Texas Desert Italian Deli
Bordo in Marfa, Texas is drawing regional attention as a "desert Italian deli" worth the drive across the state. The spot offers high-quality sandwiches, fresh pasta, and a unique vibe that's both rustic and refined. It shows that destination dining can thrive far from major metropolitan areas.
Bordo is the creation of chef Michael Anthony Serva and general manager Hannah Texie Bailey, who met while working at Marfa's acclaimed restaurant, Cochineal. After a stint in Houston, the duo returned to Marfa to open their own establishment, identifying a local craving for high-quality Italian sandwiches. The deli is housed in a converted 1930s-era mechanic's garage on West San Antonio Street. The venture, which opened in the spring of 2023, was a deliberate choice by Serva to offer something both true to his Italian heritage and more accessible to the community than fine dining. Chef Serva, a fourth-generation food professional whose great-grandfather was a butcher, mills his own heirloom flour and uses it to produce fresh pasta and wood-fired bread on-site. The menu also features seasonal gelato, imported charcuterie and specialty cheeses, with salami sourced from a cousin's company in California. The commitment to quality and craft has not gone unnoticed. In early 2025, Michael Anthony Serva was named a finalist for a prestigious James Beard Award as one of the best chefs in Texas. This recognition places Bordo within the small town's broader, nationally recognized culinary scene.
