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#30. Gusto Italiano
- Rating: 4.5/5 (114 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3948 Sylvan Ave. Ste 307 Modesto, California
- Categories: Southern, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
Highest-rated restaurants in Modesto by diners
Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to stick to our morning routines, rewatch movies we've seen time and time again, and hit up the same tried-and-true restaurants when going out for a meal. In fact, 35% of Americans say they rarely or never try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, according to a 2024 survey of more than 1,500 diners from TouchBistro.
But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—67% of Gen Zers and 40% of millennials in the U.S. say they visit new restaurants once a month or more. When it comes to deciding which new restaurant to try, younger generations are also more likely to rely on social media or online restaurant reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google. The TouchBistro survey found that 52% of Gen Zers have opted to try a new restaurant due to positive feedback on social media, and 67% of millennials have gone to a new dining spot solely because of favorable reviews online.
New restaurants in particular tend to garner a lot of online attention. About 50,000 new restaurants open each year in the U.S., and that number continues to rise. An analysis by Yelp published in June 2024 found that new restaurant openings were up 6% from May 2023 to April 2024. But some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established eateries that customers have been visiting for decades.
To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in Modesto, according to Yelp reviews from diners as of January 2025. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews and a 3.0 rating were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.
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#29. Ranas Taqueria
- Rating: 4.5/5 (23 reviews)
- Address: 2240 McHenry Ave. Modesto, California
- Categories: Mexican, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
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#28. Chinn's International
- Rating: 4.5/5 (49 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1205 J St. Modesto, California
- Categories: Burgers, Sandwiches, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
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#27. Krépe Dog
- Rating: 4.5/5 (158 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 621 9th St. Modesto, California
- Categories: Hot Dogs, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp
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#26. Brighter Side
- Rating: 4.5/5 (230 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1125 K St. Modesto, California
- Categories: Sandwiches, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
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#25. Bagels N More
- Rating: 4.5/5 (165 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1532 Lakewood Ave. Ste 5 Modesto, California
- Categories: Bagels, Sandwiches, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
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#24. Me'Mo's Middle Eastern Cuisine
- Rating: 4.6/5 (476 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2221 McHenry Ave. Modesto, California
- Categories: Lebanese
- Read more on Yelp
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#23. Copland Leal Salvadorian & Mexican Food
- Rating: 4.6/5 (22 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 531 West Hatch Road Modesto, California
- Categories: Food Trucks, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
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#22. Sultan Darbar Afghan Cuisine & Market
- Rating: 4.6/5 (23 reviews)
- Address: 2400 Coffee Road Ste - L & M Modesto, California
- Categories: Pop-Up Restaurants, Halal, International Grocery
- Read more on Yelp
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#21. Super Gyros
- Rating: 4.6/5 (440 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2252 McHenry Ave. Modesto, California
- Categories: Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
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#20. Camp 4
- Rating: 4.6/5 (746 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1508 10th St. Ste B Modesto, California
- Categories: Wine Bars, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
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#19. Picassos Gourmet Deli
- Rating: 4.6/5 (217 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 963 10th St. Modesto, California
- Categories: Delis, Sandwiches, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
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#18. Gia Lai Restaurant
- Rating: 4.6/5 (46 reviews)
- Address: 950 Oakdale Road Modesto, California
- Categories: Chinese, Vietnamese, Beer Bar
- Read more on Yelp
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#17. Frida's Taqueria Ajua
- Rating: 4.6/5 (325 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2101 West Rumble Road Ste C Modesto, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
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#16. Donatello's Take & Bake Pizza
- Rating: 4.6/5 (201 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1532 Lakewood Ave. Ste 2 Modesto, California
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
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#15. El Rincon Tapatio
- Rating: 4.7/5 (86 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1751 Yosemite Blvd. Modesto, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
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#14. Sizzlin' Masala
- Rating: 4.7/5 (108 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3230 Dale Road Modesto, California
- Categories: Indian, Mexican, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp
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#13. Tacos El Gordo
- Rating: 4.7/5 (27 reviews)
- Address: 1529 9th St. Modesto, California
- Categories: Tacos, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp
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#12. Bauhaus
- Rating: 4.7/5 (166 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 405 Downey Ave. Modesto, California
- Categories: Wine Bars, Beer Bar, Tapas Bars
- Read more on Yelp
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#11. Desi Pizza Bites
- Rating: 4.7/5 (45 reviews)
- Address: 2900 Standiford Ave. Modesto, California
- Categories: Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
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#10. Hawaii Pot Shabushabu House
- Rating: 4.7/5 (124 reviews)
- Address: 3848 McHenry Ave. Ste 205 Modesto, California
- Categories: Hot Pot, Hawaiian
- Read more on Yelp
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#9. Braulio's Bistro
- Rating: 4.7/5 (56 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 621 9th St. Modesto, California
- Categories: Italian, Food Trucks, Chicken Shop
- Read more on Yelp
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#8. TNK Vegan Cafe
- Rating: 4.7/5 (372 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 330 Needham St. Modesto, California
- Categories: Vegan, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
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#7. Kua Lao Thai Kitchen
- Rating: 4.7/5 (32 reviews)
- Address: 411 H St. Modesto, California
- Categories: Laotian, Thai
- Read more on Yelp
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#6. Heaven's Kitchen
- Rating: 4.7/5 (27 reviews)
- Address: 3401 Dale Road Modesto, California
- Categories: Indian
- Read more on Yelp
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#5. Pupuseria Garcia
- Rating: 4.8/5 (23 reviews)
- Address: 505 Paradise Road Modesto, California
- Categories: Food Trucks, Mexican, Salvadoran
- Read more on Yelp
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#4. Thaiburi
- Rating: 4.8/5 (20 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3900 Pelandale Ave. Ste 155 Modesto, California
- Categories: Thai
- Read more on Yelp
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#3. Lucille
- Rating: 4.8/5 (231 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1218 H St. Modesto, California
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
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#2. Taquizas Garcia
- Rating: 4.9/5 (71 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: Modesto, California
- Categories: Tacos, Caterers
- Read more on Yelp
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#1. Veekiind
- Rating: 5.0/5 (28 reviews)
- Address: 221 El Roya Ave. Modesto, California
- Categories: Food Trucks, Tacos
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 318 metros.
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