We’re journalists. Eating while driving, or at a desk while writing, is a staple of our workday.
And while inflation has put plenty of restaurants out of reach for many, we’ve found a few gems around town that still come in clutch on those days you forget to pack a lunch.
Our office is downtown, so our choices might be slightly skewed towards the south side of the city. The challenge was this: it has to be $10 or under (pre-tax, thanks to some lobbying by an unnamed reporter), it can’t be a national chain, and obviously, it needs to be a real, sustaining meal that won’t leave you stealing candy from your neighbors at the office next door after you finish.
Here are a few of our favorites.
Bean, rice and cheese burrito from Adrian’s.
The first thing you should know about Adrian’s is that they make their own flour tortillas in-house. The walk-up spot on First and Belmont has been around for more than 45 years, inspired by migrant farmworkers’ food traditions.
I’m not a vegetarian, but I’ve been craving a simple bean, rice and cheese burrito at lunch since I could grab one for $1.99 at Reedley’s Burrito Express during my high school years.
It’s a hard burrito to mess up, but ratios are important, as is getting the basics right. Adrian’s nails this on all fronts: rice is always soft and flavorful, beans that aren’t overcooked, and just enough cheese to add the right salt to the equation, without overshadowing the rest. They always throw in a small red salsa which adds a perfect amount of heat to each bite. And if you need meat, their bacon breakfast burrito has never failed me.
— Danielle Bergstrom, executive director and editor-in-chief
Jumbo Burger from Triangle Drive-In.
When someone tells me how good a burger is, my eyes usually go blank as my mind wanders towards having to do laundry later. It’s not that I don’t love a good burger, it’s just that, in my experience, there’s a sub-10 percent chance that whatever fancy burger someone recommends is actually going to be better than an In N Out burger. In N Out tends to be where I eat 98% of my burgers, usually on a road trip somewhere.
Most people seem to think that the key to a great burger is making it HUGE, or loading it up with fancy stuff, or, these days, making it extra smashy and crispy (smashburgers are an improvement over the giant meaty ones, certainly, but this trend too has probably had its day). Nobody thinks about construction. If you ask me, the whole point of a great burger is to get all the good stuff in one convenient bite. Stop overloading it, the balance is the thing!
Long story short, I’m not a guy who rhapsodizes burgers and I’m even less of a “retro diner” person, but Triangle Drive-In’s burger is the rare one that I’d actually prefer to In N Out’s. I’d go so far as to call it a burger good enough to weather all manner of ’50s nostalgia and doo woop music for.
What makes it so special? Probably that it doesn’t try to do anything special. Sesame seed bun, shredded lettuce, tomato, thin-sliced white onion, crinkle cut pickle, and burger sauce – your standard, classic burger ingredients, just in perfect balance. The flat, composed construction makes it taste decadent without it being an actual mess. Certainly it’s very similar to a classic In N Out burger, but the burger-cut pickles and that distinct flavor that you only get from a patty cooked over open flame put it over the top. You can really taste the char.
–Vince Mancini, contributing food editor
Two fish tacos from Don Tacha.
I tried Don Tacha for the first time in 2018 and have been a fan ever since. My go-to order was initially their arrachera tacos, but at some point I decided to try the fish and was immediately hooked. They’re topped with the perfect blend of tomato, cilantro, onion, cabbage, crema and salsa verde. A tangy crema served on the side brings it all together.
This could be up for debate, but I’ll go ahead and say that two fish tacos are enough of a lunch meal for me. Other tacos on their menu are $3.50, $3, and .99 (yes, you can still find cheap tacos in this day and age). If you want a four or five taco lunch order under $10, that is more than doable at Don Tacha.
Eating with friends and willing to up your budget? I’d also recommend their asada fries ($15). Don Tacha makes their fries from scratch and they are filled to the brim with carne and other toppings. Gluttonous, but delicious.
When friends from out of town visit, I tend to plan our time together around eating and drinking and Don Tacha is always on the itinerary. There’s nothing better than a true family-run establishment with great prices and incredible food.
— Isabel Santos-Gonzalez, director of operations
Not one, but two sopes from La Piedad.
Nowadays, it can seem hard to get what you want in the midst of the uncertain day-to-day monotony. What’s it gonna be today?
There’s no question when it comes to La Piedad. It’s a small market with a butcher shop and a restaurant that offers reliably delicious, homemade Mexican cuisine. For just ten bucks after tax, you can get a plate with two generously portioned sopes.
Two soft yet firm gorditas (like a puffy tortilla) get topped with your choice of protein, shredded lettuce, crumbly queso fresco, diced tomatoes and Mexican sour cream. When they give you your food, it comes with green and red salsa and a fork and knife to help you dig in.
Lots of things can be unreliable or uncertain, but as someone who’s been frequenting this establishment on Butler for more than a decade, I can tell you that there’s a good reason why I keep coming back, and it’s not just the price tag.
And for the same price, you can also get a plate of four tacos. Too many tacos? You can get a plate with rice, beans and either two tacos or some rolled up, fried tacos topped with the same combo of condiments as the sopes.
— Diego Vargas, education equity reporter
The breakfast burrito at La Cocina de Mamá.
It may seem too risky to declare a favorite breakfast burrito only four years into living in Fresno, given the surely dozens (hundreds?) of spots I haven’t managed to try yet, but fortune favors the brave. And from where I’m sitting, nobody beats Cocina de Mamá in downtown Fresno.
It’s a quiet spot in Mariposa Mall shaded by the towering Pacific Southwest building across the street. Don’t be deceived by the sidewalk marquee outside, splashed with a picture of what I’ll call a “Midwestern-looking” rendition of enchiladas (it has to be a stock photo). Inside, you’ll find nothing but dishes that live up to the restaurant’s name (including not just the handmade burritos but, rest assured, their delicious enchiladas combo, too).
The potatoes, beans, eggs and chorizo tucked into a warm tortilla at Cocina will typically stand in for two of my meals on a given day, and even the full sized only puts me out nine bucks, excluding tax. While many of my favorite lunch spots have had to bump prices to the point of excluding them from this guide over my four years here, Cocina de Mamá has held fast.
Order it with my favorite, chorizo. Always con todo. The spicier salsa is worth it if you have any tolerance at all. Bring cash, and don’t forget to tip.
— Julianna Morano, reporter
AC Deli’s fried chicken and sticky rice.
For nearly two decades, AC Deli has been slinging some of the best Lao food you can find anywhere.
For a grand total of $9.45 (after taxes, etc.), you can — and should — grab a carryout plate of fried chicken and sticky or fried rice. Or, for the same price, Lao sausage and rice.
The menu includes other favorites like egg rolls, spring rolls and chow mein, along with classics like Kao Poon, a tangy Laotian soup with rice noodles and coconut milk, papaya salads and, of course, Laap, a spicy minced-meat salad that is also the official dish of Laos.
The family-owned market on Shaw Avenue near Eighth Street has also proudly claimed to be the home of “Fresno’s favorite fried chicken and sticky rice.”
The chicken claim is a particularly bold stance to take in a city that includes Chef Paul’s in Chinatown, Rhapsody’s and Pete’s Teriyaki in west-central Fresno. Also, Save Mart. If you know, you know.
You should investigate.
— Rob Parsons, senior editor
Beef Shawarma Saj Wrap at Papaya Fresh International Market.
Every now and then, a meal will restore your hope in the world. That’s how I tell people about the beef shawarma saj wrap served all the way in the back at Papaya Fresh International Market.
The charred strips of beef shawarma inside the wrap come with friends, too: a refreshing assortment of tomatoes, onions and pickles in a light dressing. But the reason why this meal will enter your dreams at night is because the wrap comes with two sauces for free.
You can get some shatta, a popular Middle Eastern hot sauce, as well as toum, a creamy garlic sauce that’ll make you wonder why they’re giving it to you for free. You have to make sure to ask for the sauce, don’t forget that part!
Each bite of this meal is a different experience. It contains multitudes, like the kids say. It’s just classic Mediterranean shawarma. I go there at least once a month to consistently experience a combination of joy, satisfaction and disbelief because the receipt always says $9.99 before tax.
After you feel like all’s right with the world, this shawarma wrap may also lull you to sleep. 🙂
— Omar S. Rashad, investigative reporter and assistant editor
The Dog Shack’s Dogo Dog hot dog.
The Dog Shack pops up everywhere, from River Park food events to the VA Hospital, serving up loaded Sonoran and chili hotdogs and fries. What sets them apart is their Sonoran hot dogs, which are bacon-wrapped, grilled, and served in bolillo style buns piled high with condiments — a style that originated in Hermosillo, Mexico.
I wanted to challenge myself for this guide to find a local eatery that I haven’t heard of before and that’s when I stumbled on their food truck at this year’s FresYes festival. I couldn’t resist their ‘Dogo Dog,’ a loaded hot dog with grilled onions, nacho cheese, chili, mustard, mayo, cotija cheese, jalapeno sauce, and bacon bits. The dog was exactly $10, though the pesky tax added 0.84 cents.
I am not the biggest fan of bacon wrapped dogs in general (I know, a horrid opinion) but best believe I devoured the hot dog and added this place to my Fresno list of recommended food places for friends on my notes app.
While the veteran-husband-and-wife owned business doesn’t have a physical storefront, it has been operating for nearly four years, with its anniversary coming this April.
And the best part? You can order them whenever you want on Doordash.
— Gisselle Medina, immigration, religion and culture reporter
The ‘California Special’ at Central Fish Company.
The Central Fish Company has been serving the city’s Chinatown district for decades. Part restaurant and part grocery store, it’s probably best known for its generous selection of fresh and frozen seafood.
However, those looking for a cheap lunch will be welcomed by an assortment of ready-to-eat meals immediately to the right of when you enter the store. A favorite of mine is this California Special roll, which has more than enough pieces to keep me satisfied throughout the day.
And unlike the restaurant at Central Fish — which is also well worth your time, mind you…this reporter particularly loves the Chicken Katsudon — I can quickly check out with my roll by hopping on the grocery line. It’s not uncommon for me to spend less than five minutes here picking out my meal and an ice-cold drink from their refrigerated section.
I also find myself coming back to Central Fish because of their assortment of similarly priced ready-to-eat meals. I can also grab some takoyaki and inari, both also under $10.
When on deadline, time is of the essence! And there just aren’t many other lunch options that are going to be this good, this cheap and this quick!
— Pablo Orihuela, housing reporter
