Look at all the heart-shaped foods you can get in Fresno, plus ‘Valentacos’
Pizza in the shape of a heart is practically tradition on Valentine’s Day by now.
And of course chocolates in a heart-shaped box have always been popular, but what if you’re looking for something a little more unique for your Valentine?
It’s surprising this year just how many heart-shaped foods you can find at Fresno-area stores and restaurants, like doughnuts and locally made tortilla chips. One Fresno taqueria is upping their Valentine’s game by not just offering tacos in a heart-shaped box, but heart-shaped sopes.
Heart-shaped tortilla chips are made at La Tapatia Tortilleria’s factory in downtown Fresno. They come in both the typical color and a red version. In Fresno, you can buy them at La Tapatia’s store at the factory that’s open to the public at 104 E. Belmont Ave. near Palm Ave. (It’s also a good place to get giant bags of masa and tortillas.)
You can order the the chips via their website and find them at the AC Market at 3080 E. Olive Ave. in Fresno. They are also at several Best Buy Markets in Lemoore, Visalia, Hanford.
Conversation heart doughnuts are for sale at Krispy Kreme Doughnuts. Modeled after the candy conversation hearts, they come in pastel colors and have sayings like “crazy 4 U” and “so extra.” Each comes with one of four fillings: cake batter, strawberries and cream, raspberry and chocolate cream filled.
They’re available now through Feb. 14.
Krispy Kreme Rewards members can get a free one Wednesday, Feb. 6 with any purchase.
Heart-shaped sopes served in a heart-shaped box will be available from El Premio Mayor at at 3247 E. McKinley Ave. The restaurant will also have its “Valentaco” box with tacos in a heart-shaped box available again this year. Both will only be available on Valentine’s Day.
The box full of sopes (essentially thick tortillas piled high with meat and veggies) costs $13.99 and includes a drink. The six tacos in a heart-shaped box costs $17.99 and includes a drink.
The deal is first-come, first-serve and those tacos have proven popular in the past, so come early to this one.
More Mexican food in heart-shaped boxes is available at Bobby Salazar’s at 434 Clovis Ave. in Clovis. You can get a box full of enchiladas, tacos and a few other options.
Heart-shaped crackers from Fresno-based Valley Lahvosh have been a favorite in Fresno for years. The crackers have been made at the company’s M Street factory downtown since 1922. (Valley Lahvosh also makes regular crackers and others in the shape of Christmas trees and stars.)
You can find them at most Save Mart stores, The Market grocery store at Herndon and West avenues, The Meat Market (in both Fresno and Clovis), Sam’s Italian Deli and Ararat Market.
Heart-shaped ravioli from Costco is setting the internet atwitter. The four-cheese ravioli comes in red and white and is in the refrigerated section. It comes in a two-pack of 20-ounces of ravioli for $9.79.
It’s not clear, however, if they’re for sale in Fresno. The West Shaw Avenue store did not have them earlier this week, but that could change as Valentine’s Day gets closer.
Chicken nuggets in a heart-shaped box will be for sale at Chick-fil-A restaurants, along with a few other Valentine-themed options. The fast food chain has declared that “chicken is the new chocolate.”
The box has 30 nuggets, but unfortunately they’re not heart-shaped. You can also get six chocolate cookies in a heart-shaped box, or 10 Chick-fil-A minis in a heart-shaped box. Those are bite-size nuggets nestled in tiny yeast rolls coated with honey-butter spread.
The Valentine-themed food will be available through the end of February.
Vegan chocolates, some of them heart shaped, are also available in a heart-shaped box in Fresno. For the Friends (formerly Side Ho Vegan), which holds vegan pop-up events, is selling them for $15 in a heart-shaped box. To order, send a message via Instagram at @forthefriendsveg, on Facebook at Side Ho Vegan, or email at sidehovegan@gmail.com. The chocolates can be picked up at 1418 Fulton St. next to Warnors Theatre on Saturday, Feb. 9 or delivered to Fresno or Clovis for a fee.
Heart-shaped pizza is still popular, of course. Me-N-Ed’s will once again do its version, but several other pizza joints have gotten in on the action too. That includes The Pizza Pit at Cedar and Ashlan avenues and California Pizza Kitchen (which specifies they’re only available with a crispy thin crust).
This story was originally published February 5, 2019 at 9:00 AM.
