Passing through Fresno...

[chrisheadrick]

..with a group of six friends on a camping trip this weekend. Fresno will be perfectly-timed for a stop for lunch on the way in and out. What's a good non-franchise place to catch a bite? Is there a great local diner or home-cookin'-type establishment that's a regular with the locals?

Or is there a stand/hole-in-the-wall specialty place that shouldn't be missed?

Thanks!

Chris

[tavmark]

My vote is for Don Pepe's - Blackstone and Gettysberg. If you are on the 41 get off on Ashlan, go west to Blackstone and north. If you get off on Shaw, go west to Blackstone and then south.

Small local place that has the BEST mexican shrimp plates.

[alanstotle]

I'll second to rec. for Don Pepe's. I've had good ceviche there, as well as good overloaded nachos, good tostadas, very good tortas, and a yummy carnitas plate. But the shrimp really is their forte.

[chrisheadrick]

Thanks muchly for all the good info!

[cocktailqueen77]

Great lunches can be found in the Tower District (Olive Ave, east of highway 99). I usually meet friends at Palomino's weekly and am addicted to their steak sandwich and salmon salad. If you want a little hole-in-the wall try El Cochito Contento or Al's Cafe (both on Olive, east of 99), here threads that mentions them all:

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/410813
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/422930

If you like home cooking, try Santa Fe Basque. Tons of great comfort food for decent prices. It is quite a local hangout for all the "oldtimers" here in Fresno (the farmers and businessmen) and the waitresses have all been there forever. I usually get the fried chicken (and ask them to cover it in garlic). Here's the website:

http://www.santafebasque.com/

Good luck!!

[FAT Traveler]

I highly agree about Al's Cafe. It a true "local hangout", but note that it's just West of 99 at the Olive Ave. offramp, not East like El Conchito Contento

[cocktailqueen77]

Your right, forgot that it was that west, thanks for the correction!!