After long closure caused by fire, this Fresno restaurant is finally reopen
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- Yosemite Falls Cafe reopened to the public at 7 a.m. Sunday after 10 months.
- The kitchen was rebuilt after an Aug. 29 fryer pilot relighting sparked flames.
- Renovations include new carpet, tables, paint, menus, speakers, and major kitchen repairs.
Yosemite Falls Cafe is at Blackstone and Shaw avenues in Fresno is officially open.
The restaurant was closed for 10 months after a fire and officially reopened to the public at 7 a.m. Sunday.
The restaurant reopened in stages, with its lounge opening first with a limited menu.
Yosemite Falls still has its Sierra mountain-themed decor and still honors veterans in its lobby.
But look closely and there are changes: New carpet in the dining room. Freshly printed menus. New tables. New paint.
The bar got some upgrades too, including new speakers.
Many of the changes happened behind the scenes, especially in the kitchen
That’s where the fire started Aug. 29. An employee was trying to relight a pilot light under the fryer when a burst of flames leapt out from under it. All the workers got out and no one was hurt.
But with water damage to the 50-year-old building and the way the walls were torn apart to get to the fire, much of the kitchen had to be rebuilt, said owner Manny Perales.
The old ducting — all 32 feet of it — had to be replaced. Part of the roof, ceiling, walls, fans, and tiles were ripped out and replaced.
Many of the appliances were replaced and new cooling fans installed.
Sheri Oliveira and her husband ate breakfast at the restaurant Monday and said she’s been coming to the building since it was the Peppermill in the 1970s.
“This is like a historical landmark on Blackstone everyone knows,” she said. “We’re so ecstatic and pleased with the reopening.”
This story was originally published July 14, 2026 at 5:30 AM with the headline "After long closure caused by fire, this Fresno restaurant is finally reopen."
