Signage for Heirloom Restaurant at the Park Place Shopping Center in Fresno. Photo by Edward Smith

Crowdsourced review management service Yelp recently released several lists of its top eateries in the Central Valley. Featuring restaurants spanning from Tulare to northern Madera County, the list highlights some of the Valley’s most popular eateries as well as some hidden gems.

Fresno County gems

Yelp’s Top-100 list features some of the highest-rated businesses in the Valley. Each business listed was marked open as of Aug. 3, 2023, and were ranked based on factors including number of ratings and reviews between summer 2022 and 2023.

Topping the list overall was Miguel’s Artisan Recipes in Clovis; sporting a five-star Yelp review for their selection of tacos, tamales, Mexican pizzas and homemade salsas, Miguel’s is located at the corner of Ashlan and Willow avenues at 3185 Willow Ave.

Also making the list in the Fresno area were longtime staples Sam’s Italian Deli & Market (4) and The Lime Lite (8), as well as businesses that have made a recent splash in the food scene like Hammy’s Smash Burgers (6) and Saizon (23).

Topping the list in the City of Fresno is Heirloom (3). Opened in 2019, Heirloom is a farm-to-table restaurant owned by local restaurateur Brandon Smittcamp. Smittcamp also owns The Lime Lite and Saizon, both of which are featured on the top-100 list.

Kingsburg also saw two restaurants make the list, with Corsaro’s Family Pizza (10) and Bento 2 Go (12) coming in on the top-100 list. Neighboring Sanger also graced the list with Mi Linda Tierra Taqueria (54).

Tulare/Visalia

Visalia featured 11 restaurants on the Top 100 list, with local El San Marcos Mexican Restaurant topping the list at #21. Located at 409 N. Willis St. in Visalia, the restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m Monday through Saturday and features favorites including tacos, burritos, taquitos and menudo, as well as tortas, flautas and combo plates.

The Chicken Spot (38), Simply Mediterranean Restaurant (64) and Big Papas Wood Fired Pizza (58) also represented Visalia on the list.

Tulare also saw two restaurants, Korean Chill (45) and Uh La La Organic Coffee and Tea (57) grace the top-100 list.

Other Valley notables

Hanford’s Mike’s Grill (32) and Thai Thai (67) were both featured in the list, with nearby Armona’s El Pata Salada (92) representing Kings County. Madera also saw two restaurants, El Epazote Cocina Regional (43) and Thai Basil (52) make the top-100 list.

Thanksgiving deals

Last Wednesday, Yelp also released its top-10 list for Thanksgiving deals, offering ideas from meat and pastry providers to full-course dining options for anyone looking to make this Thanksgiving a memorable one.

Shoppers in Fresno are in luck, with nine of the ten businesses featured located in the city, the lone exception located 40 miles south in Visalia.

The list includes meat providers including Mega Texas Barbecue in Fresno and BL Quality Meats – the lone Visalia entry on the list. Each offer a range of meats from turkey to tri tip, with Mega Texas Barbecue in Fresno also offering sides including green chile mac and cheese, green bean casserole and peach cobbler.

Those looking to get their sweet tooth some relief this Thanksgiving can indulge at the recently opened Bakery by Indulge Right Foods, which offers gluten and sugar-free sweet treats.

Also making the list are some longtime Fresno favorites including Chiffono’s Bakery, Boo Boo Bean, Bread and Butter and La Boulangerie, each of which carry a selection of cakes and sweets for a memorable Thanksgiving dessert.

For those hoping to avoid the kitchen entirely this Thursday, Yelp also features a selection of restaurants open for Thanksgiving with The Elbow Room, Campagnia and Max’s Bistro and Bar each making the list featuring eateries offering Thanksgiving and holiday options.

Check out Yelp’s complete list for Thanksgiving options in the Central Valley here.