ZombieRunner Coffee

About ZombieRunner Coffee

ZombieRunner Coffee is a neighborhood cafe on California Avenue with an unusual back story. The business started in 2003 as an online store selling gear for trail and ultra runners. In 2008 it opened a shop on California Avenue in a former movie theater, pairing a running shoe store with a cafe. The company says the cafe side built an almost cult following.

The company says the online store was part of the business for several years until the focus shifted toward coffee. In 2019 the owners closed the running store for good and decided to put everything into coffee. In 2020 the cafe moved to a different space on California Avenue that suited a coffee shop better, which is the 344 California Avenue location it runs today. The company does not name its owners on its website.

ZombieRunner added a second Palo Alto cafe in October 2024, in the Barron Park neighborhood at 3990 El Camino Real, Suite C. Both cafes share a phone number. The El Camino shop opens earlier on weekdays and closes on Sunday, so check the locations page before you head to the newer one.

Coffee and house drinks

The core of the menu is espresso and brewed coffee. ZombieRunner also has a set of house drinks that carry the brand's name. The website singles out three of them:

• Zombie Fizz, a sparkling lemon drink.
• Golden Zombie, a turmeric and ginger drink.
• Zombies Never Sleep, which the company describes as extra caffeinated.

Chai is another focus. The company sells its own chai spice blend online for people who want to make it at home. Alongside the drinks, the cafes sell pastries and sandwiches. The website does not publish a full food menu, so check the order ahead page for what is on offer that day.

Beans and chai to take home

The online shop sells whole bean coffee in 12 ounce bags and chai spices, with shipping to an address for a flat rate. The bean list rotates and items sell out. Recent choices have included a Northern Italian Espresso Blend, an India Mysore, a monsooned Indian Mysore, a Sumatra Mandheling, a Guatemala Huehuetenango Palhu and a decaf from Chiapas, Mexico. The shop does not list roast levels or say who roasts the coffee, so ask the staff if that matters to you. Bags make an easy gift for someone who already knows the cafe.

Two Palo Alto cafes

Because both shops carry the ZombieRunner name, it helps to know which one you want. The table below uses the hours each cafe lists on the company's locations page.

The California Avenue cafe is the one to choose on a Sunday or if you are arriving by train. The Barron Park shop is handier if you are driving along El Camino Real or need coffee before 8 a.m. on a weekday.

Ordering ahead

ZombieRunner takes orders ahead for pickup at both cafes, covering drinks, pastries and sandwiches. Ordering ahead can save time during the weekday morning rush. You can also order at the counter as usual.

Who it suits and tips

This is a practical stop for a morning coffee on the way to the train, a midmorning break while running errands on California Avenue or a take home bag of beans. The cafe closes at 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday and at 3 p.m. on Sunday, so it is a daytime place. Plan an afternoon coffee for earlier rather than later.

The cafe sits a short walk from the California Avenue district train station. On Sundays the California Avenue farmers market runs year round nearby, which makes a coffee and market morning easy. Our coffee guide compares the city's cafes. The Barron Park guide covers the neighborhood around the second ZombieRunner on El Camino Real.

Location and getting there

ZombieRunner Coffee is at 344 California Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94306, in the California Avenue area of Palo Alto. Our California Avenue guide covers what else is around.

The California Avenue Caltrain station is less than a quarter mile away, a walk of a few minutes.

Parking: street spaces and city garages with posted limits (see parking in Palo Alto).

Hours

Hours from the business's own website, checked October 29, 2026.

What is nearby

• Anatolian Kitchen, restaurant, under 0.1 mi
• Spoke & Weal, salon or spa, under 0.1 mi
• California Paint Company, store, under 0.1 mi
• Massage Therapy Center, salon or spa, under 0.1 mi
• iTalico, restaurant, under 0.1 mi
• Bowden Park, 0.3 mi
• Peers Park, 0.3 mi
• College Terrace Library, 0.3 mi

Other cafes and coffee shops nearby: UMe Tea (under 0.1 mi); Backyard Brew (under 0.1 mi); SIGNAL Coffee (Sunday Pop Up) (0.1 mi); Fambrini's Cafe (0.2 mi). Browse the full cafes and coffee shops list.

Before you go

• Weekday mornings bring a rush of commuters and students, so expect a line between about 8 and 9:30 a.m.
• Some cafes limit laptop use at busy times or have few outlets. Ask before settling in for a long work session.
• Hours often change with the school calendar and holidays. Check the cafe's site or map listing before a special trip.

About this listing

Checked October 29, 2026 against ZombieRunner Coffee official website; Locations and hours; About ZombieRunner; Coffee beans. How our listings work. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

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