Starving Artists Bistro is open once again at the RiverView Shopping Center in north Fresno. Photo by Ben Hensley

After a sudden closure in September 2024, Starving Artists Bistro has reopened under new ownership in north Fresno, reviving a familiar combination of a casual bistro with live, local music.

General Manager Tony Gomez, one of three partners in the business, said the opportunity to revive the space aligned with the trio’s long-standing goal. Gomez and his partners each worked in the corporate restaurant industry for years with a long-held goal of independent ownership.

That opportunity presented itself several times in the past, but each time, the puzzle pieces refused to fit properly, with inquiries and sales falling through prior to the teams’ discovery of Starving Artists Bistro.

“We always had this idea, this dream, that one day we can have a restaurant of our own, utilize all of our expertise in the kitchen,” Gomez said.

Gomez, who previously worked as a chef and manager with both Flemings and Outback Steakhouse, said that after seeing the business listing and meeting with the former owners, the opportunity at Starving Artists Bistro seemed like the perfect chance to take.

 

“Obviously the place needed some love and needed some restructuring,” he said. “We did a lot of work on this thing; we spent a solid two months on this deal before we tried to do this and still we’re not finished yet.”

The bistro, which held a soft opening last week, has been a challenge to get open — with a soda fountain and coffee machine expected to arrive this week and a liquor license awaiting approval that Gomez hopes will arrive by the end of the month.

“It hasn’t been as smooth as we imagined,” Gomez said. “But that’s what keeps us working hard and pushing forward; this is our dream.”

The menu will lean traditional “classic American bistro,” featuring appetizers, salads, flatbreads, pastas and burgers. Gomez said that the initial menu is intentionally tight while the kitchen staff settles in, providing them the opportunity to expand later on.

That expansion reflects the trio’s three pillars they aim for in the business: food, service and music.

“That’s what we want to do, in that order,” he said.

Starving Artists identity — built on live, local music — will remain a staple, however, Gomez said that the new ownership group is mindful of neighbors and the city.

He added that the venue aims to attract local musicians and keep the performance volume at a level that can be enjoyed by patrons while at a volume that still caters to casual conversation.

“We want to be good neighbors,” he said. “We don’t want to be [playing] all loud music until 2 in the morning; 10 p.m. is the latest.”

Gomez said that the venue, while gone for over a year, hopes to pick up right where it left off: providing a community space for good food, great atmosphere and entertainment featuring local, homegrown talent.

“We’re part of this community,” Gomez said. “And we benefit each other from helping each other grow in our environment.”