heartfelt social media post<\/a>, thanking customers for their support and inviting them to share photos and memories.<\/p>\n\u201cWe want this final month to be a celebration of all the memories we\u2019ve created together,\u201d the company wrote in an Instagram post.<\/p>\n
A pioneer on wheels<\/p>\n
La Jacka is a plant-based Mexican restaurant that serves vegan and vegetarian dishes made using jackfruit \u2014 a large tropical fruit that mimics the texture of fibrous cuts of meat including pork shoulder and beef chuck roast when shredded. The restaurant also offers food made with dairy and eggs, running three separate grills to prevent cross-contamination.<\/p>\n
Loaded \u201cJackada\u201d fries, quesabirria tacos, enchiladas and more are made using marinated jackfruit and served with fresh veggies, beans, rice, various salsas and a choice of vegan or vegetarian sour cream.<\/p>\n
Owner Miriam Martinez started La Jacka as a mobile food truck in 2014, well before plant-based cuisine had much of a presence in Fresno. She credits that early push with helping seed what has since become a small but growing local vegan community.<\/p>\n
\u201cBefore there weren\u2019t many options,\u201d Martinez said. \u201cFrom the moment we arrived, many options started to open up and people started to see that Mexican food is also a strong dish in the vegan world \u2014 it\u2019s not just meat.\u201d<\/p>\n
Martinez said many longtime customers identify La Jacka as one of the trucks that helped bring veganism to Fresno, and she\u2019s seen the vegan and vegetarian population grow steadily over the 12 years she\u2019s been operating.<\/p>\n
From truck to brick-and-mortar<\/p>\n
In 2023, she closed the truck and opened a brick-and-mortar restaurant at 700 Van Ness Ave., a former Bitwise Industries property in Downtown Fresno \u2014 a move meant to expand the business.The timing proved challenging.<\/p>\n
Martinez cited a combination of factors for the closure: rising costs across the board, a broader economic slowdown and a sharp drop in foot traffic she attributes in part to proximity to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office near the restaurant.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople don\u2019t like to come much to Downtown Fresno,\u201d Martinez said, \u201cand behind me are ICE offices, and people don\u2019t want to come to those areas because they think there could be disturbances.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said sales dropped more than 50% this year, and efforts to renegotiate her lease last year were unsuccessful.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe economy in general is what has affected the business quite a bit,\u201d Martinez said.<\/p>\n
Roots in Nayarit<\/p>\n
Martinez was born in Nayarit, Mexico\u2019s Pacific coastal state and its largest jackfruit producer and exporter. According to the company\u2019s website, Martinez and her family grow the jackfruit used at La Jacka in Nayarit, and she imports it directly \u2014 a supply chain she says allows her to control quality and keep processing to a minimum.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom the earth to the mouth \u2014 that is my motto,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
What comes next<\/p>\n
Though the restaurant is closing, Martinez said her work with jackfruit is far from over. She is packaging flavored jackfruit products \u2014 asada, al pastor, carnitas, chile verde and birria \u2014 for retail sale, with hopes of placing them in grocery stores. She will also continue selling the fruit directly to other businesses.<\/p>\n
\u201cRight now what I am ready to bring to market is the food products,\u201d Martinez said. \u201cAsada, al pastor, carnitas, chile verde, birria, or just plain jackfruit for people who want to cook it in their own home or take it already flavored.\u201d<\/p>\n
Martinez also operates The Hotspot Kitchen, a commercial kitchen, and is exploring a mezcal and gastronomy tasting concept. She said she is evaluating whether to keep a food truck presence, potentially through farmers markets or catering.<\/p>\n
The restaurant will remain open through June 30.<\/p>\n
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