Where to eat near California Avenue

California Avenue began as the main street of Mayfield, the rival town that Palo Alto annexed in 1925. Today it is the city's second downtown and, block for block, its densest place to eat. The street runs less than half a mile from El Camino Real to the Caltrain tracks. Most of that stretch is closed to cars, so restaurant tables fill the old roadway.

This guide groups the street's food by block, then by meal. Every place linked below has a page in our business directory with hours and booking details as each business published them in October 2026. Others are named for completeness and also appear in the directory. Hours change, so check before you go. For the street's history and shops, see our California Avenue neighborhood guide.

How the street is laid out

Think of California Avenue in three parts. The block nearest the train, from Park Boulevard to Birch Street, still has traffic. The car-free blocks run from Birch Street to El Camino Real, with restaurants on both sides and tables down the middle. Birch Street itself, which crosses the avenue, has a small cluster of its own. Distances are short. Walking from the station to El Camino Real takes about 8 minutes.

The station block: special occasions and cocktails

The first block holds the street's most talked-about dinner. Protégé is a New American restaurant with an à la carte lounge and a seven-course tasting menu. It holds the only Michelin star in Palo Alto in the 2026 guide. It serves dinner Tuesday to Saturday and books through Tock about 30 days ahead. Its sister bar across the street, Bar Underdog, pours cocktails and house sodas with Japanese-leaning snacks and takes no reservations.

The same block has Rara, a Nepalese restaurant for momo and dal bhat sets. Imperial Treasure, a Chinese restaurant next door, takes orders ahead for its roast Peking duck dinner. Around the corner on Park Boulevard, The Farm runs all day with organic coffee, brunch plates, New York-style pizza and Turkish dishes. It is the easiest stop if you are waiting for a train.

Birch Street: European bistros

Birch Street crosses the avenue just west of the station block. Three small restaurants sit within a minute of the corner.

• Naschmarkt: an Austrian restaurant for schnitzel, goulash and strudel, with lunch Tuesday to Saturday and dinner every night as listed.
• Bistro Elan: a small California French bistro with an open kitchen and a patio, closed Sunday to Tuesday.
• Cafe Pro Bono: a long-running Italian restaurant with homemade pasta, a wine list of about 300 bottles and three private rooms.

The car-free blocks

This is the heart of the street. Most places here have tables outside under umbrellas or heaters. The range is wide, so a group with mixed tastes can split up and meet back at the tables.

Sit-down dinners

• La Bodeguita del Medio: a Cuban-inspired restaurant and rum bar on the street since 1997, with an afternoon social hour and private rooms. Closed Sunday and Monday.
• Terún Pizzeria: a Neapolitan pizzeria open since 2013, with a wood-fired oven and a covered terrace. Its team also runs iTalico, a pasta and wine bar on the 300 block.
• La Bohème: a French bistro since 2014, with weekday lunch, weekend brunch and dinner. Closed Monday.
• Sekoya: a California restaurant and cocktail lounge with dry-aged steaks and two private rooms.
• Jin Sho: a family-owned Japanese restaurant founded by two former Nobu chefs, with sushi and omakase.
• Anatolian Kitchen: a family-run Turkish restaurant for mezze and kebabs, open for lunch and dinner every day.
• Sun of Wolf and Palo Alto Sol: two Mexican restaurants a few doors apart, the first with a seasonal menu and mezcal cocktails, the second focused on the cooking of Puebla.

Quick and casual

• Zareen's: chef Zareen Khan's halal Pakistani and Indian restaurant, known for kababs, biryani and paratha rolls.
• Ramen Kowa: miso, tonkotsu, shoyu and vegetarian ramen plus curry rice and bingsu.
• Kali Greek Kitchen: pitas, rice plates and dips, open 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. every day.
• Square Pie Guys: Detroit-style square pizza with gluten-free and dairy-free crusts.
• Mediterranean Wraps: falafel, shawarma and kufta with plenty of vegetarian choices.
• Namaste and Lotus Thai Bistro: Indian and Thai lunch specials a few doors apart.

Mornings and coffee

California Avenue wakes up later than downtown. The earliest food is Izzy's Brooklyn Bagels, a kosher bagel bakery with more than 30 kinds of bagels, open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. Vitality Bowls on the station block opens at 7:30 a.m. on weekdays for acai bowls and smoothies.

For coffee, ZombieRunner Coffee grew out of a trail running store and still draws runners on weekend mornings. It opens at 8 a.m. Backyard Brew, a family-owned specialty shop since 2016, sits on the 400 block. At the El Camino Real end, Fambrini's Cafe serves all-day breakfast on a garden patio where dogs are welcome. On Sundays an Alameda roaster, SIGNAL Coffee, runs a stand at the market.

The Sunday farmers market

Every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., year-round, the California Avenue Farmers Market fills the car-free blocks. Besides produce, it has bread, pastries and prepared food, so many people make a market breakfast and then stay for brunch. La Bohème and Sun of Wolf both list weekend brunch. Restaurant patios stay open, but tables near the stalls fill fast. Our farmers markets guide covers both of the city's year-round markets.

Late food and drinks

Most kitchens on the street close by 9 or 9:30 p.m. A few go later:

• Zareen's lists hours until 11:59 p.m. every day, with takeout only after 11 p.m.
• Bar Underdog stays open until 11 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday and midnight on weekends.
• UMe Tea pours bubble tea until 10 p.m.
• Starbird, the crispy chicken counter at El Camino Real, serves until 10 p.m. Monday to Saturday.

Past those, the fast food on El Camino Real takes over. A Jack in the Box at 2280 El Camino Real, about a 5 minute walk from the avenue, lists a 24-hour lobby.

Groups, families and dietary needs

California Avenue handles groups well because so many places have private rooms. La Bodeguita, Sekoya, iTalico and Cafe Pro Bono all list private or semi-private rooms. For families, the car-free blocks are the draw: children can move around the tables without traffic. Square Pie Guys and Kali Greek Kitchen are quick ways to feed them. Afterward, Topi on El Camino Real sells tea-flavored cakes and character cakes.

For dietary needs, Izzy's is kosher, Zareen's is halal and Namaste lists halal and vegan options. Square Pie Guys offers gluten-free and dairy-free crusts. Mediterranean Wraps has a long vegetarian list. Confirm allergies with staff, since kitchens share equipment.

Parking and getting there

The California Avenue Caltrain station sits at the east end of the street, so the train is the easiest way in from San Francisco or San Jose. Some express trains pass through without stopping, so check the timetable. Our California Avenue station guide explains the platforms.

Drivers should use the city lots and garages around the street. Street spaces and surface lots are free for two hours and garages are free for three hours outside permit areas. The largest garage is Lot 7 at 350 Sherman Avenue, one block south. Our California Avenue parking guide maps all nine lots.

Staying nearby

Hotels cluster on El Camino Real within a mile of the avenue, so a dinner here and a short walk back is easy. If you are planning a visit, compare hotels near California Avenue along El Camino Real before big Stanford weekends, when rooms fill early.

Frequently asked questions