Protégé

About Protégé

Protégé is an upscale casual New American restaurant at 250 California Avenue. It is the vision of Master Sommelier Dennis Kelly and chef Anthony Secviar, who both spent years at The French Laundry. Their goal, the restaurant says, is to bring the attention to detail of the finest restaurants to a more casual setting. Protégé holds one star in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide, the only Michelin star in Palo Alto.

Secviar trained at the California Culinary Academy and honed his skills in three-Michelin-star kitchens. He was a stagiaire at Akelare in San Sebastián, spent the 2005 season at El Bulli and then spent six years with Thomas Keller at The French Laundry, rising to sous chef. He later served as chef de cuisine at Addison at The Grand Del Mar resort in Southern California from 2011 to 2016. Kelly led the wine program at The French Laundry for nearly a decade and in 2012 became the 191st person in the world to earn the Master Sommelier diploma. The current team includes chef de cuisine Jeremy Wayne, pastry chef Dhali Cruz and general manager Patrick Hagerman.

Two ways to dine

Protégé runs two experiences under one roof. The Lounge serves an à la carte menu in a casual room built around a 10-seat bar. The Dining Room serves a seven-course tasting menu in a quieter, more intimate space. The two menus do not cross over, so choose your room when you book.

The current Lounge menu runs from snacks such as Shigoku oysters, lobster chips and milk bread with cultured butter to appetizers like hamachi crudo and a nine-layer lasagna with porcini marmalade and Burgundy truffle. Entrees include California sablefish, a Moroccan-spiced pastilla, brick chicken, a Berkshire pork chop and Miyazaki A5 wagyu ribeye. The tasting menu moves through caviar, white seabass, the same lasagna, a quail roulade and A5 wagyu before a cheese cart and a chocolate gâteau. Dhali Cruz brought back the restaurant's tart trolley when she took over pastry in 2023. Menus change with the seasons.

Wine and drinks

The beverage program reflects Kelly's background. Kelly curated a full wine cellar. The by-the-glass list on the Lounge menu includes Champagne, Burgundy, Rioja and California wines, plus sweet wines and an old Madeira. A beverage pairing is offered every night. House cocktails, beers and a pear cider fill out the bar list. Corkage is discouraged. If you bring a special bottle that is not on the list, the fee is $95, limited to one 750 ml bottle per table.

Reservations and policies

Reservations are made only through Tock and are released at midnight each night, 30 days in advance. Protégé does not use a phone line, so send questions to reservations@protegepaloalto.com. Key policies:

• The largest party in the Lounge or Dining Room is four guests. Larger groups use private dining.
• Cancellations or party size reductions inside 48 hours forfeit the deposit or prepayment.
• The restaurant allows a 15-minute grace period and seats only complete parties.
• Lounge reservations are planned around two hours.
• Children under 5 are not permitted in the Dining Room. Strollers cannot be accommodated in either room.
• The kitchen cannot offer a vegan tasting menu and cannot guarantee safety for severe nut allergies.

The Private Dining Room seats up to 10 guests for a five-course tasting menu. A full restaurant buyout covers up to 40 guests. Inquiries go through a form on the website.

Tips for visiting

Set a reminder for midnight 30 days before your date, especially for Friday and Saturday or during busy Stanford weekends such as commencement. If you cannot get a Dining Room table, try the Lounge, where you can order a few plates. Note dietary restrictions when you book. The restaurant adds an 8 percent surcharge to support staff health benefits and will remove it on request. Our fine dining guide compares Protégé with other special-occasion restaurants. Our California Avenue guide covers the rest of the street for a drink or a walk before dinner.

Location and getting there

Protégé is at 250 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

• Tamayo’s Judo, studio or gym, under 0.1 mi
• NITO Boxing, studio or gym, under 0.1 mi
• Pure Barre, studio or gym, under 0.1 mi
• From Europe With Love, salon or spa, under 0.1 mi
• Gamelandia, shop, under 0.1 mi
• Bowden Park, 0.2 mi
• Peers Park, 0.3 mi
• College Terrace Library, 0.4 mi

Other restaurants nearby: Bistro Elan (under 0.1 mi); Rara (under 0.1 mi); Naschmarkt Palo Alto (under 0.1 mi); Cafe Pro Bono (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 Protégé official website; Reservations policy; Private dining; Team; MICHELIN Guide listing. How our listings work. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Frequently asked questions