Downtown Fresno's anticipated Garlishious Deli has a soft opening Saturday. Photo by Ben Hensley

A new flavor will make its debut in Downtown Fresno with the grand opening of the Garlishious Deli, a sandwich shop focused on the freshest ingredients, meats, cheeses and a condiment the owner says will leave customers coming back for more.

The Garlishious Deli, located at 2621 Fresno St. Suite A, will host its soft opening this Saturday, Oct. 21, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. A grand opening will take place on Monday, Oct. 23 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. before the store returns to its normal operating hours of 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The deli will feature the company’s signature gluten, dairy and nut free, garlic-based spread, Garlish. Garlishious Deli owner Karla Lugo said the spread is easy to fall in love with and goes great on just about anything.

“Once you taste it, it just blows your mind,” Lugo said.

Garlish’s spread stemmed from her husband Jesse’s time in college where he acquired his degree in food science. 

Lugo said that friends and neighbors fell in love with the spread.

“They will ask and beg [for him] to do the garlic spread,” she said. “Finally we were invited to an event and we did a couple of Garlish’s batches and we sold out.”

Lugo said that when the spread was put to the test in the public, they gained confidence in their product and began frequenting farmers markets. It wasn’t long before the spread was available in more than 80 stores in Northern California, including many Raley’s and Bel Air supermarkets.

“We love working with them because they are very comprehensive,” Lugo said. “We’re a really really small, local company, and they work with us to help us grow and succeed.”

Locally, Garlish spread is available in both Fresno and Clovis Meat Markets, as well as The Market located at Herndon and West avenues. Garlish is also available at B L Quality Meats in Visalia.

Lugo hopes the deli is just as big of a hit in the Fresno area as the spread has been. After relocating to Fresno from Sacramento in 2019, the duo began looking for a place to set up shop.

Despite the pandemic delaying the expansion into a deli, the desire for Garlish remained as strong as the breath of its consumers, with customers and suppliers keeping a steady stream of Garlish products on their shelves.

“It was a good way for us to see it was a strong company,” she said. “We couldn’t get any help from the government like other businesses because we couldn’t show the losses that they wanted to show.”

After a  year and a half of remodels, kitchen expansion and the other necessary steps to open a new business, the Garlishious Deli hopes its selections will become a Downtown Fresno favorite.

Lugo said the company will use only the freshest ingredients, sourcing bread and cheese from local suppliers, as well as meats from a Bay Area supplier that produces all-natural, never-frozen, nitrate-free meats.

“This company sells to five-star Michelin restaurants,” she said. “I hope the people here will appreciate the taste.”

Featuring 6-inch and 12-inch sandwiches, the deli will also offer wraps, salads and soups.

They will also offer vegan and gluten-free options.

In addition to a brand new flavor, fans of Garlish spread will also receive a special, seasonal treat; Lugo said the brand’s Horsekicker – featuring a horseradish-take on Garlish’s spread – hopes to be featured in the deli’s opening weekend.

“Usually we only make it seasonal, but this is the perfect timing,” she said. “We’re going to try to have it ready for the grand opening.”

For sandwichgoers who would rather keep their minty fresh breath, the deli will also offer sandwiches custom made without the Garlish spread, with sandwiches custom made to order.

In addition to order-made sandwiches, the deli will also offer ready-made sandwiches for grab-and-go pickup, as well as drinks and other snacks, and, of course, their signature Garlish spread.

Lugo hopes that the deli not only serves as a go-to lunch spot in Downtown Fresno, but she also hopes the store can create opportunities for Fresno residents.

“Our vision is to give jobs and create a better life for people who work with us,” she said. “I think the more involved we get where we live makes it a stronger and better place.”