Fresno sits at the centre of the San Joaquin Valley, which grows a substantial share of America’s fruit, nuts and vegetables. The fruit trail through the surrounding county is the most direct way to see it — roadside stands and farms selling what was picked that morning.
The city’s own cooking follows its migration history. Fresno has one of the largest Hmong communities in the United States, and the Saturday Hmong market is unlike anything else in the state. There is also a long-established Armenian community, and a Mexican population that has shaped the valley’s food for a century.
The Tower District is where the restaurants and bars concentrate. Summer here is brutally hot; spring and autumn are far better for visiting.