Every city will say they have great food, but most of that food is grown in Fresno County. To get the full foodie experience, from farm stands and farmer’s markets to top restaurants and food trucks, you’ll need to stop here.

For the Foodies

The restaurants here aren’t waiting for a tire company to tell them they have exceptional service and delicious food—they’re serving it anyway. Trelio Food & Wine in Clovis is a must-visit for luxury dining. The dinner experience is unique to each party, with a multi-course meal paired with wine from their extensive collection by a sommelier. The menu changes often with new Italian-inspired dishes crafted to highlight in-season ingredients. El Premio Mayor in Fresno has earned its reputation as a top taco truck winning multiple awards and as a multi-champion of Fresno’s Taco Truck Throwdown. Their el pastor (pork) tacos can’t be skipped. You can get great barbecue in California when you stop in at MEGA Texas Barbeque. Named one of the Top 50 Barbecue Spots in the United States by Texas Monthly and a celebrity favorite, their brisket is top tier and even better when paired with their mac and cheese. 

Fresno County is California’s undiscovered wine country, producing 20% of the state’s total wine grapes—one in every five glasses of wine! Tastings are intimate, where visitors can meet the families operating the vineyards, and are a fraction of the price of other wine destinations. Go tasting at Solitary Cellars, a vineyard started by two former correctional officers, or at the family-owned Ziveli Winery. 

By the Foodies

As a top agricultural-producing county in the United States, spring offers you a chance to not only taste the delicious food grown, but you’ll get to meet the farmers who grow it along the Fresno County Fruit Trail. This self-guided driving tour takes you to various farm stands. Stop for fresh flowers, honey, and apricots at the award-winning Sweet Girl Farms. Get fresh fruits, dried nuts and fruits, and an old-fashioned soda at Simonian Farms. 

The area’s deep roots in agriculture and connection to its food scene are not limited to its restaurants and farm stands. Wander through Forestiere Underground Gardens, hand-carved in the early 1900s by Italian immigrant Baldassare Forestiere. The underground wonder features citrus trees planted almost 100 years ago, including a hybrid tree that produces lemons and oranges. Take a guided agriculture tour that starts at Kearney Mansion Museum, the historic center of Fresno County’s agricultural footprint. Hop on a chartered bus to visit several local farms and end with a private wine tasting. 

Don’t worry, there’s more to do besides eat. Fresno is the fifth largest city in California, where urban meets the outdoors. A short drive from Fresno and Clovis, you can experience three of California’s beautiful national parks—Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon. Take the family to the Fresno Chaffee Zoo to see more than 200 species within their interactive exhibits for a fraction of the cost of other nearby zoos. Thrill seekers can take a wild rafting ride down the Kings River hosted by the Kings River Expedition Class 3. Take part in springtime events like the Clovis Rodeo and the Wildflower Trail.  

Getting There

Fly into the Fresno-Yosemite International Airport, the only international airport in California’s Central Valley. The airport has non-stop flights to other major cities across the United States. California roadtrippers can hop on State Route 99 to enter the city. Fresno is three hours from San Francisco and Sacramento and four hours from Los Angeles.