Cindy Flores never pictured herself running a restaurant. Instead, she was thinking of opening her own hair salon when she found a restaurant space for rent in Grover Beach last October.
Flores sent the link to two of her brothers, who have worked in the food industry for decades, and they visited the spot soon after. The Flores’ idea for a brunch restaurant started to take shape.
“We slowly got involved, and at one point we said, ‘OK, are we doing this or not?'” Flores told the Sun.
Brunch time
Holy Belly is open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Sunday. It is located at 967 W. Grand Ave. in Grover Beach. To learn more about Holy Belly, visit Instagram @holybellygb or call (805) 202-8247.
The siblings opened Holy Belly in April after months of planning the concept and building the interior. The décor is neutral with pops of green, complementing the plants that help enliven the restaurant. Flores said she wants Holy Belly to be a welcoming, cozy atmosphere for people to gather in.
More importantly, she wants the food to be their top focus.
With more than 20 years of experience, Flores’ brothers Cesar and Omar oversee the kitchen, develop the menu, and order the ingredients.
Flores described herself as the face of Holy Belly, the one at the front of the house.
She said running a restaurant and interacting with customers makes her feel connected to the community. She has gotten to know her customers on a deeper level, too.
“I think that having a restaurant means a sense of belonging in the community,” Flores said. “You have a place where you can bring in people and serve them food that maybe they’re not going to find anywhere else.”
Two of the most popular menu items are tiramisu French toast and blueberry lemon ricotta pancakes. Flores said she wants to provide customers with a culinary experience that goes beyond typical diner fare.
“I feel like [the dishes] do have that extra touch that maybe other places don’t have. I feel like that’s what brings uniqueness in our place,” Flores said.
Holy Belly aims to satisfy the diverse palates of customers while honoring classic brunch dishes, she added.
The breakfast menu, served all day, features eggs Benedict, omelets, waffles, and chicken-fried steak.
Lunch is served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and includes sandwiches, burgers, salads, and seafood. A kids’ menu is also available.
While all their dishes have hints of Mexican flavors, the siblings also created a section of the menu dedicated to their Mexican favorites. Customers can choose from tamales, chilaquiles, huevos rancheros, and breakfast burritos.
In the future, Holy Belly plans to update its menu to feature seasonal ingredients. Flores said her brothers are creative chefs who enjoy making new recipes and offering specials on the menu.
They are proud of what they have accomplished so far, in less than one year of work. Flores said they’ve had a great response from the community.
During her childhood, Flores wished she had gotten to spend more time with her brothers, who got married and started their families young.
“When they moved here, I didn’t really get to grow up with them as much,” Flores said.
Now that they work together, Flores feels she is getting to know both her brothers on a deeper level.
“I discover how they are, how they interact with each other,” Flores said.
Cesar’s daughters even had a hand in naming the family business.
The name Holy Belly stemmed from its Spanish translation, “santa panza,” which Flores brainstormed. She thought it was catchy and fun, but it was not until her nieces approved that the decision was final.
In addition to spending time with her brothers, Flores finds motivation by being able to provide a place for the community to gather.
“I do want to feel successful, and not necessarily money wise, but just knowing that we did something. That is important to me,” Flores said.
When talking about the future, she joked about franchising Holy Belly but mentioned that she and her brothers just take it one day at a time.
“I’m just going to play it as I go,” Flores said. Δ
Send omelets and blueberry pancakes to Sun Staff Writer Madison White, from New Times’ sister paper, at mwhite@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Aug 28 – Sep 7, 2025.