Bella Luna - Palo Alto
233 University Avenue
Palo Alto CA 94301
6503221846
www.bellaluna.org
Italian Casual Dining $30 and under
Bella Luna serves delicious, authentic Northern Italian cuisine in a rustic, yet elegant setting. Since opening its doors on University Avenue, it has enjoyed rave reviews for its authentic, appealing, and affordable cuisine, as well as warm and astute service. Conveniently located near downtown shops, hotels, Stanford, and Caltrain, you can enjoy the freshest pasta, salads, seafood, veal, chicken, and lamb attractively presented with the experience of dining in Italy. Let our professional staff help you choose the perfect wine to complement your meal. For your next business lunch, casual dinner with friends or family, or romantic dinner with someone special, you can count on Bella Luna.
Cafe Rosso & Bianco
473 University Avenue
Palo Alto CA 94301
6507520350
www.cafecoppola.com/caferossobianco/
Italian Casual Dining $30 and under
Cafe Rosso & Bianco offers a warm and lively setting for dining a la Italy in the South Bay. The menu is Mediterranean-inspired with an array of Southern Italian specialties. Our café serves Mediterranean pastas, salads, authentic wood-fired Italian pizzas and the finest meats and seafood available. It also features a wide selection of wines available for tasting, by the glass and bottle. Our complete wine selection is also available to take home.Custom handcrafted and direct from Italy, our Enomatic wine system enhances your wine tasting experience with innovative technology and sleek Italian design. This new technology allows you to experience a range of carefully selected super premium wines that are often impossible to get, or only sold by the bottle. The Enomatic gives you a choice of 1.5oz, 3oz, and 6oz pours allowing you to compare varietals from different regions or simply take a tour through the world of wine. Our resident wine expert is on hand to answer any questions.
California Cafe - Palo Alto
700 Welch Road
Palo Alto CA 94304-1502
6503252233
www.californiacafe.com/paloalto/index.php
Californian Casual Elegant $30 and under
Located in the historic Stanford Barn, California Cafe offers an escape from the outside world. We feed the senses - California style - through our chef-driven creations, engaging service, and relaxing ambiance.
Evvia
420 Emerson Street
Palo Alto CA 94301
6503260983
www.evvia.net
Mediterranean Casual Elegant $31 to $50
Sister restaurant of Kokkari, Evvia has been serving beautiful and elegant Greek cuisine since 1995. Fabulous fish, savory roasted meats, and sun-soaked vegetables are jazzed up with a spritz of lemon, a little olive oil, and herbs. There is perfection in simplicity.
Il Fornaio - Palo Alto
520 Cowper Street
Palo Alto CA 94301
6508533888 ilfornaio.com
Italian Casual Dining $30 and under
Il Fornaio means "The Baker" in Italian. This award-winning restaurant offers an authentic and unique dining experience. Specialties include wood-fired rotisserie and grilled meats, poultry and game; housemade pastas; pizzas from an oak wood burning oven; fresh salads and housemade soups; a wide variety of desserts; and fresh baked bread made daily from scratch. Winner of the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence 2007.
Illusions - Fayrouz Dining & Entertainment
260 S. California Ave
Palo Alto CA 94306 6503216464
www.fayrouzdining.com
Lebanese Casual Elegant $30 and under
Illusions Fayrouz offers an upscale atmosphere for crowds of all ages and tastes. We feature a classic Lebanese menu, state of the art banquet facilities, and heated outdoor patio. We strive to offer you the very best in Lebanese dining and entertainment. From family dining to dancing and socializing, Illusions Fayrouz offers an idyllic environment for everyone.
Junnoon
150 University Avenue
Palo Alto CA 94301
6503299644
www.junnoon.com
Indian Casual Elegant $31 to $50
Junnoon Restaurant and Lounge is born of the passion and energy of Contemporary India and showcases inventive modern renditions of Indian Cuisine: bold, healthy and flavor intensive. The culinary team behind Junnoon consists of Consulting Chef Floyd Cardoz, Executive Chef of Tabla Restaurant, New York; Executive Chef Kirti Pant, formerly of The Cinnamon Club, London, and Sous Chef Shachi Mehra, formerly of Tabla Restaurant, New York. Junnoon's Wine list has been especially developed by Master Sommelier Reggie Narito to complement the food. The restaurant, which has recently opened, has already received rave reviews on the way it is taking Indian cuisine to new heights. Esquire's "20 Best New Restaurants of 2006" Mercury News Review.
LAVANDA Restaurant and Wine Bar
185 University Ave.
Palo Alto CA 94301
6503213514
www.lavandarestaurant.com
Mediterranean Casual Elegant $30 and under
Located in the heart of downtown Palo Alto, Lavanda invites all that enjoy fine wine and Mediterranean Italian cuisine to come and see this beautifully renovated restaurant. Diners discover simple dishes made with the finest ingredients. Fresh seafood, homemade pastas and an assortment of high-quality poultry and game dishes are easily paired with over 600 wines, including close to 30 selections by the glass. The elegance of the food and wine parallel the charm of Lavanda's open-spaced atmosphere, encouraging a relaxed but exceptional dining experience. Hailed as one of San Francisco Magazine's Top Restaurants in the Bay Area, Lavanda has also been recently awarded Wine Spectator's prestigious Award of Excellence.
MacArthur Park - Palo Alto
27 University Avenue
Palo Alto CA 94301
6503219990
www.macarthurparkpaloalto.com
American Casual Dining $30 and under
Palo Alto neighborhood favorite MacArthur Park relaunched in April 2008 with the original chef and owner.Faz Poursohi (of Faz Restaurants) and Restaurateur Chuck Frank (formerly with Spectrum Foods, owner of 16 upscale eateries) are at the helm and have revitalized this historic landmark designed by Julia Morgan in 1918.
The revitalized menu features Faz' award-winning Oakwood Smoked California BBQ Baby Back Ribs, mesquite grilled meats and fresh fish. Special features include a "fresh fruit bounty" of the day, the MacArthur Park famous potato skins and onion rings.
Mantra Restaurant and Lounge
632 Emerson St
Palo Alto CA 94301
6503223500
www.mantrapaloalto.com
Indian Fine Dining $31 to $50
One of the SF Chronicle Top 100 Bay Area restaurants for 2007, Mantra offers a unique dining experience featuring Sachin Chopra, a modern day chef with sensibilities of modern cuisines of California and India. Mantra experience consists of a unique triad of pairings: -Pairing the California freshness with flavors and aromas of India -Pairing this great new cuisine with some bold and seductive wines from around the world -Pairing the bright Indian colors and contemporary art into the high ceiling ambiance of Palo Alto's old Bijou theater And finally we deliver this trio of fresh food, great wines and warm ambiance with our non-pretentious service to achieve the ultimate "Mantra Experience." So far, critics and guests have loved this unique experience, we invite you to come and enjoy it too. "Chef Sachin has made this elegant restaurant a destination. The restaurant brings flash, glamour and a dash of Bollywood mystique to Palo Alto" Michael Bauer
Nola - Palo Alto
535 Ramona Street
Palo Alto CA 94301
6503282722
www.nolas.com
Cajun Casual Dining $30 and under
Nola has been nominated for the best margarita and the best trendy spot for salty tequila mixes and the beautiful people that drink them. Come join us at Nola, for Palo Alto's Dine Downtown program on Monday nights during the month of January. Choose between our $23.00 Dine Downtown prix fixe menu or Nola's traditional menu.
Pampas Palo Alto
529 Alma Street
Palo Alto CA 94301
6503271323
www.pampaspaloalto.com
Brazilian Steakhouse Casual Elegant $31 to $50
The spirit of Brazil meets luxury and extravagance at Pampas in the heart of downtown Palo Alto. Here, the authenticity of the Brazilian churrasco comes to a modern dining emporium where impromptu gatherings, romantic rendezvous' and large corporate events feel at home. On the plate, smoke meets spice, rusticity finds sophistication, tradition is re-imagined. Simply prepared meats are spit roasted to juicy perfection and sliced tableside without limit. Sample the array alongside one of our mixologist's freshly muddled seasonal cocktails or a choice vintage selected by our sommelier. Take in the side bar, brimming with seasonal vegetables, fresh salads and artisan cheese; and watch our servers round the room with simply prepared meats, spit roasted to juicy perfection and sliced tableside without limit. At Pampas, we invite you to sit back, indulge and watch. Every meal is a show.
Quattro Restaurant and Bar - Four Seasons Hotel
2050 University Ave @ University Circle
East Palo Alto CA 94303
6504702889
www.quattrorestaurant.com
Italian Casual Elegant $31 to $50
The Italian word for "four", the name is in line with the architectural design of the restaurant as a large light airy room with glass on three sides. The room is lit dramatically at night and illuminates the front of the hotel entrance. Quattro features Northern Italian seasonal and light cuisine with an fresh Cal-Italian twist at breakfast and lunch. The dinner menu features contemporary Italian cuisine by our Executive Chef Alessandro Cartumini - a native of Lago Maggiore in the Piedmont region of northern Italy. Chef Alessandro has featured locally grown produce and artisan products from northern California farms since opening. Attentive, unobtrusive service compliments the exquisite menu and An extensive wine list features predominantly California wines with many boutique offerings as well as an extensive Italian selection.
Scott's Seafood - Palo Alto
855 El Camino Real
Palo Alto CA 94301
6503231555
www.scottsseafood.com
Californian Casual Elegant $30 and under
Scott's Seafood Restaurant is a Bay Area tradition. Their American regional cuisine features the freshest seafood and prime dry aged steaks. The interior is inviting for all occasions, from casual dining to special occasions, business meetings or your next event.
Straits Restaurant - Palo Alto
3295 El Camino Real
Palo Alto CA 94306
6504947168
www.straitspaloalto.com
Asian Casual Dining $30 and under
Authentic family style Singaporean cuisine.
Tai Pan
560 Waverly St
Palo Alto CA 94301
6503299168
www.taipanpaloalto.com
Chinese Casual Elegant $30 and under
In Chinese culture, a Tai-Pan is an individual who shines above all in their field. At Tai-Pan, we believe in the constant pursuit of culinary excellence. From our menu, celebrating Hong Kong-style Cantonese cuisine, to the fine ingredients we use, to our thoughtful preparation and presentation, we strive to deliver an experience befitting a Tai-Pan - one that shines above all else.
Tamarine
546 University Ave.
Palo Alto CA 94301
6503258500
www.tamarinerestaurant.com
Vietnamese Casual Elegant $31 to $50
Tamarine is a contemporary Vietnamese restaurant that features the light but flavor-intensive culinary delicacies of Vietnam. The restaurant offers a menu based on small plates, promoting the Vietnamese tradition of the 'shared' meal in which food is shared and enjoyed with those close. Tamarine's small plate entrees are enjoyed with the pairing of a variety of aromatic, flavor infused rice, designed to be mixed and matched to create a truly unique flavor experience. Along with culinary delicacies of Vietnam, the restaurant showcases the works of emerging artists from Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries. Semi-annual exhibits will close with a cocktail event to auction the art. Proceeds will be donated to La Maison Chance, an orphanage in Saigon, Vietnam.
Three Seasons
518 Bryant Street
Palo Alto CA 94301
6508380353
www.threeseasonsrestaurant.com
Vietnamese Casual Elegant $30 and under
Known for their astounding repertoire of fresh spring rolls and collective small plates, Three Seasons Restaurant has quickly become the dining experience of choice among those who know. Founders Chef Hung Le and Tessa Nguyen bring their concept of fresh premium ingredients combined with innovative food presentation to downtown Palo Alto. The result is an unprecedented and thoroughly addictive spin on traditional Vietnamese flavors. The flagship Three Seasons, in San Francisco's trendy Marina District, has earned the distinction as one of the most acclaimed Vietnamese restaurants in the Bay Area since its inception over three years ago.
Trader Vic's - Palo Alto
4269 El Camino Real
Palo Alto CA 94306
6508499800
www.tradervicspaloalto.com
Fusion / Eclectic Casual Elegant $30 and under
Trader Vic's is a Polynesian restaurant and bar, which specializes in serving Island cuisine and cocktails. Island cuisine is an influenced fusion of French, Creole, Indian and Chinese. Cuisine (Appears on Profile Page only): Fusion / Eclectic
Vero
530 Bryant Street
Palo Alto CA 94301
6503258376
www.veroristorante.com
Italian Casual Dining $30 and under
Our name best describes what we're all about. When we were planning for this restaurant, we each had our own ideas of what it should be like, but one thing was clearly in common: we wanted to provide a True Italian experience in food and service. That's why we decided to call the place by the adjective we used the most in our discussions: Vero... True! Sitting around the table and having a good meal is about food, service, ambiance, and of course the right company. We have tried to create the right mix of three of the elements to give you the best possible experience in the "Vero" Italian tradition.So come in, relax, and take your time savoring our dishes, and sharing in our passion for Italy, its culture, and its food.From all of us to you, Buon Appetito!
Zibibbo
430 Kipling St.
Palo Alto CA 94301
6503286722
www.zibibborestaurant.com
Mediterranean Casual Dining $30 and under
Located in the heart of Palo Alto, Zibibbo offers a seasonal Pan-Mediterranean menu, served 'family-style' in the tranquil surroundings of a renovated Victorian home. Zibibbo features an award-winning wine list and a wine bar offering over 60 wines-by-the-glass. Enjoy our bar menu of small plates and unique house cocktails by the fireplace in the outdoor Garden Bar.
Zucca Palo Alto
541 Bryant Street
Palo Alto CA 94301
6503270132
www.zuccaristorante.com
Mediterranean Casual Elegant $30 and under
The cuisine at Zucca Palo Alto is based on the finest ingredients simply prepared. The menus, which change with the seasons, reflect our commitment to presenting the distinctive regional cuisines from the Mediterranean. We buy naturally raised meat, poultry, and produce is used. In e spring, summer and fall growing seasons organic produce is sourced from local farmers, from San Mateo and Santa Cruz Counties.
