Top retail news in May: Hummus Republic; priciest homes; a $772 meal; Tabachines Cocina wins
May brought a steady drumbeat of activity to the Fresno-area retail and restaurant scene, with high-end dining debuts, multiple closures, a chef’s health scare, a luxury home market that crested past $5 million and a Clovis brewery sweeping national hard seltzer awards. Here’s a roundup of top retail stories from May covering openings, expansions, rebrands and the changing face of dining, drinking and shopping across Fresno, Clovis, Visalia and surrounding communities reported by The Fresno Bee.
Here are The Fresno Bee’s top retail stories from May to catch you up
‘Closed until further notice.’ What’s up with this Fresno-area franchise?
All three Hummus Republic restaurants in the Fresno area posted “Closed until further notice” signs by May 15, and the Visalia location shut down April 30 after about five years. The Visalia owner cited a negative franchise experience and an expiring lease, while Hummus Republic franchisees nationally must invest between $207,500 and $659,000 plus a 6% weekly royalty.
Fresno’s ‘most high-end restaurant’ and the childhood in Mexico that inspired it
Tabachines Cocina in north Fresno was voted the area’s most high-end restaurant in a Fresno Bee poll, narrowly edging Trelio. Owner Consuelo Alvarado opened the spot in Los Angeles in 2014 and moved it to Fresno in 2018, building a menu inspired by her mother Elena Maravilla’s seasonal cooking in Guadalajara.
A $444 steak? What’s the most expensive meal at a Fresno-area restaurant?
The area’s priciest meal tops $2,135 at The Elderberry House in Oakhurst, a total that includes a $1,960 bottle of wine. Sukai at Table Mountain casino offers a $444 A5 Kagoshima Wagyu New York strip steak, with a full meal reaching $772 alongside a $300 pour of whiskey.
See the 5 most expensive homes nestled in Fresno neighborhoods currently for sale
The most expensive home currently for sale in Fresno is listed at $5,295,000, a gut-renovated residence reimagined by AD100 designer Billy Cotton along the San Joaquin River. The property last sold for about $1.75 million in 2021, and buyers would need a gross annual income of at least $500,000 to finance most of the city’s top luxury listings.
Chef closes Fresno restaurant after health scare, returning home from hospital
Chef Eddie Sixayratransy closed his Fresno restaurant My Guy Market to focus on recovery after undergoing heart surgery at UCSF in April. The chef, who introduced Fresno to chopped cheese sandwiches over four years on Belmont and Roosevelt, was readmitted to a Fresno emergency department this week, his current condition unclear.
Restaurant scene is hopping in Fresno: Openings, closures + what’s coming soon
The Fresno-Clovis dining scene saw a wave of openings and closures over the past month, with newcomers including EggBred, Tacos El Franc, Bulle and Tengu Ramen & Sushi. Closures hit Araz Bakery, Doll’s Kitchen, two KFCs, Incinerati Brewing Co. and Teazer World Tea Market, while Yosemite Falls Cafe and Tacos El Cabezon reopened.
This Clovis brewery is gaining a reputation for one thing – and it’s not beer
Crow & Wolf Brewing Co. in Clovis swept the hard seltzer category at the 2026 Brewers Cup of California, taking gold, silver and bronze for the second time in three years. The brewery’s top seller is Dark Wolf, a boysenberry and vanilla seltzer designed to taste like sorbet, and it ranked No. 3 nationally in 2024 and 2025.
Coffee roaster opening two new eateries, including at a prominent Fresno corner
Fabiano Coffee Roasters is opening a new Mediterranean cafe at Alluvial Avenue and Fresno Street, targeting an end-of-June debut. Owner Hamed Alghazali, a Yemeni immigrant and U.N. policy advisor who bought the business in 2023, also opened Rumi Baklava on May 1 at 2767 W. Shaw Ave., featuring Syrian pastries by chef Anas Hamad.
What’s happening at West Coast Sourdough? Restaurants rebrand in Fresno, Clovis
Franchise owner Raj Singh began rebranding West Coast Sourdough locations as Cali Rays Sourdough Deli in March, affecting restaurants in Porterville, Visalia, Fresno and Clovis. Founder Kay Uppal sued his business partners in late February over alleged breach of fiduciary duties and asset diversion, while Singh blamed rising food costs and weakening company support for the rebrand.
NY flavor can’t stop Fresno restaurant closure after 4 months. Road work took toll
Big Apple Platters NYC, a New York-style halal restaurant in Fresno, closed after just four months despite 27 five-star Google reviews and a March award as the area’s top fast food restaurant. Owner Shaan Singh blamed street construction on Herndon Avenue that blocked entryways to the 76 gas station hosting the restaurant, prompting delivery services to drop it and eliminating foot traffic.
The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.
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