Step Inside This Arizona Italian Market And It Feels Like A Quick Trip To Europe
An Italian market in an industrial neighborhood sells Shepherd’s Pie as a bestseller. Yes, really. It also flies an Italian flag from its roof, so you can spot it among the warehouses.
The shepherd’s pie makes sense once you know the owner’s story. She was born in Calcutta, raised in Israel, and lived across Europe before settling in Arizona.
So next to the lasagna, you’ll find curry, spatzle, and moussaka sharing freezer space like old friends.
The short version calls it an Italian grocery store. That’s the short explanation, anyway.
It’s also a deli, a lunch spot, a catering kitchen, and a supplier for local restaurants. Clearly, that needs more than one sentence.
Follow The Italian Flag Past The Warehouses
Roma Imports sits in a spot you’d never stumble onto by accident. The neighborhood is industrial, with warehouses and a few homes scattered around.
That’s exactly why the building is so fun to find. Its white exterior features the red, white, and green colors of the Italian flag.
Then come the doors and windows. Colorful painted flowers bloom across them, which is a cheerful touch in a desert city.
The contrast is honestly part of the charm. One minute you’re passing industrial buildings, and the next you’re facing a little slice of Italy.
Inside, tall shelves hold imported groceries, while refrigerated cases stretch toward the dining area. Everything shares a relatively compact space, giving the store the character of a traditional neighborhood market.
This is a destination stop, not a drive-by errand. The location makes it especially memorable among Arizona’s Italian food shops.
Finding it feels like a small victory. Think of it as a treasure hunt where the treasure is a sandwich.
A Wholesale Business Grew Into Something Much Bigger
Back in 1984, this place mostly sold Italian food to restaurants. It started as a wholesale business called Roma Imports of America.
Everything shifted in 1999. That’s when Lilian Spieth bought the business and started reshaping it.
Under her direction, it grew into a retail store, deli, restaurant, and catering operation. That’s a lot of jobs for one building.
Her background helps explain the unusually international menu. Born in Calcutta, she spent her teenage years in Israel before living in England, Turkey, Denmark, and Germany.
Those experiences eventually influenced the dishes prepared in the Tucson kitchen.
The wholesale roots remain part of the operation. Roma Imports still supplies homemade sausages and specialty Italian ingredients to local restaurants.
The business also remains family-run, with the founder of its retail era and her daughter working together in 2026.
Few Arizona specialty markets combine restaurant supply, imported groceries, and an extensive prepared-food kitchen quite like this one.
Shelves Packed Like An Italian Grandmother’s Pantry
Hard-to-find ingredients are the whole point of the grocery side. If a recipe has stumped your regular supermarket, this is where you look next.
The shelves carry DOP tomatoes and imported olive oils. Serious home cooks know those details matter.
Pasta lovers get plenty of shapes to choose from. Think orzo, rigatoni, farfalle, lasagna noodles, and tiny varieties suitable for soup.
Then there are the extras that make browsing dangerous. Jams, spreads, canned goods, and imported cookies and candies all compete for basket space.
The cheese selection deserves its own moment. You’ll find Italian varieties such as gorgonzola, Pecorino Romano, and Parmigiano Reggiano, along with Spanish manchego.
Fresh mozzarella, ricotta, and burrata add options for salads and homemade pasta dishes.
The space is packed, but high ceilings and bright lighting keep everything easy to explore.
Here’s some practical advice for your trip. Bring a reusable shopping bag, because leaving with only one item might require considerable willpower.
The Deli Counter Is Where Your Willpower Goes On Vacation
Prosciutto, pancetta, guanciale, speck, bresaola, coppa, and soppressata. Just reading that list feels like a mini trip to Italy.
The deli counter at Roma Imports is full service. Staff slice Italian and Spanish cured meats along with a wide range of cheeses.
Pastrami makes an appearance too. It’s a nice reminder that this shop doesn’t stick to one rulebook.
Buying cold cuts here opens up home cooking options. Build your own sandwiches, prepare an antipasto platter, or upgrade a simple pasta night.
Guanciale is a great example of why this counter matters. Classic Roman carbonara traditionally uses cured pork cheek, an ingredient that can be difficult to find in ordinary supermarkets.
Homemade sausages are another part of the operation, connecting the retail counter with the business’s original wholesale purpose.
Nearby refrigerated cases contain stuffed peppers, marinated vegetables, olives, and other prepared appetizers. The combination makes assembling a substantial Italian meal surprisingly convenient.
These Sandwiches Have Names Worth Saying Out Loud
Ordering the Roma Stallion just sounds heroic. It’s porchetta with a choice of mild or spicy giardiniera, and the name alone earns a smile.
The Ultimate Roma is a substantial Italian combination of capocollo, Genoa salami, mortadella, and provolone.
Then come giardiniera, roasted red peppers, lettuce, tomato, and balsamic vinaigrette. That’s a full Italian lineup on one roll.
Want even more? Matt’s Special takes the Ultimate Roma and adds prosciutto plus fresh mozzarella.
Hot sandwiches have their own appeal. Milano Meatball Magic brings Italian meatballs, homemade marinara, and melted provolone together.
The Chicken Parmesan sandwich features grilled chicken with marinara, Parmesan, and provolone. Pesto Chicken offers roasted peppers, artichoke hearts, and cheese.
Salads round things out for lighter appetites. Options include an antipasti salad and a tomato mozzarella combination.
Ordering is straightforward. Choose your meal at the counter, then enjoy it in the dining area or take it along.
Red-Checkered Tables Make Lunch Feel Like A Little Escape
La Taverna is the cozy little dining area at the back. Its tables wear red-checkered tablecloths, the classic Italian trattoria look.
A mural on the back wall adds even more color. It gives the room a cheerful, old-world feel.
The atmosphere is casual, with the grocery shelves and refrigerated cases only a short distance from the tables.
Lunchtime brings the sounds of counter orders, conversation, and dishes coming from the kitchen. That energy is part of what makes the room feel like a neighborhood café.
The dining space developed after sandwiches became a successful addition to the original wholesale business.
Its relatively small size keeps lunch connected to the market rather than feeling like a separate restaurant.
Eating here has a certain charm, though. Sitting at a checkered table with a plate of pasta feels like you crossed an ocean without packing a suitcase or showing a passport.
Your Freezer Is About To Become Very Well Traveled
Eight varieties of lasagna appear among the prepared dishes. Add stuffed pasta, baked ziti, and chicken Parmesan, and dinner decisions suddenly get harder.
The kitchen makes many items from scratch. Fresh sauces include marinara and Bolognese, while refrigerated and frozen cases hold meals ready for home preparation.
Here’s where the owner’s global story shows up on your plate. The lineup goes well beyond Italy.
You’ll find Saag Paneer, Indian curries, homemade spätzle, and lamb moussaka among the international specialties.
Shepherd’s Pie is another unexpected addition. An Italian market in Arizona selling this British comfort-food classic is delightfully surprising.
Classic Italian dishes such as eggplant Parmesan and chicken cacciatore remain part of the selection. Gluten-free beef lasagna and vegetarian preparations provide additional choices.
The homemade dinner collection includes individual portions and larger family-style meals, making it useful for different occasions.
A practical tip goes a long way here. Bring a cooler bag on warm Tucson days so your frozen purchases arrive home in good condition.
Save Room, Because The Cannoli Deserve Attention Too
Cannoli are a pretty convincing excuse to leave room for dessert. Roma Imports carries traditional filled shells, along with chocolate-dipped versions.
Here’s a fun twist. The market also sells cannoli cream separately, so you can fill pastry shells at home.
That could make you the hero of your next family gathering. Nobody needs to know how easy it was.
The dessert selection keeps going from there. Lemon ricotta cookies, rainbow cookies, almond pastries, and pignoli cookies bring several traditional Italian flavors together.
Homemade bread pudding with apples and raisins offers something warm and comforting.
Panna cotta and gelato provide cooler options, while chocolate cakes and other pastries give chocolate lovers plenty to consider.
The store also carries imported Italian sweets, including almond nougat, specialty cookies, and chocolates.
A smart strategy is to browse the dessert cases before deciding how much lunch to order. Otherwise, your appetite may have ambitious plans of its own.
A Few Smart Moves Before You Head To Barrio San Antonio
Getting here is part of the adventure. Roma Imports sits at 627 S Vine Ave, Tucson.
The neighborhood is Barrio San Antonio, a historic district in Tucson. It’s close to the Padre Kino statue near South Kino Parkway and East 15th Street.
Parking takes a little planning. The small lot out front has limited spaces, with additional street parking in the surrounding area.
Timing also matters with a daytime schedule. Roma Imports opens Monday through Saturday from 9 AM to 6 PM and stays closed on Sundays.
Arriving with enough time to browse makes sense, especially if you’re planning to eat lunch and fill a grocery bag.
Hosting a party or event? Catering is a major part of the business, with prepared dishes, sandwich selections, and platters suitable for gatherings.
Arizona has plenty of great food stops. Still, few let you buy guanciale, eat a meatball sub, and bring home curry in one visit to a building wearing the colors of the Italian flag.
