26 Fall/Winter 2016 Visitors Guide Choosing where to dine along the Midpeninsula isn’t an easy decision. With more than 150 restaurants serving everything from comfort food to cutting-edge cuisine, the region has become a dining hotspot for restau- rateurs hoping to capture the gastronomic zeitgeist. Here’s some favorite eateries locals voted the best in their cities for Embarcadero Media’s annual reader’s choice contest, Best Of. Embarcadero Media food blogger Elena Kadvany keeps local readers up-to-date on all of the restaurant goings on. Read on for the very latest food-related happenings, and stay current by reading Kadvany’s blog, Peninsula Foodist, at paloaltoonline.com/blogs. BEST PLACES TO SPLURGE ... Evvia 420 Emerson St., Palo Alto, 650-326-0983; evvia.net Take a trip to Greece with a visit to Evvia Estiatorio in downtown Palo Alto, known for quality food and even higher quality service. The longtime restaurant manages to combine fine dining with comfort as an open kitchen with a wood-burning oven turns out traditional Greek fare. Be prepared to be treated not as a diner but more like a long-lost relative when you walk through the doors. La Fontaine 186 Castro St., Mountain View, 650-968-2300; lafontainerestaurant.com This French and Italian fusion restaurant has proved itself to be a hot spot, with readers naming it the best place for fine dining, as well as having the best out- door dining and as the best place for a business lunch. La Fontaine offers an aura of class and professionalism with a menu that strives for high cuisine. Popular dishes include the Burgundy-braised short ribs and the salmon Wellington, which is salmon stuffed with leeks and rock shrimp that’s wrapped in puff pastry and served over saffron risotto. BEST DINING WITH KIDS ... Palo Alto Creamery 566 Emerson St., Palo Alto, 650-323-3131; paloaltocreamery.com Family owned for more than 85 years, the Palo Alto Creamery Fountain & Grill has remained in Palo Alto longer than most of its residents. When locals return to town, the Creamery is often on a short list of places to visit first, just to get a quick fix of their famous milk- shakes, available in just about every flavor imaginable. In addition to milkshakes, the Creamery offers a great selection of sandwiches, burgers and other diner-style food. It may be rare to find a Palo Altan who has never experienced the Creamery firsthand — an indication that it is absolutely worth the visit. Buck’s of Woodside 3062 Woodside Road, Woodside, 650-851-8010; buckswoodside.com With an alligator carpet lining the floor and a 6-foot-tall Statue of Liberty welcoming guests as they open the door, Buck’s of Woodside entices children of all ages to a dining experience like no other. This year, Buck’s of Woodside won the award for favorite place to dine with kids. Young visitors are enticed by the whimsical feeling of the restaurant, attributed to its extraordinary decor, and some of the items featured on the children’s menu, such as “pizza for pizza heads.” Jamis MacNiven, who, with his wife Margaret, owns Buck’s, says that “par- ents sometimes tell us we ruin kids for other restaurants because we let them run wild. We give them a treasure hunt and put gummy frogs on every plate. What’s not to love?” BEST MEAL UNDER $20 ... Asian Box Town & Country Village, 855 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, 650-391-9305; 142 Castro St., Mountain View; 650-584-3947; asianbox.com This eatery, with locations in both Palo Alto and Moun- tain View, put a decidedly improved spin on the entire concept of “fast food.” It certainly isn’t grease- and salt-laden. Asian Box offers fresh, high-quality choices that include hormone- and antibiotic-free ingredients. Start your box with a choice of rices, Asian salad or rice noodles; choose a succulent meat or other protein; add in vegetables and other toppings; then top it off with a tasty sauce, from tamarind vinaigrette to fiery sriracha. BEST HAPPY HOUR/BAR ... Calave Wine Bar 299 California Ave., #115, Palo Alto, 650-521-0443; calave.com If the glamorous ambiance at Calave Wine Bar isn’t enough to grab your attention, the bar bites (try the truffled popcorn and orange-coriander spiced mixed nuts) and $2 discount on wines and craft beers offered during happy hour at the California Avenue wine bar should certainly do it. Happy hour is Monday through Friday, 4-6 p.m. Get there early to claim a seat at the high communal table or cozy, low-slung sofa, and raise a glass of vino to the end of a stressful work day. Molly MaGees 241 Castro St., Mountain View, 650-961-0108; mollysmtview.com Molly MaGees has been providing Mountain View with an authentic Irish pub experience since it was first es- tablished in 1997. This gives customers the kind of laid back, homey atmosphere perfect for knocking back drinks and watching soccer or listening to their in- house DJs on weekends. Daily specials include the Jager bomb and the Reyka Bloody Mary. On Whiskey Wednes- days, all whiskeys are half-price. Restaurants More than 150 restaurants call the Midpeninsula home Madera’s famous manhattan is served on a balcony overlooking the Santa Cruz foothills. Palo Alto Weekly file photo.
Transcript
26 Fal l /Winter 2016 V is i tors Guide
Choosing where to dine along the Midpeninsula isn’t an easy decision. With more than 150 restaurants serving everything from comfort food to cutting-edge cuisine, the region has become a dining hotspot for restau-rateurs hoping to capture the gastronomic zeitgeist. Here’s some favorite eateries locals voted the best in their cities for Embarcadero Media’s annual reader’s choice contest, Best Of.
Embarcadero Media food blogger Elena Kadvany keeps local readers up-to-date on all of the restaurant goings on. Read on for the very latest food-related happenings, and stay current by reading Kadvany’s blog, Peninsula Foodist, at paloaltoonline.com/blogs.
Take a trip to Greece with a visit to Evvia Estiatorio in downtown Palo Alto, known for quality food and even higher quality service. The longtime restaurant manages to combine fine dining with comfort as an open kitchen with a wood-burning oven turns out traditional Greek fare. Be prepared to be treated not as a diner but more like a long-lost relative when you walk through the doors.
La Fontaine 186 Castro St., Mountain View, 650-968-2300; lafontainerestaurant.com
This French and Italian fusion restaurant has proved itself to be a hot spot, with readers naming it the best place for fine dining, as well as having the best out-door dining and as the best place for a business lunch. La Fontaine offers an aura of class and professionalism with a menu that strives for high cuisine. Popular dishes include the Burgundy-braised short ribs and the salmon Wellington, which is salmon stuffed with leeks and rock shrimp that’s wrapped in puff pastry and served over saffron risotto.
Family owned for more than 85 years, the Palo Alto Creamery Fountain & Grill has remained in Palo Alto longer than most of its residents. When locals return to town, the Creamery is often on a short list of places to visit first, just to get a quick fix of their famous milk-shakes, available in just about every flavor imaginable. In addition to milkshakes, the Creamery offers a great selection of sandwiches, burgers and other diner-style food. It may be rare to find a Palo Altan who has never experienced the Creamery firsthand — an indication that it is absolutely worth the visit.
Buck’s of Woodside 3062 Woodside Road, Woodside, 650-851-8010; buckswoodside.com
With an alligator carpet lining the floor and a 6-foot-tall Statue of Liberty welcoming guests as they open the door, Buck’s of Woodside entices children of all ages to a dining experience like no other. This year, Buck’s of Woodside won the award for favorite place to dine with kids. Young visitors are enticed by the whimsical feeling of the restaurant, attributed to its extraordinary decor, and some of the items featured on the children’s
menu, such as “pizza for pizza heads.” Jamis MacNiven, who, with his wife Margaret, owns Buck’s, says that “par-ents sometimes tell us we ruin kids for other restaurants because we let them run wild. We give them a treasure hunt and put gummy frogs on every plate. What’s not to love?”
BEST MEAL UNDER $20 ...
Asian Box Town & Country Village, 855 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, 650-391-9305; 142 Castro St., Mountain View; 650-584-3947; asianbox.com
This eatery, with locations in both Palo Alto and Moun-tain View, put a decidedly improved spin on the entire concept of “fast food.” It certainly isn’t grease- and salt-laden. Asian Box offers fresh, high-quality choices that include hormone- and antibiotic-free ingredients. Start your box with a choice of rices, Asian salad or rice noodles; choose a succulent meat or other protein; add in vegetables and other toppings; then top it off with a tasty sauce, from tamarind vinaigrette to fiery sriracha.
BEST HAPPY HOUR/BAR ...
Calave Wine Bar 299 California Ave., #115, Palo Alto, 650-521-0443; calave.com
If the glamorous ambiance at Calave Wine Bar isn’t enough to grab your attention, the bar bites (try the truffled popcorn and orange-coriander spiced mixed nuts) and $2 discount on wines and craft beers offered during happy hour at the California Avenue wine bar should certainly do it. Happy hour is Monday through Friday, 4-6 p.m. Get there early to claim a seat at the high communal table or cozy, low-slung sofa, and raise a glass of vino to the end of a stressful work day.
Molly MaGees has been providing Mountain View with an authentic Irish pub experience since it was first es-tablished in 1997. This gives customers the kind of laid back, homey atmosphere perfect for knocking back drinks and watching soccer or listening to their in-house DJs on weekends. Daily specials include the Jager bomb and the Reyka Bloody Mary. On Whiskey Wednes-days, all whiskeys are half-price.
RestaurantsMore than 150 restaurants call the Midpeninsula home
Madera’s famous manhattan is served on a balcony overlooking the Santa Cruz foothills. Palo Alto Weekly file photo.
Dest inat ionPaloAlto.com 27
BEST BRUNCH/BREAKFAST ...
Mayfield Bakery & Cafe Town & Country Village, 855 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, 650-853-9200; mayfieldbakery.com
In searching for a restaurant that does the basics very well, look no further than Mayfield Bakery & Cafe, known for traditional American food with a slight mod-ern twist, served alongside perfectly baked bread. In addition to the food, Mayfield Bakery & Cafe also has excellent coffee offerings, with generously portioned lattes served in bowls. With bread, pastries, coffee and entrees on the menu, the Mayfield Bakery & Cafe is many local residents’ go-to spot for brunch in the area.
With nine locations outside Mountain View, Crepevine is no stranger to the breakfast scene. Crepevine aims to
provide the freshest, healthiest ingredients while keep-ing prices low and making everything from scratch. The restaurant features a wide range of crepe dishes, from savory to sweet, like the “midnight blues” made with blueberries, banana, rum sauce and topped with whipped cream and ice cream.
Stacks 600 Santa Cruz Ave., Menlo Park, 650-838-0066; stacksrestaurant.com
The Stacks motto is “comfortable food,” and customers agree that Stacks is the place to go for a casual family breakfast where everyone leaves satisfied. The long line of Sunday brunch customers waiting for a seat attest to its popularity. Manager Jon Pristavok says customers re-turn because Stacks “is consistent, fast, and you get a lot of food for your dollar.” From the coveted macadamia nut, banana and coconut pancakes to the turkey club loaded with sides of salad, fruit and fries, customers never leave with an empty stomach.
Enjoy down-home cooking in a
family-friendly atmosphere
With all its food made from scratch and
from the heart, Bill’s Cafe combines
home-style cooking with the friendliest
service around. Begin your day at Bill’s
with a traditional breakfast entrée or try
one of the specialties like a breakfast
burrito or eggs benedict. If you like a
late start to your day, breakfast is served
all day, along with a wide variety of lunch items, ranging from classic
sandwiches like the grilled chicken and gorgonzola melt on fresh
sourdough bread, to mouthwatering burgers and refreshing salads.
Homewood Suites Palo Alto4329 El Camino Real Palo Alto, CA 94306650-559-8700
Who doesn’t crave a weekend getaway? At Homewood Suites, you can enjoy a full, hot breakfast, spacious two-room suite, plus lodge area and pool. So come away with us and Be at home.
Oh, to spend time alonewith each other...
...surrounded, of course, by a spacious suite,
COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT PALO ALTO-LOS ALTOS
IS THE PERFECT PLACE.
For family and friends coming for a visit or need a group of rooms, guests will experience and enjoy these amenities
that make traveling easy and comfortable. 191 Guest Rooms, Two Outdoor Courtyards with fire pits, Two Lounge Bars, TV Room, Bistro Restaurant, Compli-
mentary WiFi, Meeting and event Space, Business Library, 24 Hour Market Place, Outdoor Heated Pool, Two Spas, Exercise Room, Complimentary Underground Parking.
4320 El Camino Real Los Altos, CA 94022
650-941-9900www.marriott.com/PAOCY
Dest inat ionPaloAlto.com 35
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For complete restaurant listings, visit DestinationPaloAlto.com.
