Fossati’s Delicatessen in Victoria carries its age well.
Considered to be the oldest deli in Texas, the little diner two blocks off the town square is still owned by the Fossati family. The menu is the same great home cooking that has fed local folks and road warriors like Willie Nelson for over 142 years.
Fraschio “Frank” Napoleon Fossati arrived to Victoria from Italy during a period when the town was seeing a large influx of European immigrants. At the time the city had a population of 6,289 (it’s around 65,800 today).
A former stonecutter, Frank opened the first version of his eatery as a saloon in 1882. In 1895 he had the current building constructed with a long mahogany bar. A row of windows on the other wall flood the tables covered in red and white checkered tablecloths with light. The wooden building with double front doors was moved to the southeast corner of Juan Linn and Main streets in 1905.
As the business grew, Frank began diversifying the sandwiches he offered the drinking crowd and offering meals to shoppers in town on the weekends. His son, known as Uncle Kite, ran the deli until 1968.
By the 1980s the building was in danger of being condemned by the city. That’s when third- and fourth-generation Fossatis stepped in to pool their resources and save the building and the business. The deli reopened better than ever in 1985 with 33 family-member shareholders. In the back room is the family’s collection of hundreds of cookbooks.
The menu primarily covers homemade soups and deli sandwiches like muffulettas, Reubens, and a very popular chicken salad melt. Daily lunch specials feature delectables like meatloaf, lasagna, spaghetti, and King Ranch chicken.
Fossati’s Delicatessen is at 302 S. Main St. in downtown Victoria. The front screen door is unlocked Monday through Friday from 11am to 2pm.
1,739th in a series. Everywhere is a day trip from somewhere: Follow “Day Trips & Beyond,” a travel blog, at austinchronicle.com/daily/travel.
This article appears in January 24 • 2025.
