Lotus Thai Bistro

About Lotus Thai Bistro

Lotus Thai Bistro is a family owned and operated Thai restaurant at 425 California Avenue, in the California Avenue business district. It offers indoor dining, outdoor dining, takeout and catering. The restaurant serves lunch specials and dinner Monday through Saturday and is closed on Sundays.

The restaurant keeps its website simple and current. It posts its lunch, dinner and catering menus as PDFs, notes upcoming holiday closures and was last updated in April 2026, according to the site. For takeout, it asks customers to order directly through its own Toast page, which it describes as a good way to support the business.

What is on the menu

Lotus Thai covers the Thai dishes most diners look for, with curries, stir-fries, noodles and soups. The restaurant names pad thai as its most popular dish. It also publishes short lists of recommendations for each meal, which are a useful starting point if you are new to the menu.

• Lunch picks: popcorn chicken, chicken basil stir-fry, soft tofu red curry, shrimp pad thai, fried tofu green curry, Thai iced tea and sweet rice with mango.
• Dinner picks: fresh rolls, seafood tom kha soup, fried tofu green curry, beef pad see-ew, chicken pumpkin curry, salmon tamarind and sautéed eggplant.
• Catering picks: chicken satay, fresh rolls, pad thai, eggplant stir-fry, yellow curry and jasmine rice.

Tofu shows up across all three lists, so vegetarians have options in curries and stir-fries. The website does not publish allergen or gluten information, so ask staff about fish sauce and other ingredients if you have dietary limits. The restaurant notes that menu items and prices can change without notice.

How to order

For takeout, order online through the "See Menu & Order Now" button on Lotus Thai's website, which opens its Toast ordering page, or call 650-289-0907. Delivery runs through third-party partners, including DoorDash, Grubhub and Uber Eats. The website does not mention reservations, so call ahead if you are bringing a larger group to eat in.

Catering

Lotus Thai also caters. It invites calls about corporate meetings, school parties, birthdays and special events. It offers free delivery within the Palo Alto area for catering orders over $300. Catering inquiries go to a separate line, 650-793-7374, or to the restaurant's email address. Office managers who already use ezCater can order there too. A catering menu is posted as a PDF on the website.

Who it suits

Lotus Thai is set up for everyday meals rather than special occasions. Weekday lunch specials make it a practical choice for people who work around California Avenue. The 3 p.m. cutoff also leaves room for a late lunch. Families and groups can share curries, noodles and rice at dinner. The outdoor tables suit a warm evening. Takeout and delivery cover nights at home. The catering menu is aimed at offices and school events. If you need a Sunday dinner, look elsewhere, since the restaurant is closed that day.

The restaurant says it was voted Palo Alto Weekly's Best Thai Restaurant in 2022, 2023, 2025 and 2026. The claim appears at the top of its home page, next to the link to its online ordering.

Tips for visiting

Lunch runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays and Saturdays. Dinner starts at 5 p.m. on weekdays and at 4 p.m. on Saturdays. It runs until 9:30 p.m. The restaurant closes on some holidays. For example, it posted a closure for Labor Day, September 7, 2026. Check the home page for the next one before you go.

The restaurant points visitors to the city's California Avenue parking, where visitors to local businesses get two hours of free street and garage parking. Check the City of Palo Alto's parking page for the latest rules. Our California Avenue guide covers the rest of the street. For more Thai and other Asian restaurants, see our Asian food guide. If you are looking for an inexpensive lunch, our cheap eats guide has more ideas.

Location and getting there

Lotus Thai Bistro is at 425 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

• UMe Tea, cafe, under 0.1 mi
• Mediterranean Wraps, quick-service spot, under 0.1 mi
• Vin Vino Wine, food shop, under 0.1 mi
• Leaf & Petal, store, under 0.1 mi
• Kali Greek Kitchen, quick-service spot, under 0.1 mi
• College Terrace Library, 0.3 mi
• Bowden Park, 0.3 mi
• Peers Park, 0.4 mi

Other restaurants nearby: Sekoya (under 0.1 mi); La Bohème (under 0.1 mi); Ramen Kowa (under 0.1 mi); Namaste (under 0.1 mi). Browse the full restaurants list.

Before you go

• Popular dinner spots in Palo Alto fill up on Friday and Saturday nights, so book ahead where the restaurant takes reservations.
• Many kitchens close earlier than in big cities. Plan to order by about 9 p.m. on weeknights unless the posted hours say otherwise.
• If you have allergies or dietary needs, call ahead or check the current menu on the restaurant's website.

About this listing

Checked October 29, 2026 against Lotus Thai Bistro official website; Hours and directions; Menu page. How our listings work. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

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