Texas Desert Deli Worth Drive
Bordo Marfa, an Italian deli in remote Marfa, Texas, is earning raves for its sandwiches, pastas, and imported Italian ingredients. Food explorers are calling it worth the drive across the state for this unexpected culinary oasis in West Texas desert landscapes.
Bordo is the creation of Chef Michael Anthony Serva and his partner Hannah Texie Bailey. Serva, a 2025 James Beard Award finalist, has a family history in the food industry, with a great-grandfather who was a butcher and a grandfather who was a restaurateur. Before opening Bordo, Serva honed his skills in San Francisco restaurants and as the chef at Marfa's acclaimed restaurant, Cochineal, where he met Bailey. The deli is housed in a renovated 1930s service station, adding to Marfa's distinctive utilitarian and creative aesthetic. The decision to open an Italian deli stemmed from Serva's desire to fill a culinary gap in the town, offering something different from the existing fine dining, pizza, and burrito spots. This focus on high-quality, accessible food aims to serve the local community as much as it does visiting foodies. A commitment to house-made ingredients is central to Bordo's acclaim. The kitchen produces its own stone-milled heirloom flours for fresh pastas and wood-fired bread. In addition to what's made on-site, the deli imports a careful selection of fine olive oils, charcuterie, and specialty cheeses directly from Italy and other quality suppliers. Beyond the popular sandwiches, Bordo's menu features a rotating selection of fresh pastas and seasonal gelato with inventive flavors like mulberry with fennel sprinkles. Customers can also purchase house-made pastas, such as strozzapretti and malfaldini, to take home. The deli even offers a "secret" vegan menu, ensuring a thoughtful and delicious option for plant-based diners.
