Think several of these exist upthread but I like Hi-Top Coffee, Tioga-Sequoia brewing, Ararat Market, Saigon Grocery, and Zamora for pupusas.
I’ve only ever passed through Fresno but almost every time I do I witness something eerie and/or sketchy so based on my sample size of about a dozen short stops, you know, keep your head on a swivel a little bit.
Thanks. Had most of these on my list from your previous post. Been reading Trip Advisor reviews of hotels in the downtown area near the convention center and it doesn’t seem like the nicest place to be at night. We’re going to stay in Clovis instead.
Your description of Saigon Grocery sounded sketchy but maybe it’s par for the course in Fresno? I’ve never been up to this part of California.
Driving up 99 once there was a major crash backing up traffic for miles so my GPS took me through Fresno surface streets. Went through the biggest open-air drug market / homeless camp I’ve ever seen. Bigger and more drugged-out than LA’s Skid Row.
This trip keeps sounding better and better with each post.
I go up to the Fresno area for birding a couple of times a year. Heirloom, Quail State, Benaddiction, The Annex Kitchen, Mariscos Del Rey, Zamora Carnitas, and Las Mananitas are some of the places I have enjoyed. Also pretty good burgers at House of JuJu in nearby Clovis.
I’ve never experienced anything “scary” over there, btw. 
Thanks @thechez5 . Some of those places were listed on lists and blogs but good to get an FTC recommendation.
For Cantonese Chinese food, we go to New City and Imperial Garden in Fresno. These are the preferred restaurants of my wife’s family. Are they better than anything you can get in LA or SF? Nope but they are solid. Imperial Garden has dim sum on the weekends that is pretty good but can be inconsistent. Fresno, like LA, and any other city has good and bad areas. The restaurants above are in non-sketchy areas.
Downtown Fresno is desolate. No stores or restaurants open near the convention center. Nobody walking around. No people in general except the folks here for the taekwondo competition. A ghost town.
Hi Top coffee was a cool joint. The only area where there was any activity. Excellent coffee. They had 8 different pour over options but didn’t have time to wait. Would definitely recommend.
Downtown Clovis is very quaint and cute. The gateway to the Sierras. House of Juju was good. Friday night at 6pm was packed with 30-45 min wait. Everybody enjoyed their burgers, chicken sandwiches, salads and fish tacos. The only weird thing is that they don’t have fries. The Juju potatoes were roasted potatoes and good but usually expect a place featuring burgers to have fries.