Fresno’s Fashion Fair is getting a new restaurant in a prime spot — with a big patio
A Southern California-based restaurant known for its burgers, bacon and beer is coming to Fresno.
Slaters 50/50 is opening in a prime spot at Fashion Fair, in the former Anthropologie store at the mall’s main entrance.
Work is already well underway on the restaurant and bar, with what appears to be patio in the works in the plaza in front of the mall.
The restaurant is a new heavy hitter for the mall, on par with the Cheesecake Factory, Fleming’s and BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse already on the property.
The spot Slater’s is moving into has been empty since Anthropologie moved to Fig Garden Village in late 2017.
What is it?
The name Slater’s 50/50 refers to its burgers made with 50% ground bacon and 50% ground beef.
The restaurant was founded by Scott Slater in 2009 in Anaheim Hills, and now has a dozen locations in California and four other states.
The franchised restaurant appears to be on an expansion kick, with three other locations in the works in California.
The restaurant has a sign out front that says it will open in spring of 2020, but obviously the coronavirus pandemic has delayed that.
It’s now shooting for an Oct. 1 opening, said manager Blake Foster. He expects to hire 50 to 60 employees.
Burgers and bacon are the stars of the show at this restaurant, along with a walk-up window for milkshakes and espresso drinks.
The restaurant considers bacon to be “meat candy” and it makes an appearance on many of its burgers. You can find it in the jalapeño bacon-jam on the bison bacon burger, and in the bacon chili spooned onto another burger with a layer of potato chips (yes, both are actually on the burger).
There’s a bacon flight appetizer dubbed “Pork-a-palooza.” It’s five types of bacon served on a board, including bacon kettle corn and bacon salt and vinegar chicharrones.
The restaurant also serves wings, flatbreads, loaded fries and milkshakes.
It also has extensive craft beer options and will have 65 taps. With constantly rotating taps, its website claims it offers over 1,000 different beers.
The restaurants also have full bars with wine and cocktails, like micheladas, margaritas and a maple-bacon Old Fashioned.
Opening during coronavirus
Although they’re not quite sure what local COVID-19 restrictions on restaurants will look like when Slater’s opens, they are ready for them, the manager said.
The patio normally can seat 60 and with additional temporary seating in the mall’s plaza, they will be able to seat 100 people.
The Fresno location will also have something most other Slater’s locations don’t – a walk-up counter for milkshakes and espresso drinks. Customers don’t have to walk inside the restaurant to order.
Slater’s tried it inside the mall where it’s located in Valencia, and decided to bring it to Fresno. It will be just to the left of the front doors.
The restaurant has a full menu of espresso-based drinks like lattes, along with milkshakes.
“Slater’s is known for doing these really big, over-the-top milkshakes,” Foster said.
So you can get a s’mores milkshake with four toasted marshmallows and the ingredients for a s’more inside.
There’s also a birthday milkshake, complete with a cupcake and sparklers.
There are “adult” milkshakes too, including one with cold brew coffee and vanilla vodka in it.
This story was originally published August 10, 2020 at 1:20 PM.
