Lisa and Miguel Segura pose outside Peacock Market in Clovis with a sampler tray from Lisa’s Southern Smokehouse. The couple, who founded Miguel’s Salsa in 2020, are expanding their presence at the market with two new concepts: Lisa’s Southern Smokehouse and Lisa’s Crepes & Sweet Thangs. Photo by Gabriel Dillard
Lisa and Miguel Segura are preparing to launch two new food businesses — and collaborating with a third — to bring the married couple’s food court concept to Peacock Market in Clovis.
Miguel’s Salsa success
The Seguras founded Miguel’s Salsa in 2020 with the intention of jarring and selling their homemade salsa at the farmers’ market, Lisa said. The concept quickly evolved to include Jalisco and Michoacan-style Mexican food, all made using Miguel’s mother’s recipes.
“I realized, ‘Why are they going to buy my salsa if they can’t taste it, if they haven’t tried the food?’” Lisa said. “So I started making tamales, and then people started buying tamales. And then I started doing the tacos, the tacos dorados and we started adding and adding.”
The couple prepared their award-winning salsa — which took the judges’ choice award at Fresno’s Taco Truck Throwdown’s first salsa competition — along with tamales and more at the Clovis Culinary Center before securing their spot inside Peacock Market in December 2023.
Now, the Seguras are bringing two new restaurants to the market: Lisa’s Southern Smokehouse and Lisa’s Crepes & Sweet Thangs.
Lisa’s Southern Smokehouse
Lisa learned to make soul food from her best friend’s mother, lessons she drew from when designing the menu for her new Southern barbecue restaurant.
“She was like, ‘This is how you’re going to make collard greens, and we’re going to put the fried chicken with it.’ This came from my upbringing,” Lisa said. “She’s Mama Hart to all of us and to my children and is still part of our lives.”
The restaurant will serve Southern takes on classics like tri-tip, pulled pork and Lisa’s famous barbecued chicken, all cooked low and slow in the smoker out front, Miguel said. Sides will include red beans and rice, collard greens, mac and cheese and coleslaw.
“You can order your rack of ribs or your whole tri-tip and feed your whole family,” Lisa added.
Lisa’s Crepes & Sweet Thangs
Lisa’s Crepes & Sweet Thangs will feature French-style baked goods including crepes, macarons and beignets, as well as milkshakes and cinnamon rolls from a local bakery, which will also supply the beignet dough. Specialty matcha lattes, chai and agua frescas will round out the menu.
The Seguras hope the new food court will serve as both a gathering place for those looking to dine in and a quick option for customers who need a grab-and-go meal — all while keeping prices low despite rising food and equipment costs.
“I think adding the different things in will just attract more people so we can keep our prices where they are — because the more we grow, the more we can pass those savings onto our customers,” Lisa said.
Brews and bites
South of Shaw, a downtown Fresno-based craft brewery and pizzeria, will complete the food court. The business is expected to occupy a location inside Peacock Market this fall.
“This is going to be South of Shaw,” Miguel said, pointing to the brewery’s future location in the market. “It’s going to be 3,900 square feet, about 260 seats back there. There’s going to be a door that connects us — we’re really excited.”