Joanie's Cafe

I have an unconditional love towards brunch, so I have a tendency to praise places that serve good quality breakfast and brunch meals. Joanie's Cafe definitely makes the top list for my affair with brunch places. Like Sunny Side Cafe, La Note, Fat Apples, and Venus in Berkeley/Solano Avenue, Joanie's is a quiant little shop in Palo Alto (near Stanford University) with lots of charm. I love the vintage-style art hung on the walls and small novelty items displayed on the counter. Breakfast and lunch items are served till 2 pm and the restaurant re-opens for dinner at 5 pm. I unfortunately have not tried the dinner, but I heard the food is as amazing as breakfast. The store is small and cozy, utilizing all amounts of space for a well-packed venue. Luckily when I came, there wasn't a long wait, but I can imagine on the weekends during the busiest hours people waiting for seats. The prices are moderate, around $1o an entree.


Dishes are filling; I especially enjoyed my omelet of feta, spinach, tomatoes and bacon. Another dish I tried was the home fries favorite mixed with bell peppers, onions, eggs, ham, and cheese which was delicious. I must say my favorite side, if given the choice to order, is their hash browns. Perfectly crisped with a softness that mirrors mash potatoes, I can can easily state that Joanie's serves the best hash browns I've ever had. If I come back again, I'll definitely try the hash browns and perhaps get the salmon crepe, which I am hoping is thin and crisp as well. A friend who went with me to brunch ordered the hot chocolate and said the one at La Note in Berkeley is richer. I've had the mocha in La Note and loved the taste as well as the big soup cup that contained the beverage. Overall, from what I can tell from looking at people's tables was that the food at Joanie's is solid and satisfying.

447 S California Ave
Palo Alto, CA 94306
Yelp Review