Restaurant scene is hopping in Fresno: Openings, closures + what’s coming soon
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Restaurants are coming soon, including EggBred, Tacos El Franc & Yosemite Falls reopening.
- Recently opened and reopened eateries include Bulle, Strada, Los Amigos, Tacos El Cabezon.
- Closures include a Teazer location, El Mariachi, Incinerati Brewing Co., KFC and more.
New restaurants are coming to Fresno. A few have closed — some quietly, some with a big grand finale — and a handful are back open after brief closures.
Whatever you think of Fresno’s restaurant scene, there is always something happening. Here’s a look at the ups and downs over the past month or so.
Some of the businesses we’ve done full stories about, which we link to. Other restaurant news is brand new.
Restaurants coming soon
EggBred is coming to Clovis. The trendy, franchised restaurant selling “craft breakfast sandwiches” is taking over the space once occupied by Hungry Bear Cookies at Willow and Nees avenues.
It was founded by a chef who appeared on “Chopped” and other TV shows.
It sells gourmet sandwiches on fluffy milk bread buns with fillings such as chorizo or fried chicken. It also has breakfast burritos, lunch sandwiches, avocado toast, eggs Benedict and breakfast poutine.
Work is expected to start inside the space in May, with the franchisee aiming to open in about three months.
Tacos El Franc is moving into the former Heroes Comics shop on Shaw Avenue near Highway 41.
That’s a taqueria with locations in Tijuana and San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter that’s gotten attention from the Michelin Guide (no stars, inspectors just recommend the food there).
Meats are grilled on mesquite charcoal and tacos are served with creamy avocado. There’s adobada made from pork marinated in smoky red seasoning, carne asada, chicken, suadero (fried beef brisket), tripe, lengua (beef tongue) and more.
The building is being heavily remodeled, and the owners are hoping to open this summer.
Yosemite Falls Cafe is close to reopening after a kitchen fire shut down its Blackstone and Shaw avenues location in August.
The business has been hiring workers and rebuilding its kitchen. It’s shooting for a mid-May opening, according to the owner.
New restaurants open
Bulle opened in late March, making a play to be the most upscale restaurant in town.
At Herndon and Marks avenues, the restaurant specializes in California modern cuisine made with European cooking techniques. It’s a sustainable farm-to-table restaurant that’s gone all out on its decor.
Expect caviar, an $82 top-of-the-line Wagyu coulotte steak and a $45 martini made with Belvedere vodka and olives topped with caviar.
Crème Paris sells boba drinks, crepes, and french fries in flavors such as sour cream and onion, barbecue and cinnamon sugar.
It opened recently a few doors down from the FoodMaxx at Kings Canyon Road and Clovis Avenue.
Los Amigos at Fresno Yosemite Internation Airport opened April 20 on concourse B.
The Mexican restaurant and mezcal bar is the same brand as the location at Blackstone and Shaw avenues, but operated by SSP America.
The menu includes tacos, breakfast burritos, chilaquiles, tortas, pan dulce and more. The full bar serves margaritas, micheladas and other cocktails.
Los Amigos is open from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily.
Strada Italian Sandwiches has opened in north Fresno next to Annesso Pizzeria at Friant Road and Fresno Street.
It’s the latest restaurant from local chef Jimmy Pardini of The Annex Kitchen, Annesso and Willow Osteria.
The gourmet sandwiches are served on fresh-baked focaccia bread sprinkled with olive oil and dusted with sea salt, with ingredients such as creamy fresh mozzarella spread and Tuscan salami.
Wine and beer are coming soon.
Restaurants reopening
Cali Rays Sourdough Deli may sound new, but it’s actually several former West Coast Sourdough locations operating under a new name.
The franchise owner rebranded to Cali Rays after the founder parted ways with the company and filed a lawsuit against his business partners.
Several have already rebranded and more are in the process. Soon, the one on West Shaw Avenue will be the only West Coast Sourdough left in the Fresno-Clovis area because it’s operated by a different owner.
Tacos El Cabezon has reopened its downtown Fresno location after the owner went missing and was found safe.
Its flagship location is at 1234 Fulton St., and is open seven days a week from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. It is currently not operating a taco truck.
Sierra Nut House has reopened in its new Fresno location, but only the retail side of its business.
The local seller of gift baskets full of nuts, fruit and other food moved from Blackstone and Nees avenues to the corner of Bullard and West avenues, in the former High Sierra Grill spot.
Its bistro and wine bar is coming as soon as permits are approved, said the owner.
Its store in Old Town Clovis remains open.
Restaurants that have closed
Araz Bakery announced it was selling the business and closing April 10.
The bakery at Shaw and Marks avenues sold Armenian baked goods, including lahmajoun (sometimes called Armenian pizza) and cheese borek.
Doll’s Kitchen, the soul food restaurant known for its fried chicken and collard greens, at Blackstone and Shaw avenues closed its restaurant a few months ago.
But the food truck is still operating. You can find it at 780 E. Nees Ave., near the Arco station just east of First Street. It’s there from 12:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays.
KFC closed two locations in late March: One on West Shaw Avenue near Brawley Avenue, and another at Ashlan and Fowler avenues in Clovis.
At least seven KFC restaurants have closed in the area in recent years. There are six locations left in Fresno and Clovis.
Incinerati Brewing Co., a craft brewery in Clovis, closed April 26. Founder Mike Sumaya ran the brewpub in addition to his day job as a brewer at Full Circle Brewing Co.
Challenges that led to the closure included fatigue at working two jobs, a location off the beaten path and not enough customers coming out, he said.
He got a new job at a brewery in South Dakota.
El Mariachi Mexican Restaurant at Bullard and Marks avenues closed in March.
But you haven’t seen the last of this 25-year-old restaurant. It is rebranding as Masa Madre and plans to reopen in a few weeks at the northeast corner of Bullard and Palm avenues.
Teazer World Tea Market at Sierra Vista Mall in Clovis has closed. The locally owned tea shop was in the outdoor portion of the mall.
The owner did not immediately return a message seeking comment about why it closed.
Teazer still has locations open in the Tower District, River Park and on West Shaw Avenue.
