Article & Photography by ALICE ARMITAGE

In Griffith, food is never just food. It is history, migration, and hospitality embodied. Nowhere is that clearer than at La Piccola Grosseria, where owner Sam Trimboli has created a deli that is both deeply personal and deeply tied to the Riverina’s Italian story.

Sam’s father began with a van, selling Italian produce door-to-door in 1989. Sam grew up riding along, absorbing the rhythms of hospitality and community. By the time he was eighteen, he had found a shopfront that spoke to him — rustic, warm, and ready to house his vision. Over the past twenty-two years, Sam’s built his deli to reflect the city itself: Multicultural, generous and full of flavour. Turning it into a landmark of Griffith’s food culture.

From those modest beginnings, Sam built a place that feels like stepping into a slice of Italy. Coffee, added after his first trip to Europe, hums on the counter. Cannoli and biscotti tempt from the glass cabinet. Shelves are stacked with pasta, olive oil, and imported delicacies. But what binds it all is the atmosphere: warmth, familiarity, and the easy generosity that has long been Griffith’s trademark.

Agri-tourism here isn’t just about what’s on the plate, but about the cultural lineage it represents. Visitors find not just produce, but a community story. Festivals like Griffith’s A Taste of Italy extend that feeling citywide, but Sam’s deli offers it every day.

“This is my dream job because everything I love is inside these four walls – my family, my customers, my food,” Sam says. “What makes Griffith and the Riverina so special is the culture and hospitality. People come here and immediately feel welcome. It’s the best place in the world to live.
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— Ruben Lopez Mesa