This little downtown sandwich shop with a following has reopened in northwest Fresno
Remember Mabel’s Kitchen?
The downtown shop selling panini sandwiches with fresh-baked challah bread and other baked goodies has reopened in its new home.
It’s now inside Fresno Elite Carwash (formerly Jack’s Carwash) at the southwest corner of Herndon and West avenues. (It’s a carwash and convenience store, but the building has space for an extra business that has been both a boutique and a coffee shop in years past).
Normally, there are tables and chairs, but the business is doing takeout food for now, with a few tables outside.
Mabel’s used to be located inside Bitwise South Stadium on Van Ness Avenue in downtown Fresno. It closed in July 2019 with plans to reopen.
That took longer than expected. The shop reopened in March for nine days before deciding to shut things down again after California’s shelter-in-place order.
Now it’s back, reopening on Nov. 20, with owner Susan Valiant at the helm.
Saying goodbye to Mabel
One thing is missing, however, at the new place: Mabel herself. Mabel DeMorales is Valiant’s grandmother, who the restaurant is named after.
She died in August at age 99 of natural causes.
“We were really close. She was like my best friend, and I’m so happy to be that with her,” Valiant said. “She’s here with me right now. I talk to her all the time. I’m like, ‘Help me be strong through this, Grandma.’”
The food
There’s a limited menu this time around.
It includes Franklin dogs, which are hot dogs wrapped in challah bread.
There are paninis, like the turkey-pesto, the Cuban, and a breakfast panini. All come with Mabel’s trademark challah bread, including pickled pepper, jalapeno-cheddar, plain, and honey whole wheat.
Soups, small salads, pizza by the slice, and take-and-bake chicken pot pies are on the menu too, and occasionally, bierocks.
There are also cinnamon rolls and other rolls. They are challah rolls – a different type each day – with toppings and flavors like maple.
The owner is still figuring out permanent hours, but for now, Mabel’s is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
Details: 6745 N. West Ave., 559-681-2463.
This story was originally published December 4, 2020 at 10:52 AM.
