Mediterranean Appetizers in Fresno

Mediterranean Mezza Tradition

Mediterranean appetizers, or mezza, are how every meal at Phoenician Garden begins. At First and Herndon in Fresno, we've been making these dishes from scratch since 2003, using family recipes brought from Lebanon. Our appetizer menu includes 14 items, from cold dips like hummus and baba ghannouj to hot plates like fried cauliflower and kibbeh. Every one of them is prepared in-house daily.

The process matters more than the ingredient list. Our hummus starts with dried chickpeas, not canned. The falafel is shaped by hand from raw soaked chickpeas and fava beans, fried to order. The baba ghannouj is made from eggplant smoked in-house. Tarek sources the spice blends directly from Lebanon. The warak enab, our grape leaves, are hand-rolled with a rice and herb filling. This attention to craft is what separates mezza made at home from what most restaurants offer.

Cold appetizers are the dips and salads, perfect for sharing and getting the meal started light. Hot appetizers bring texture and heat. The Family Mezza at $74.99 is our showpiece: eight dishes for the full table, enough to serve four to six people as a complete meal or a generous starter course. Our Hummus Shawarma bridges appetizers and entrees, topping house-made hummus with beef or chicken shawarma. Link to our full menu for context, our falafel deep-dive for the hand-shaped story, and plant-based options for meatless nights.

All appetizers are available for dine-in, takeout, and delivery. Available through SpotOn ordering or third-party apps. These appetizers work as starters for a full dinner, as a shared mezza spread with friends, or as a standalone meal. Guests love returning for the appetizers, and many have told us they come back just for the hummus and baba ghannouj.