Taverna

About Taverna

Taverna is a Greek restaurant on a corner of Emerson Street in downtown Palo Alto. It bills its food as Greek farm to table cooking. The restaurant opened in April 2018 and was founded by Thanasis Pashalidis and Hakan Bala, who describe themselves as longtime friends. Taverna's website also links to a Taverna location in Portola Valley.

The restaurant is open every day, with weekday lunch, weekend brunch and dinner every night. That means it serves straight through the afternoon, since lunch and brunch run until 3:30 p.m. and dinner starts at the same time.

What is on the menu

The dinner menu is organized the way a Greek meal unfolds, from cold bites through to grilled mains. Recent listings include:

• Cold bites. Dips such as tzatziki, melitzanosalata (eggplant), fava, spicy feta and tarama, or all of them on a pikilia platter. Stuffed grape leaves, marinated anchovies and a caviar service are here too.
• Hot bites. Halloumi, spanakopitakia, zucchini cakes, chicken wings and keftedakia meatballs.
• Small plates. Avgolemono soup, a Greek village salad, a beet salad, fried calamari, octopus, saganaki and grilled prawns.
• Entrées. Salmon, a whole fish, gigante bean stew, chicken souvlaki, a pork chop, moussaka, lamb rib chops and steak.
• Sides. House made pita, Greek fries, Yiayia's potatoes, steamed horta greens, orzo and Greek spicy peppers.

Separate menus cover lunch, weekend brunch, desserts, fine wine and kids. Dishes shown on the website include grilled lamb chops, a Greek salad and bougatsa pastry with pistachio ice cream. The menu does not label vegetarian or gluten free dishes. Many Greek dips, the gigante bean stew, the zucchini cakes and the village salad are meat free by tradition, but confirm with staff if you have a strict diet.

Weekend brunch

The brunch menu adds a short list of morning dishes to the Greek favorites. It includes Greek yogurt with berries, tostaki, an omelet called omeleta, spanakopitakia and tsoureki, the braided Greek sweet bread.

The space

Taverna sits on a downtown corner and has an outdoor veranda as well as several private dining rooms. The veranda is a good choice on warm evenings or for a weekend brunch outside.

Groups and private dining

Taverna is set up for groups. It has three private rooms:

The main dining room can host groups of up to 85. Each room has a food and beverage minimum that is higher at dinner than at lunch. Parties of eight or more must order from one of the restaurant's family style menus, which come in one lunch tier and three dinner tiers. To book, use the inquiry buttons on the private dining page, download the large party dining packet or call the restaurant. The events manager answers emails within 24 hours.

Who it suits

Taverna works for many kinds of meals. A weekday lunch suits a business meeting downtown. Weekend brunch on the veranda suits friends or visiting family. The family style menus and three private rooms make it a natural pick for rehearsal dinners, office parties and big birthdays. Shared dips and small plates also suit a casual dinner where everyone wants to try a little of everything. The kids menu helps with younger diners.

Tips for visiting

Book through the restaurant's website for dinner and weekend brunch. If your party is eight or larger, plan the meal ahead, since groups of that size order from a family style menu. Taverna also offers online ordering for pickup and sells gift cards. It posts special menus for holidays, such as its 2026 Mother's Day menu, so check the site before big occasions.

The restaurant is within walking distance of the Palo Alto Caltrain station. Our brunch guide compares other weekend options. The bars and wine guide covers places for a drink nearby. The downtown guide covers the rest of the area.

Location and getting there

Taverna is at 800 Emerson Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301, in the Downtown area of Palo Alto. Our Downtown guide covers what else is around.

The nearest train stop is the Palo Alto Caltrain station, about 0.3 miles away. That is roughly a 8 minute walk.

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

• Lively X Studio, studio or gym, under 0.1 mi
• Whole Foods Market, food shop, under 0.1 mi
• University Chiropractic, practice, under 0.1 mi
• Peet's Coffee Homer Avenue, cafe, under 0.1 mi
• VeloTech Cycles, studio or gym, under 0.1 mi
• Downtown Library, 0.1 mi
• Palo Alto History Museum, 0.1 mi
• Pacific Art League, 0.1 mi

Other restaurants nearby: Saint Michael's Alley (under 0.1 mi); Pizzeria Delfina (0.1 mi); Buca di Beppo (0.1 mi); Coconuts Caribbean Restaurant & Bar (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 Taverna official website; Dinner menu; Private dining. How our listings work. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Frequently asked questions