Cracked Pepper Bistro

Fresno, California

Cracked Pepper Bistro: Our Story

Of Armenian descent, Chef Vatche Moukhtarian, of the Cracked Pepper Bistro in Fresno, California, caught the cooking bug by the time he was 12, and later ventured to the San Francisco Culinary Academy, followed by an externship and full-time employment at the Peppermill Casino in Reno under the guidance of Chef de Cuisine, Roger Morris.

After two years, Chef Vatche was invited to help open the Chuckchansi Gold Resort & Casino, where he would eventually become Sous Chef at the flagship steakhouse, Vintage, followed by several years as Sous Chef at Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite. Ready to return to his hometown of Fresno, Chef Vatche opened the Cracked Pepper Bistro in 2006, focusing on regional cuisine using natural, close-to-the-source ingredients and California-grown wines.

Today, the Cracked Pepper Bistro is a beloved establishment, and Chef Vatche is recognized for supporting local farmers and wineries, with 60 percent of his wine list coming from the nearby Paso Robles appellation.

Our Happy Guests

"I love cracked pepper and Vache the owner. The staff is friendly, cocktails are the best and food is to delicious. Their famous bread pudding is out of this world and should be on "best things I ever ate"."

"What can I say about this amazing gem that isn't already known? COVID19 and shelter in place meant that my birthday, Mother's Day, and anniversary were spent home. As soon as the restrictions were lifted, I called and made a reservation. Our server, Jose was awesome; the owner came to our table and thanked us for coming in. Now to the food- freaking amazing and delicious delicious. We had the crab cakes- please make them bigger and an option for an entree! I had the scallop pasta, and it was amazing. My husband had the New York and the plate was clean. And we each had our own bread pudding. It was such a great time to enjoy a meal and have some sense of normalcy."

"Thank you Vatache....for being amongst the 1st restaurants to open up again after being virtually shut down for 3 months. The food was as usual FANTASTIC! So nice to see the same friendly staff..some of the best in town! You made re-entry to socialized dining not only safe but celebratory of finally be ALLOWED to be amongst friends and strangers alike while enjoying an environment outside the home. Thank you again...looking forward to going back to dining out on a regular basis!"

"Cracked Pepper is a great upscale restaurant. My friend and I came her for just a night out; and the service, food, and wine were amazing. We also indulged in the Bread Pudding, which was certainly worth all the hype. I hope to visit this restaurant again in the near future. A great place for intimate dinners or just a night out for a great meal with family. I definitely recommend."

Book a Table!

Enjoy our delicious dishes today by booking a reservation.

Cracked Pepper Bistro

Fresno, California