Which Stanislaus County brunch spot is the best? Bee readers pick their favorites
Brunch season in the Central Valley means bottomless mimosas and bloody marys that eat like a meal enjoyed on sun-soaked patios.
But which of the Modesto area’s many restaurants offers the best brunch?
We asked readers to pick their favorite local or regional Stanislaus County brunch spot. The results of The Modesto Bee’s recent poll are in, and the winner was made for leisurely brunches.
The overwhelming winner of our nonscientific poll, which we conduct for fun and bragging rights, is northeast Modesto’s Squeeze In. The restaurant opened in Village One at the corner of Floyd and Roselle avenues in 2017. The location is part of a small, mostly Northern California chain that originated in Truckee and exclusively serves breakfast, brunch and lunch.
Modesto Squeeze In owner Kathy Monday has worked hard during the pandemic to keep her restaurant open and her staff and customers safe. The expansive menu belies a cozy, intentionally small and funky space with alien and peace sign imagery everywhere.
The restaurant offers around 30 different kinds of its signature four-egg omelets, in addition to many variations on other brunch favorites like eggs Benedict and pancakes.
The Squeeze In and second-place finisher Harvest Moon battled it out for the title in the reader poll, with the former ultimately prevailing decisively with 56% of the vote to 35%. Coincidentally, the top two Stanislaus County brunch places both offer bloody marys garnished with grilled cheese sandwiches and have dedicated fan bases.
After 25 years in downtown Modesto, Harvest Moon changed hands in 2020, after a brief closure when longtime owner Mark Smallwood retired. New owner Jessie Wiggins has run the restaurant since October 2020, expanding its offerings and creating a larger outdoor patio area.
The Top 5 finishers of the online survey for best Modesto-area brunch spot were:
1. Squeeze In, Modesto
2. Harvest Moon, Modesto
3. Delicioso by Mr & Mrs Restaurant, Modesto
4. Loza Wine & Crepes, Turlock
5. The Fruit Yard, Modesto
Monday said she was honored to have her place picked as the region’s favorite brunch spot, and she extended thanks to all who voted.
“I know that a lot of the other restaurants also have great food. The best thing for me about the poll was discovering some places that I didn’t even know about,” Monday said about her win. “I’m ready to brunch.”
This story was originally published April 23, 2022 at 7:30 AM.
