Chinatown’s key role in downtown Fresno plans. There’s already lots of food, history
Have you been to Chinatown?
No, not the one in San Francisco, the one in Fresno.
Just west of Chukchansi Park and the railroad tracks sits downtown’s less well known sister, Chinatown, a neighborhood born in the 1870s.
It was created by Chinese workers — and immigrants from at least 10 other countries — at a time when racial segregation meant they couldn’t own businesses or property where the white people did.
“If you were not white, you could not purchase property east of the tracks, only west of the tracks,” said Jan Minami, project director of the Chinatown Fresno Foundation.
So Chinatown was born, and became a thriving business district full of shops, restaurants and hotels. It’s 18 blocks between the railroad tracks, Highway 99, Fresno Street and Ventura Street.
It was settled by people from China, Africa, Armenia, Mexico, the Philippines, Greece, Japan, Italy, Portugal, Volga Russians from Germany, and Basque people from northern Spain and southern France.
Its shine has dulled in recent decades, but the neighborhood remains a rich part of Fresno’s history.
Chinatown buzz
And Chinatown has had a bit of a buzz lately.
It and downtown are slated to get $20 million for improvements to streets, sidewalks, curbs and gutters, part of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s commitment of $250 million for downtown Fresno.
There’s a new mural featuring a Chinese dragon and the future high-speed rail near G and Tulare streets (which is just a stone’s throw from one of downtown’s most eye-catching murals, a giant koi fish and lotus flowers on Kern Street, on what was once Dick’s Shoes and Men’s Wear).
And the newly created Chinatown Empowerment Center representing area entrepreneurs has been making some noise in recent weeks as it tries to lure customers to their businesses.
So we thought we’d point out some fun things to do in Chinatown.
Now, be aware that Chinatown is not a polished tourist destination. You will see homeless people and graffiti. Some streets are a tangle of closures due to high-speed rail construction.
But it’s worth checking out simply because it’s a big part of Fresno’s history. Here are a few things to do there.
Things to do
The 559 Night Market: This monthly, seasonal event lures hundreds with food trucks, vendors and entertainment, including Japanese drummers and dancing to K-pop songs.
The next one is from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27, before it takes a wintertime hiatus and returns in April. The event is free and generally centered on G Street, between Mariposa and Inyo streets.
Tour the history: Take a walking tour of the unique architecture by bringing up a map of Chinatown Fresno’s historic buildings on your phone.
You’ll see the elaborate Buddhist temple on Kern Street built by Japanese immigrants in 1919.
There’s also the Azteca theater on F Street, which showed films and hosted stars from the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema (along with a rally led by activist Cesar Chavez that attracted 1,000 people in 1966).
There are also two large historic markers. One commemorates the once-bustling China Alley, near Kern Street, between F and G streets.
Another is in the window of Kogetsu-Do on F Street, honoring the 108-year-old business selling sweet treats.
Try a Japanese treat: Kogetsu-Do is a Japanese dessert shop on F Street that is 108 years old.
It sells mochi (the Japanese rice cake that’s trendy in donut form lately) filled with ice cream, and snow cones. There’s also manju, a Japanese pastry with various fillings.
The founders’ granddaughter now runs the shop. It has a long history, with her grandparents ordered into an internment camp in Arkansas during World War II. The business was entrusted to a Chinese family while they were away, and the original family eventually returned to run it.
After a brief closure, Kogetsu-Do returns Oct. 28. It’s generally open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Fridays through Tuesdays, and will start closing on Tuesdays in 2024. It’s at 920 F St. 559-237-2670.
Eat your way through the diversity: There are so many restaurants in Chinatown representing a range of cultures.
Chef Paul’s Cafe at 952 F St. is the premier soul food restaurant in Fresno. Try its fried chicken (supermodel Tyra Banks did when she was in town) or its oxtail soup.
La Elegante Taqueria is a tiny hole-in-the-wall restaurant at 1423 Kern St. — with bars on the windows and a line out the door at lunchtime — that’s known for some of the best tacos in town. Its trucks have won the Taco Truck Throwdown multiple times.
Tamale Mama’s videos with her son went viral on TikTok and they opened a restaurant at 1342 Tulare St. Grandma Jane’s Kitchen at 943 E St. has Mexican food with a touch of Creole and Southern. Ho Ho Kafe is a step back in time, with advertisements painted on the wall and cheap prices. It serves Chinese and American food at 926 F St.
Panaderia Vista Hermosa at 1333 Kern St. has all kinds of Mexican pan dulce, along with cookies and other sweets.
Esperanza’s Cocina at 1521 Kern St., La Nueva Reyna at 1512 Tulare St. and Cuca’s at 907 F St. are all restaurants serving Mexican food.
Take a tunnel tour: Tours of Chinatown’s underground are coming back in early 2024. No exact dates have been released yet as it’s still in the planning stages. Organizers are currently seeking sponsors.
There were once tunnels connecting underground parts of the district. Most have been blocked off, but the tours will take people down into connecting basements that run under several streets. Dioramas will illustrate what it used to look like.
“There was really was quite a bit of activity,” said Minami. “Chinatown was a red light district back then, so use your imagination.”
Keep tabs on the foundation’s social media to find out when the tours return.
Dig through a thrift shop: Yoshi WORLD is a large thrift shop at 1410 Kern St. It has lots of furniture, dishes, yard items and oddities like a rifle-shaped wine bottle.
Longtime Fresnans may remember Yoshi’s previous store in the old Nabisco warehouse on E Street. This is the next evolution of that space.
Starting the first week of November, the Yoshi WORLD will be joined by Yoshi NOW!, the vintage clothing shop that used to be on Broadway Street. It is moving into the other half of the building.
New murals and art have been painted inside Yoshi NOW! and on the building’s exterior.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fridays through Sundays.
Browse Central Fish Company: There’s giant catfish on ice and other large fish to ogle at this 73-year-old business’s seafood counter. They may ask you if you want a sample of some raw tuna.
Central Fish, a Chinatown anchor at 1535 Kern St., supplies about 100 restaurants in Fresno with their seafood, in addition to the public.
“If you want to make sushi at your house, this is pretty much the safest place to go to,” said owner Morgan Doizaki.
The business is also what may be the only Japanese grocery store in town. Be sure to check out the upstairs, where you can get a lucky waving cat.
Central Fish also has a restaurant open from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily serving fish ‘n’ chips, teriyaki bowls and noodles with seafood.
