everything, starting with the Salami Sandwich—stacked high on my choice of bread (marble rye, of course!) and loaded with crisp veggies and cheese. My husband opted for the Slow-Smoked Tri Tip Sandwich, which had saucy meat on fresh-baked bread plus sautéed peppers and onions. My eyes lit up when I read “pasta bar,” so I decided to build my own with Cheese Tortellini & Pesto, which was cooked perfectly and topped with an ample amount of scratch-made pesto. We eagerly dug into our sandwiches and then split the pasta, making for an extremely filling, and mouthwatering, midday meal. But we weren’t done yet! I’m not one to pass up dessert, especially Italian dessert, so I tried the Sicilian Cannoli. The combination of crisp pastry shell and velvety filling plus chocolate chips was the best way to end our meal. Although we took our food to go, they offer plenty of seating (if you snag a spot by the mural, you may just think you’re in Venice), plus pre-packaged pasta dinners and sweet treats available for purchase. Be sure to stop by on weekdays or catch their food truck around town on weekends.

— by Bella Nolen
Whether you need a quick pick-me-up for lunch or an easy dinner solution, we rounded up five deli-cious spots that are sure to satisfy.

Better Foods Deli
900 Douglas Boulevard, Roseville, 916-782-2841
MUST-TRY: Antipasto Sandwich
 

 

Gularte’s Pizza & Deli
670 Pleasant Valley Road, Diamond Springs, 530-626-0550
MUST-TRY: Summer Medley Pizza

North Fork Deli
886 Lincoln Way, Auburn, 530-537-2182, northforkdeli.com
MUST-TRY: Italian Hero

Dominick’s Italian Market & Deli
8621 Folsom-Auburn Road, Granite Bay, 916-786-3355, dominicksmarketdeli.com
MUST-TRY: Stromboli

 

The Pastrami Shop
3101 Sunset Boulevard, Suite 4C, Rocklin, 916-824-1224, thepastramishopco.com
MUST-TRY: Pastrami Reuben