Two new sandwich shops are open in Fresno – with fried pickles and baklava on the menu
Fried pickles. Baklava. A mortadella and provolone sandwich.
These are just a few of the different options on the menu at two new sandwich shops in Fresno.
The Pickled Deli and Koko’s Deli are both independently owned restaurants that opened in recent months. They have one thing in common: The owners are former Deli Delicious franchisees.
Both decided to launch their own sandwich restaurants, but with some twists on the menu.
The Pickled Deli opened in March in the former Full O Bull at Nees Avenue and First Street, in the same shopping center as Smart & Final Extra!
It’s a sandwich shop with all the regular options – turkey, tuna and a French dip – available in various sizes. The chicken and tri-tip are marinated in house and bread comes from the Basque French Bakery in downtown Fresno.
The No. 1 seller? A hot pastrami and provolone sandwich made with sauerkraut and Thousand Island dressing.
The Pickled Deli is a second location for owner Nick Huerta, with the first on Mooney Boulevard in Visalia. Huerta graduated from Buchanan High School in 1999 and spent 20 years in the Army before running a sandwich shop.
Switching from a Deli Delicious franchisee to a locally owned business gave him a little more freedom on the menu and the decor.
“There’s things that you can never do as a franchisee,” he said. “All I did was go back to a mom-and-pop, independently owned feel.”
So the former high school football player has pictures of his favorite team, the Kansas City Chiefs, on the wall, for example.
And there are pickles on the menu, of course.
“Being pickles are in the name, I had to really bring it,” Huerta said.
The fried slices of pickles are breaded and seasoned with just a hint of spice and can be dipped in ranch dressing.
The name The Pickled Deli comes from Huerta’s love of Pickle Rick. That’s a character in the animated series “Ricky & Morty” in which scientist Rick turns himself into a pickle to avoid going to family therapy.
Huerta even thought about naming the restaurant The Pickled Nick, but copyright worries deterred him.
Details: The Pickled Deli is at 7753 N. First St. Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. 559-840-1152.
Koko’s Deli
Koko’s Deli is at Clinton and Brawley avenues, just around the corner from Save Mart. The restaurant was a Deli Delicious since 2014. In September reopened as Koko’s.
It’s still a sandwich shop, with a long list of hot and cold sandwiches, salads and fried sides.
The turkey and provolone cheese sandwich is popular, along with the vegetarian sandwich with cucumbers and avocados.
One of the most popular sandwiches is the chicken club, which comes with your choice of sauces: chipotle, barbecue, Buffalo, ranch or garlic Mediterranean.
Koko’s has added a few menu options you might not find as often at your neighborhood sandwich shop.
Like the mortadella (an Italian sausage with speckles of extra pork fat) and provolone cheese sandwich.
Or onion rings and four kinds of fries (including sweet potato).
“I can do my own things, my new creations, new sauces,” said owner Krikor “Greg” Jalhayan.
Part of that is bringing his Mediterranean background to the menu.
That garlic Mediterranean sauce, for example, is something you don’t see on most sandwich shop menus.
It’s also why baklava is available for dessert.
Falafel is headed to the menu next.
Jalhayan is Armenian and was born in Syria. The name Koko is a reference to him. Koko is a nickname for Krikor, and something his family and Armenian customers call him.
Details: Koko’s Deli is at 4021 W. Clinton Ave. Hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. 559-374-5875.
This story was originally published June 2, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
