Summer Eats to Cool You Down

The Fresno weather has gotten painfully hot since the arrival of the summer season, and in this unforgiving heat we might find it a little more difficult than usual to get out of the house. Here are three local places that can help you beat the heat (and satisfy your tastebuds while you're at it)!

Little Leaf Tea: This tea shop is anything but little, boasting 150 different kinds of loose leaf tea to help you cool off (they also brew if hot if you prefer, of course). Take advantage of their summer specials of tea recipes concoted especially for this weather. They also have pretty delicious sandwiches and paninis made fresh from their kitchen and high-speed Wi-Fi, making this place the perfect sanctuary for people looking for a place to stay a while.

They are located in northern Fresno, on the northwest corner of Bullard and Palm. I recommend their "Island Coconut" or "Le-Mint" (lemon mint) tea for the perfect compliment to a sunny day.

La Reina de Michoacan: It's hard to resist a popsicle on a grueling sunny day, especially ones from this Fresno-favorite paleteria & neveria—a Mexican popsicle & ice cream parlor. Here you'll find a hypnotic display of colorful flavors inspired by familiar fruit flavors made from fresh produce, as well as things a little more exotic like pistachio and mamey.

You can find this popsicle oasis south of the Tower District near Belmont and Broadway. Try out their fresh fruit paletas mixed with cream!

Kogetsu-Do Confectionary: At almost 100-years-old, this place is the last remaining manjū-ya (manju shop) in the Central Valley! They specialize in traditional manjū, Japanese treats reccomended served fresh and cold and made from mochi and traditional ingredients like sweet red bean and fresh fruit. They also serve shaved ice done "Hawaiian-style" with ice cream, as a nod to their family's time in Hawaii.

The shop is tucked away in downtown, in our historic Chinatown on the crossstreets of F and Kern. Definintely get their shaved ice and try out a few fresh-fruit manjū.