New restaurant/bakery in Fresno serves up Middle Eastern-themed breakfast and lunch
Fresno needs something different.
That’s what restaurateur Abdallah Qawadri thought when deciding to open a Middle Eastern bakery in northwest Fresno.
Yava Bakery and Cafe opened last month at the southwest corner of Palm and Nees avenues. It’s been bustling ever since.
And it is indeed something different.
When walking into the newly remodeled space, the first thing to catch your eye is the giant array of pastries on display: Five-layer red velvet cake, huge loaves of focaccia bread with cherry tomatoes and rosemary baked in, and pistachio croissants drizzled with green icing.
The restaurant is open for breakfast and lunch, with full meals available in addition to the baked goods.
Its menu is overflowing with Middle Eastern flavors, ones that are approachable even if you know nothing about the cuisine. Think pistachio, mint, cardamom, orange, and za’atar — the blend of herbs like oregano and sumac with sesame seeds.
The bakery/restaurant
But first, some background. Many readers will remember this space as Le Parisien Cafe, the French bakery that the owner said closed for personal reasons back in 2020.
It looks totally different now.
Yava owner Qawadri knocked down a wall to expand the business. It’s been completely remodeled and updated, with clean white subway tile and giant flower arrangements hanging from the ceiling.
It took a year and a half of work.
Qawadri is also the owner of the four Kabab City restaurants in the area (two in Fresno, and one each in Fowler and Reedley, with another scheduled to open in Merced next year).
Both Qawadri and his chef are Jordanian, though the flavors in their food are common to much of the Middle East, he said.
The name Yava is a reference to the ancient city of Yaffa (sometimes spelled Jaffa) in Palestine known for its oranges. Which is one reason there’s a Yava orange latte on the menu.
The food/menu
The full menu is huge.
“We just figured out we’re going to put everything in it,” Qawadri said.
For breakfast, there are omelets, baklava pancakes, salted caramel banana French toast and more.
One breakfast highlight? The shakshouka. Here, it’s a Moroccan version of the stewed tomatoes and veggies with fried eggs on top.
Tartines are also available, bread with toppings like smoked salmon, avocado or labneh, the spreadable Middle Eastern cheese.
For lunch, there are sandwiches, salads, soups and dishes like lasagna, and a squid ink pasta with shrimp.
Entree prices range from $15 to $22.
There are all kinds of espresso-based drinks, like creative lattes, along with smoothies. For the gym-goers visiting nearby GB3, there’s a smoothie with 50 grams of protein.
And that pastry case is filled daily with items that can be eaten for breakfast or dessert. They range from simple croissants to decadent chocolate raspberry cakes.
Yava uses Belgian chocolate (which is not overly sweet) and tries to make the treats not overly sugary.
“Everything you eat, it’s not too sweet,” Qawadri said. “It’s just perfection.”
Details: Yava Bakery and Cafe is at 7775 N. Palm Ave. Hours: 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Breakfast is served until 11 a.m. weekdays and noon on weekends, with lunch served until 3 p.m. Pastries and coffee are available from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
This story was originally published October 10, 2022 at 5:30 AM.
