Why We Trust Gibaldi’s Bread: The Story Behind Our Sandwiches
The Bread That Makes the Sandwich: Our Partnership With Gibaldi’s
When we took over Executive Deli, we inherited a lot of things: recipes, regulars, rhythms, and yes — a long‑standing relationship with Gibaldi’s Bread, a beloved San Diego bakery known for soft, full, flavorful loaves. The previous owners had already been using them, and we simply continued the partnership. But over time, we discovered for ourselves why that decision mattered.
What we didn’t expect was how much our customers cared about bread.
The Squaw Bread Story: A Customer‑Driven Discovery
One of our earliest surprises came from a simple question we heard again and again:
“Do you have Squaw bread?”
At the time, the answer was no. The previous owners hadn’t used it, and we didn’t think much of it… until enough customers asked that we finally picked up the phone and called Gibaldi’s.
They said yes — they did make Squaw.
So we ordered one loaf to try.
And that was it.
One bite and we were sold.
Soft, full, slightly sweet, with that unmistakable depth of flavor… it was everything people had been asking for and more. Now it’s one of our quiet favorites — especially on a BLT. Something about the sweet bread with the salty bacon is just crave‑worthy.
Why We Stick With Gibaldi’s Bread
All of their bread has this signature quality: soft, full, and flavorful. It’s the first thing you taste in a sandwich, and it sets the tone for everything else. Bread isn’t a background player — it’s the foundation.
Most of our sandwich‑bread pairings were established long before we arrived, and the previous owners really knew what they were doing. We’ve kept those combinations because they simply work. The only pairing we’ve added is Squaw with the BLT — and we stand by it wholeheartedly.
Our Natural Bread Pairings
French Roll
Pairs with: The Italian, Chicken Supreme
Why: Sturdy enough for hearty fillings, soft enough for a great bite.
Sourdough
Pairs with: Our default bread, plus the Turkey Pesto Panini, Spicy Roast Beef Panini, Spicy Chicken Panini
Why: Lightly sour, balanced, and perfect when toasted.
Rye
Pairs with: The Tuna Melt, Hot Pastrami & Swiss, and The Reuben
Why: Rye has that classic deli depth — hearty for pastrami, tangy for a Reuben, and perfect for a melt.
Squaw
Pairs with: The BLT
Why: Sweet + smoky bacon = unbelievably satisfying.
Wheat & White
Pairs with: Everyday favorites — and White is hands‑down the best choice for an Egg Salad Sandwich.
Why: Soft, reliable, familiar… and if you’re anything like me, egg salad is perfect as is — no lettuce, no tomato, just the good stuff on soft white bread
A Partnership Worth Keeping
We didn’t start this partnership ourselves, we inherited it. But once we tasted their bread we understood why the previous owners trusted them. Some partnerships are worth keeping and this one absolutely is.
Keep Reading
A Sweet Pairing for Your Sandwich
Read: Sweet Surprises: How Soft Serve Came to Executive Deli — Soft serve is officially coming to Executive Deli, thanks to two dear friends who helped us bring something new to Mission Valley.
Our Day-to-Day Stewardship
Read: Waste Not, Welcome More — Our Partnership with Too Good To Go: How we steward what we’ve been given and welcome more people to the table.
Looking Back and Forward
Read: 2025: A Year in Review — Our First Year Owning the Deli
A look back at expanded soups, customer favorites, and the community that shaped our first year