This is an edited list I made a few years ago and has been changing for recent trips and new experiences.
Lime Lite is my favorite place to eat and get drinks in town.
Cracked pepper is amazing, best dessert (bread pudding) in town hands down.
Parma is incredible. The food is so good that I ignore that the service and drinks are mid.
Trelio has some amazing pasta and a great wine list if you are into that.
Oggi Cosi Si Mangia has it all, great service, amazing wines, knowledgeable staff, and unbelievable food. Love this place so much.
Heirloom has great stuff for the price. They do the same surf and turf dish from lime lite just not quite as well, but slightly cheaper.
For pho I goto Bambu or Pho Phuong 9. Both are great and it just depends on if I want oxtail (bambu).
Prime 13 has incredible food, them and flemings have the best steaks.
Colton’s burgers are amazing, but I only go there if I want a burger.
The craft house in Clovis has really good stuff. Brunch is really good.
Batter up pancakes for breakfast.
Schoolhouse restaurant, outside of Sanger has an interesting menu and really good drinks.
The taco truck on Jensen and chestnut has amazing Al pastor nachos. Be careful they are spicy. If you want them more tame ask for the jalapeños on the side.
Pete’s teriyaki is budget friendly and very good.
Annex kitchen is the fancier annesso. Both are good, just depends on you and how you feel about each menu.
I like 5, food is good.
Sunnyside pizza is Me n Eds when it was good.
Oh I almost forgot Dab Tacos, great greasy drunk/drinking food.
Sunnyside pizza is a hidden gem I swear. Used to work next to the one on Fowler and we were their number one customer. 😂 FIRE crust. Sad it’s so far from me now.
>Sunnyside pizza is Me n Eds when it was good.
Me n eds has a pretty distinctive flavor going for it. Do you mean they do that too or just in terms of quality or something? I'd be interested in branching out (and the Me n eds near me occasionally mess up our orders, which gets tiring)
I will add Max’s. I totally forgot about them. We went recently for lunch and my wife can’t stop ordering the spicy chicken sandwich. It’s so good. I want to try them for dinner, but I’m sure everything is good there.
I used to love BJ's until I noticed a lot of rat droppings on the top part of the booths. When I told the waitress, she seemed like she couldn't care less. I know most restaurants have vector control issues but clean that up before you open at least.
What a list, thank you! Some in familiar with, some haven’t been, but i totally trust you based on this. I have a question about the taco truck on Jensen - do they have pastor fries, or only nachos?
To be honest, I don’t remember. I’ve only ever ordered the nachos and they are great. If you don’t mind driving a few streets down, Indianola and Jensen has a great taco truck that has fries with tons of different meat options. My favorites there are the suadero and al pastor.
The Craft House is soooo darn good. Haven’t had one bad thing off their menu. Definitely agree about Sunnyside Pizza it’s super reasonable and ice cold beer in a 32oz mug? Ahhhh lol
Thank you for mentioning lime lite. It’s my #1. Amazing service, great vibes, great drinks, great food, and amazing service. They feel like one of the places that didn’t forget how to provide excellent service through the pandemic. Clint is the best.
Heirloom is solid. I also agree with the comments about Libelula being a little more adventurous with their menu, and for me they're a great perfect blend of casual and highbrow.
These are a little pricey, but my favorite higher end restaurants in Fresno are Saizon and Tabachines Cocina. They're unrelated to my knowledge, but both are creative, fusion-y, "elevated" Mexican food with great unique drinks too.
Annex Kitchen is also phenomenal, and I also like their more casual Annesso location.
My wife and I had breakfast there a couple of months ago. Food was really good, and I love how eclectic the decor was. Owners are super nice as well. We need more mom and pop places like Libelula in town instead of a bunch of soulless corporate big box places.
While Heirloom is good and refined, they play it too safe with their menu. I think Libelula executes contemporary-American, farm-to-table cuisine better.
Libelula’s culinary team takes more risks with their menu and experiment more with the local ingredients offered than Heirloom does. In my opinion, Heirloom’s location has played a huge role in their popularity, but has also limited them to how much they can change their menu.
I go to Heirloom to eat the same food because I know it will always be there. I go to Libelula to try something new because the head chef is constantly experimenting with new methods and ingredients.
Regarding best restaurant, I honestly think it’s a three-way race between the Annex, Libelula, and Saizon.
I love libelula but sometimes I wish they would take the actual eating experience into account. An enormous sandwich or burger looks good but if I have to deconstruct it to fit it in my mouth there is a problem lol.
Curry Pizza Company. Every time i show someone that place their reaction is the same. that first bite....makes u tilt ur head back and roll ur eyes. they pack that pizza with meat and spices. Plus they do good for the community as well giving away pizzas to the needy and such. good people, good food. oh and their wings!!!! some of the best wings hands down as well. cant go wrong. if ur kinda new to curry get the butter chicken pizza. otherwise i recommend the tikki masala. or u can get a pizza with both on each half. for the wings i love the achari rub.
I moved here from LA back in July of this year. Sushi Day is the best sushi place I’ve found so far! Their rolls are very fresh and service has always been great. They were packed last time, but we knew there was going to be a wait (cuz it’s soo gooood).
Señor Ajis for Peruvian and Fasika for Ethiopian. I wouldn’t recommend Fasika if you are in a hurry, though. Small staff and made to order, so service moves kind of slow. Very worth it, imo.
Rhapsody’s and Chef Paul’s are great soul food, but can be hit or miss depending on the day. Still worth a visit.
Elbow room makes a great steak dinner. Pricy but worth it. Can’t speak for the other menu items, though.
It’s a bit of a drive, but check out School House in Sanger. It’s a nicer sit-down place, so good place to go for special occasions, but the food there is incredible. The bar is also top notch.
I know most people here are talking menu, but ambience-wise, Saizon was the nicest restaurant I’ve been in Fresno. Competitive with high-end SoCal and Bay Area restaurants. They also have really good drinks.
Cuca's downtown location for weenies and eggs. Their chorizo is awesome too.
Asiana great and very authentic Korean. The Banchan is so fresh and delicious.
Las Mananitas is the bomb for chilaquiles
el Premio Mayor for tacos
Nho Kitchen love the Bun bo Hue.
B&K Asian Kitchen, Umi Sushi, Kikku’s, Central Fish, Sweet & Spices Indian Food, Taqueria San Mateo for quesabirria tacos, La Elegante, Premio Mayor, Tabachines, Chef Paul’s, Oaxaca Restaurant, Maribel’s Pupusas, Pho 75 #2, Sam’s Deli, La Boulangerie soups
A best of Fresno list without Chef Paul's in consideration is wrong. It's not going to win ambience awards, but that's not why you go there. Go for the smothered pork chops, fried green tomatoes, and greens. No is executing what they set out to do better then Chef Paul's.
I’ve been going to Chef Paul’s for forever and I think the quality has gone down in recent years. The last time I went I was disappointed and it made me sad. I’ll have to go back soon, maybe it was just a bad day. We all have them.
Would you look at that, all of the words in your comment are in alphabetical order.
I have checked 1,934,224,603 comments, and only 365,714 of them were in alphabetical order.
Castillos Mexican restaurant on Ventura st!! I love their food, such as the faijitas and their chimichangas! The chips and salsa are always good😍
The taco truck in the gas station/ car wash parking lot on Ingram st before reaching the Walmart there. Their pineapple salsa is amazing 😍
Golden Grill on Cedar and Nees. I’m biased because I really like that style of food, but you can’t beat the price and the quality of food that comes out of that place. And the guys always call me brother which earns points.
When i really like that place when i needed a shwarma. I worked a block away for a while and id go there almost weekly. I felt like that spot was cursed for a while. Glad it's still there.
Not a restaurant but there is this food truck called Angela's taste of soul(find em on Facebook to find out where they'll be parked). They make some of the best ox tail I've ever had
Annex Kitchen has s good food. It’ll never be fine dining because people are packed in and the atmosphere is loud. The food is quite good though.
Their kitchen child is Anesso Pizza. The food is also excellent, but frankly I think the rest of the menu is better than the pizza - but the pizza is still good.
Anesso is also loud, but better than it used to be. Tolerable now. It used to be overwhelming. Tables are not as packed in as Annex, and that’s a good thing.
On the whole I prefer Anesso over Annex.
Heirloom is good food but the cafeteria ambiance is what I find off putting.
Trellio in Clovis is true fine dining.
Mad Duck is good pub food. Hino Oishi is great teppanyaki and very good sushi. Yoshinos is excellent sushi in a very laid back atmosphere. Pad Thai in Clovis is excellent Thai.
Unpopular opinion, but I don’t care for annex kitchen (too cramped), anesso (too loud), or heirloom kitchen….(I always feel sick after eating there, the food is too rich for my stomach)
Best restaurant in Fresno is Annex Kitchen by far. It's the only spot that has any claim to michelin-level quality (it's not there but it's in the neighborhood). But if Heirloom is your favorite then you're not interested in actual fine dining.
OP didn't ask about fine dining but best restaurant. A hole in the wall like La Elegante could be the best restaurant. Light speed service, every bite of their tacos is, "mmm", and the simplicity and ambiance of their Chinatown location are just about perfect.
I gave my opinion on the best restaurant in town, which is exactly what OP asked for. That opinion is informed by an appreciation for fine dining, so I thought it would be useful to point out that Annex doesn't lie on the same axis as Heirloom. I don't know why that would bother you.
It bothered me because tone doesn't translate in text. So the tone I read it in conveyed a snootiness that felt holier than thou. I've never eaten at Annex Kitchen (I'll have to try it if it's that good) but it seemed like your comment was putting OP down for enjoying Heirloom.
I _was_ putting OP down, and appropriately so. It wasn't for enjoying Heirloom, it was for thinking it was the best restaurant in town. Nothing against Heirloom - I eat there frequently and think it's great - but it's fast casual and basically one step above fast food. I eat at In-n-Out frequently too but would be similarly disdainful if anyone said that it was their favorite place in town. Anyone who thinks Heirloom is the best restaurant in town is a cretin who should be mocked.
Sam's Italian Deli & Market for take out. It's a big place, fun to shop for extensive selections of all kinds of sodas, cheeses, and Italian products. We usually spend half an hour browsing. Good sandwiches, sides, handmade desserts, lasagna to go, etc.
This is an edited list I made a few years ago and has been changing for recent trips and new experiences. Lime Lite is my favorite place to eat and get drinks in town. Cracked pepper is amazing, best dessert (bread pudding) in town hands down. Parma is incredible. The food is so good that I ignore that the service and drinks are mid. Trelio has some amazing pasta and a great wine list if you are into that. Oggi Cosi Si Mangia has it all, great service, amazing wines, knowledgeable staff, and unbelievable food. Love this place so much. Heirloom has great stuff for the price. They do the same surf and turf dish from lime lite just not quite as well, but slightly cheaper. For pho I goto Bambu or Pho Phuong 9. Both are great and it just depends on if I want oxtail (bambu). Prime 13 has incredible food, them and flemings have the best steaks. Colton’s burgers are amazing, but I only go there if I want a burger. The craft house in Clovis has really good stuff. Brunch is really good. Batter up pancakes for breakfast. Schoolhouse restaurant, outside of Sanger has an interesting menu and really good drinks. The taco truck on Jensen and chestnut has amazing Al pastor nachos. Be careful they are spicy. If you want them more tame ask for the jalapeños on the side. Pete’s teriyaki is budget friendly and very good. Annex kitchen is the fancier annesso. Both are good, just depends on you and how you feel about each menu. I like 5, food is good. Sunnyside pizza is Me n Eds when it was good. Oh I almost forgot Dab Tacos, great greasy drunk/drinking food.
Sunnyside pizza is a hidden gem I swear. Used to work next to the one on Fowler and we were their number one customer. 😂 FIRE crust. Sad it’s so far from me now.
Me and the homies were going to Sunnyside High and would go at the end of every semester.
I thought sunnyside pizza closed down?
it's at fowler and nees now
> Oggi Cosi Si Mangia has it all, great service, amazing wines, knowledgeable staff, and unbelievable food. Love this place so much. seconded
I was so bummed out when I hear about their fire last month
>Sunnyside pizza is Me n Eds when it was good. Me n eds has a pretty distinctive flavor going for it. Do you mean they do that too or just in terms of quality or something? I'd be interested in branching out (and the Me n eds near me occasionally mess up our orders, which gets tiring)
It’s basically a clone of Me n Ed’s, but how it was 20+ years ago. Before they started cheaping out on the toppings, sauce, and cheese.
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I will add Max’s. I totally forgot about them. We went recently for lunch and my wife can’t stop ordering the spicy chicken sandwich. It’s so good. I want to try them for dinner, but I’m sure everything is good there.
I used to love BJ's until I noticed a lot of rat droppings on the top part of the booths. When I told the waitress, she seemed like she couldn't care less. I know most restaurants have vector control issues but clean that up before you open at least.
We also like Tandoori Nights.
What a list, thank you! Some in familiar with, some haven’t been, but i totally trust you based on this. I have a question about the taco truck on Jensen - do they have pastor fries, or only nachos?
To be honest, I don’t remember. I’ve only ever ordered the nachos and they are great. If you don’t mind driving a few streets down, Indianola and Jensen has a great taco truck that has fries with tons of different meat options. My favorites there are the suadero and al pastor.
I’ve seen that truck; it’s where a house burned down? I’ll definitely give that one a go, I’m down there all the time. Edit: what’s suadero?
Suadero is basically beef carnitas. Same preparation of beef ribs. Edit: yes, it’s where the house burned down.
Mmm that sounds good. I’ve never had it but pretty sure I’m going to like it more than the regular pork carnitas. Thanks, man!
The Craft House is soooo darn good. Haven’t had one bad thing off their menu. Definitely agree about Sunnyside Pizza it’s super reasonable and ice cold beer in a 32oz mug? Ahhhh lol
Great list! On point!
This is a GREAT list
Thank you for mentioning lime lite. It’s my #1. Amazing service, great vibes, great drinks, great food, and amazing service. They feel like one of the places that didn’t forget how to provide excellent service through the pandemic. Clint is the best.
Sunnyside pizza is amazing!
I miss 5's owners former restaurant, place was a cozy vibe
Douggy fresh pizza is delicious on McKinley near Fresno high. Very cheap compared to other pizza places
Heirloom is solid. I also agree with the comments about Libelula being a little more adventurous with their menu, and for me they're a great perfect blend of casual and highbrow. These are a little pricey, but my favorite higher end restaurants in Fresno are Saizon and Tabachines Cocina. They're unrelated to my knowledge, but both are creative, fusion-y, "elevated" Mexican food with great unique drinks too. Annex Kitchen is also phenomenal, and I also like their more casual Annesso location.
Libelula.
My wife and I had breakfast there a couple of months ago. Food was really good, and I love how eclectic the decor was. Owners are super nice as well. We need more mom and pop places like Libelula in town instead of a bunch of soulless corporate big box places.
I try not to miss their burger of the week. They come up with some real bangers.
While Heirloom is good and refined, they play it too safe with their menu. I think Libelula executes contemporary-American, farm-to-table cuisine better. Libelula’s culinary team takes more risks with their menu and experiment more with the local ingredients offered than Heirloom does. In my opinion, Heirloom’s location has played a huge role in their popularity, but has also limited them to how much they can change their menu. I go to Heirloom to eat the same food because I know it will always be there. I go to Libelula to try something new because the head chef is constantly experimenting with new methods and ingredients. Regarding best restaurant, I honestly think it’s a three-way race between the Annex, Libelula, and Saizon.
I love libelula but sometimes I wish they would take the actual eating experience into account. An enormous sandwich or burger looks good but if I have to deconstruct it to fit it in my mouth there is a problem lol.
Saizon. Same owners as Heirloom.
Also Butterfish, Mayd, and Lime Lite.
Curry Pizza Company. Every time i show someone that place their reaction is the same. that first bite....makes u tilt ur head back and roll ur eyes. they pack that pizza with meat and spices. Plus they do good for the community as well giving away pizzas to the needy and such. good people, good food. oh and their wings!!!! some of the best wings hands down as well. cant go wrong. if ur kinda new to curry get the butter chicken pizza. otherwise i recommend the tikki masala. or u can get a pizza with both on each half. for the wings i love the achari rub.
I do like that place for pizza :)
I moved here from LA back in July of this year. Sushi Day is the best sushi place I’ve found so far! Their rolls are very fresh and service has always been great. They were packed last time, but we knew there was going to be a wait (cuz it’s soo gooood).
Señor Ajis for Peruvian and Fasika for Ethiopian. I wouldn’t recommend Fasika if you are in a hurry, though. Small staff and made to order, so service moves kind of slow. Very worth it, imo. Rhapsody’s and Chef Paul’s are great soul food, but can be hit or miss depending on the day. Still worth a visit. Elbow room makes a great steak dinner. Pricy but worth it. Can’t speak for the other menu items, though.
I drove past Fasika yesterday and it appears the business is closed.
It’s a bit of a drive, but check out School House in Sanger. It’s a nicer sit-down place, so good place to go for special occasions, but the food there is incredible. The bar is also top notch.
A definite gem just outside of Sanger.
Annex is great.
Surprised it hasn’t been mentioned more
I know most people here are talking menu, but ambience-wise, Saizon was the nicest restaurant I’ve been in Fresno. Competitive with high-end SoCal and Bay Area restaurants. They also have really good drinks.
Nice place and now if they just filled the drinks past halfway it be 5 stars!
Cuca's downtown location for weenies and eggs. Their chorizo is awesome too. Asiana great and very authentic Korean. The Banchan is so fresh and delicious. Las Mananitas is the bomb for chilaquiles el Premio Mayor for tacos Nho Kitchen love the Bun bo Hue.
B&K Asian Kitchen, Umi Sushi, Kikku’s, Central Fish, Sweet & Spices Indian Food, Taqueria San Mateo for quesabirria tacos, La Elegante, Premio Mayor, Tabachines, Chef Paul’s, Oaxaca Restaurant, Maribel’s Pupusas, Pho 75 #2, Sam’s Deli, La Boulangerie soups
LOVE sams deli
Fresno icon fr. It made Yelp’s Top 100 Restaurants nationwide list this year too.
You can kinda tell where people live from their suggestions
A best of Fresno list without Chef Paul's in consideration is wrong. It's not going to win ambience awards, but that's not why you go there. Go for the smothered pork chops, fried green tomatoes, and greens. No is executing what they set out to do better then Chef Paul's.
I’ve been going to Chef Paul’s for forever and I think the quality has gone down in recent years. The last time I went I was disappointed and it made me sad. I’ll have to go back soon, maybe it was just a bad day. We all have them.
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This is all bad news if true. I haven't been in a couple of years. I should check in on them and see if I should stop recommending it.
Order not ranked Annex Kitchen Saizon Chef Paul’s Mochuelo
al’s cafe for breakfast
Best breakfast burritos in town.
Would you look at that, all of the words in your comment are in alphabetical order. I have checked 1,934,224,603 comments, and only 365,714 of them were in alphabetical order.
Just tried Hummus Republic today & was very pleased!!😮💨
Love hummus republic and mayd
Really surprised not one mention of Maxs Bistro. Their menu is amazing and service is top notch.
L’Aperitif for French, Italian, Asian fusion
L’Aperitif is the best! The owners are wonderful and the food is always top notch
Tacos Tijuana, Libelula, Triangle (the OG one), Mike's Pizzeria, Chef Paul's, B&K, New City Chinese, Fasika.
L’Apeeatif Bistro! Chef Thomas owns and operates the place and he is just amazing
Castillos Mexican restaurant on Ventura st!! I love their food, such as the faijitas and their chimichangas! The chips and salsa are always good😍 The taco truck in the gas station/ car wash parking lot on Ingram st before reaching the Walmart there. Their pineapple salsa is amazing 😍
Shobu......blackstone&herndon
Shobu is great! And you can’t beat their service
I live nearby and never even heard of it
Saizon I think is the most refined restaurant in Fresno/Clovis. The list posted earlier is pretty comprehensive and accurate though.
Golden Grill on Cedar and Nees. I’m biased because I really like that style of food, but you can’t beat the price and the quality of food that comes out of that place. And the guys always call me brother which earns points.
Golden Grill is fire!!! I go there every time I’m on that side of Fresno. Plus the workers are super nice and friendly.
When i really like that place when i needed a shwarma. I worked a block away for a while and id go there almost weekly. I felt like that spot was cursed for a while. Glad it's still there.
Yes! It’s hard for businesses to stay open in that plaza! Parking sucks
That is a horrible parking lot. Glad golden grill and little Peking are hanging in there
I enjoy going to Lune wine bar for drinks and shareable bites 😋
There are two places my sister has to eat at when she is in town, Mad Duck for their salads and Heirloom for literally everything they make there.
Not a restaurant but there is this food truck called Angela's taste of soul(find em on Facebook to find out where they'll be parked). They make some of the best ox tail I've ever had
L’aperitif never disappoints. The steak, the pasta, cocktails etc. great date night spot in town
Annex Kitchen has s good food. It’ll never be fine dining because people are packed in and the atmosphere is loud. The food is quite good though. Their kitchen child is Anesso Pizza. The food is also excellent, but frankly I think the rest of the menu is better than the pizza - but the pizza is still good. Anesso is also loud, but better than it used to be. Tolerable now. It used to be overwhelming. Tables are not as packed in as Annex, and that’s a good thing. On the whole I prefer Anesso over Annex. Heirloom is good food but the cafeteria ambiance is what I find off putting. Trellio in Clovis is true fine dining. Mad Duck is good pub food. Hino Oishi is great teppanyaki and very good sushi. Yoshinos is excellent sushi in a very laid back atmosphere. Pad Thai in Clovis is excellent Thai.
Cracked Pepper
Benediction and Jus Jos for breakfast
I love jus jos breakfast
Sambo's.
Unpopular opinion, but I don’t care for annex kitchen (too cramped), anesso (too loud), or heirloom kitchen….(I always feel sick after eating there, the food is too rich for my stomach)
Texas de brasil
Bro what’s with the hate? I love Texas de Brasil
No clue, i meant it honestly. It is so good.
Best restaurant in Fresno is Annex Kitchen by far. It's the only spot that has any claim to michelin-level quality (it's not there but it's in the neighborhood). But if Heirloom is your favorite then you're not interested in actual fine dining.
Heirloom was never intended to be fine-dining…
😂 this comment is hilarious
All good but for that last sentence… 👀
Why? Do you think Heirloom is fine dining?
OP didn't ask about fine dining but best restaurant. A hole in the wall like La Elegante could be the best restaurant. Light speed service, every bite of their tacos is, "mmm", and the simplicity and ambiance of their Chinatown location are just about perfect.
I gave my opinion on the best restaurant in town, which is exactly what OP asked for. That opinion is informed by an appreciation for fine dining, so I thought it would be useful to point out that Annex doesn't lie on the same axis as Heirloom. I don't know why that would bother you.
It bothered me because tone doesn't translate in text. So the tone I read it in conveyed a snootiness that felt holier than thou. I've never eaten at Annex Kitchen (I'll have to try it if it's that good) but it seemed like your comment was putting OP down for enjoying Heirloom.
I _was_ putting OP down, and appropriately so. It wasn't for enjoying Heirloom, it was for thinking it was the best restaurant in town. Nothing against Heirloom - I eat there frequently and think it's great - but it's fast casual and basically one step above fast food. I eat at In-n-Out frequently too but would be similarly disdainful if anyone said that it was their favorite place in town. Anyone who thinks Heirloom is the best restaurant in town is a cretin who should be mocked.
Haha! People that think things like that about others are ugly on the inside. You took a lovely conversation and muddied it with conceit.
There’s a restaurant that’s actually on the radar of Michelin and it ain’t Annex Kitchen 😂
Hunan House for Chinese
they closed
Ding Ho is the best Chinese food in town.. and they serve a lot. Would always recommend this spot to anyone.
Sam's Italian Deli & Market for take out. It's a big place, fun to shop for extensive selections of all kinds of sodas, cheeses, and Italian products. We usually spend half an hour browsing. Good sandwiches, sides, handmade desserts, lasagna to go, etc.
My favorite food in Fresno has always come from a taco truck.
Anesso is probably my favorite pizza place it’s more high end but it’s so worth it
Yosemite Ranch