Palo Alto and Menlo Park are two beautiful towns adjacent to each other in Silicon Valley, just south of San Francisco. I’ve been to this area many times because two of my close friends moved here about 20 years ago. It’s always a pleasure to visit them. I will never forget the first time I arrived in the Bay area – I was surprised at just how breathtaking the landscape is; I recall blurting out “it’s so beautiful I’m going to cry”. Yes the scenery is striking, but equally impressive is the quality of everything. California, specifically the Bay area, is at the forefront of technology, environmentalism, the organic food movement and much more. The small towns in Silicon Valley are only small in square footage and population. There is nothing “small” about them in any other way. They are picturesque and peaceful sophisticated enclaves with some of the best food, art and culture in the world.
Menlo Park is one of the most educated cities in the United States; nearly 70% of residents over the age of 25 have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher. It is also known as a hub for Venture Capitalists. The main downtown street is Santa Cruz Avenue. It has many artisan shops, an excellent camera store, a weekend farmer’s market, and many excellent cafes and restaurants.
Menlo Park has gained notoriety in the last few years as the home of Facebook. Home prices, not cheap to begin with, shot up drastically after Facebook moved in. But it is helping revive East Menlo Park and East Palo Alto. There is no visitor center at Facebook, but many go to get photo in front of the Like sign (you can park on the campus for free).
Restaurants in Menlo Park that local friends and I recommend:
- Yum Cha Palace on 1039 El Camino serves great dim sum (and you can find the Facebook founder here from time to time).
- Left Bank on Santa Cruz is a popular family friendly restaurant where you can always get a decent meal served by super friendly staff. It serves southern French food and has outdoor seating.
- Cafe Borrone at El Camino and Santa Cruz is excellent for breakfast and lunch, serving organic and locally sourced fare. They are also open for dinner. The food is reasonably priced.
- The BBC (British Bankers Club) at the corner of El Camino and Santa Cruz offers lunch and dinner in a beautiful comfortable setting. It has an oyster bar, a variety or entrees and small plates, charcuterie, cheese, house made breads, and extensive spirit, wine, beer, and scotch selection.
- Cafe Vida on Santa Cruz is a French bistro with staples like steak frites, oysters & onion soup served with wine in an intimate setting.
- Cooks Seafood is a full service fish market & seafood restaurant known for their fish ‘n’ chips. It has got to be the best fish n’ chips we have ever tried (even better than the amazing fish and chips we tried in Belfast). It is located at the corner of El Camino and Roble Ave.
- Flea Street located in West Menlo Park at Santa Cruz and Alameda, is one of the original organic restaurants. Forty years ago Jesse Cool led a movement of preparing and serving only fresh, in-season, organic and local ingredient-driven meals. The flagship of that movement is Flea St. Cafe (and previously Late for the Train).
- Menlo Grill and Bistro Bar on 100 El Camino is a classic American eatery, inside the Stanford Park Hotel, with fine locally sourced foods.
- Madera is in the Rosewood Sandhill Hotel. The grand open kitchen, roaring fireplace, and large outdoor patio complete with gorgeous views of the Santa Cruz mountains draw a moneyed crowd of local techies. Received a Michelin star in 2018.
Palo Alto, home to Stanford University, serves as a central economic focal point of Silicon Valley, and is home to more than 7,000 businesses employing more than 98,000 people. It has casual and upscale restaurants, many independent boutiques and beautiful architecture. It is a pleasant town to stroll through.
Palo Alto is one of the most expensive cities in the United States to live in and its residents are amongst the highest educated in the country. It has one of the highest PHDs per capita ratios in the world. What does that mean for the visitor? It means you will find quality everything: Good food, great shopping and fascinating conversations.
Restaurants in Palo Alto that local resident friends and I recommend:
- Evvia apparently is a draw for tech billionaires by day and couples in the evening. The food is standard Greek fare “raised to new heights utilizing the wealth of fresh produce, meats and seafood in California” with much of the menu cooked in a wood-fired grill. Michelin rated in 2018. Located at 420 Emerson St.
- Reposado on Hamilton Avenue serves fine Mexican food and tequila.
- Tai Pan on Waverley Street serves Hong Kong-style Cantonese food.
- Philz Coffee brews every cup “One Cup at a Time”, crafting a perfect cup to every individual customer’s taste. There are two locations in Palo Alto: 3191 Middlefield Road and 101 Forest Avenue, and several locations in the Bay area.
- St. Michael Alley was founded in 1959 and was the first coffee house on the peninsula. Its bohemian atmosphere attracted many from the beatnik era including the Grateful Dead, Joan Baez, and Jefferson Airplane. Today it is a brasserie with fine food served for lunch and dinner. It is located at 140 Homer Avenue.
- Vino Locale on Kipling street features regional wines, seasonal & organic fare, plus a patio with live music most evenings.
- Baume serves more high end, high priced food. The chef pays enormous attention to detail ensuring food is refined and well balanced. This is fine dining at its best. The tables are spaced widely for privacy and never rushed. The restaurant received 2 Michelin stars in 2018. It is located at 201 South California Avenue.
- The Village Pub has a high end clientele with prices to match, but lunch is fairly reasonable. Entrées include almond wood-grilled pork loin, adorned with crispy shrimp-pork croquettes, pungent black garlic, and caramelized Brussels sprouts. The signature chocolate soufflé is not to be missed. Received a Michelin star in 2018. 2967 Woodside Road.
- Zola is open for dinner only. It serves a French bistro menu with Californian flair and is reasonably priced. Michelin rated in 2018. 565 Bryant St.
No visit to the area is complete without going to Stanford University. This is one of the key attractions in the area. The grounds and buildings are impressive. They have various walking tours or you can do a self guided tour. The university has several galleries, sculpture gardens and over 80 outdoor works of art.
The grounds contain a notable group of Rodin sculptures that are great for posing with.
Next to Stanford University is another key attraction: Stanford Shopping Center. This has got to be one of the most beautiful outdoor malls. It has cafe’s, a few restaurants and a lot of great stores. A few notable eateries: Tender Greens, Cocola Bakery and PF Chang.
One of the most popular areas for walks and jogs is known as The Dish. It is named after the large old radio-telescope used for research in the Stanford foothills and visible throughout the area. The paved trail climbs the hills and offers spectacular views of the Peninsula, the campus and the coastal mountains. On a clear day visitors can see San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose and the East Bay. The main loop trail is 3.5 miles and takes about an hour and fifteen minutes to walk. No dogs or bicycles allowed.
And if you are in the mood for ice skating, there is no better place than the Winter Lodge. It has outdoor fireplaces and comfy sofas – plus you can skate in a t-shirt! It’s a bit different than in Canada.
Palo Alto and Menlo Park are an easy day trip from San Francisco, or you can stay at one of the many excellent hotels in the area. The closest hotels to Stanford (right on the edge of campus) are the Sheraton, Westin, Clement and Stanford Terrace. Only three hotels, The Epiphany, the Garden Court and the Cardinal, are located in the heart of downtown Palo Alto. For reasonably priced European luxury try the Stanford Park Hotel at the border of Menlo Park and Palo Alto. For longer stays, the Residence Inn or Menlo Park Inn are a good options. Cowper Inn in Palo Alto is a small B&B with a good breakfast. And for a luxurious retreat, the Rosewood Sandhill is an excellent option.
Attractions near by
There are many attractions close to Menlo Park and Palo Alto. Los Gatos (city of cats) with its historic architecture, artisan shops, stunning scenery and fine dinning is only half an hour away in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
It is one of the oldest communities in the county and is very much part of Silicon Valley, with several high tech companies maintaining a presence here, including Netflix.
We had a great meal at We Olive on Santa Cruz Avenue, but you can’t go wrong with any restaurant on the main two streets (University and Santa Cruz).
Another picturesque town close to Los Gatos is Saratoga, the most expensive suburb in California. You will find high end restaurants and shops, and a nice village vibe.
If you keep heading west you will end up in Santa Cruz on the pacific coast (about half an hour drive). Its long wharf, with eateries and shops, stretches into Monterey Bay. Nearby, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk’s vintage rides include the 1911 Looff Carousel and the Giant Dipper roller coaster. Downtown, Pacific Avenue has vintage clothing stores, cafes and galleries.
Another short day trip is a drive up route 84 just outside of Menlo Park into a different part of the Santa Cruz mountains. You will reach a cross roads where route 84 and 35 meet at Alice’s Restaurant. This is a good place to stop for a meal along the way. Nestled among the pine trees and near the summit of the mountain, the air is so refreshing!
Driving along the winding road through the mountains with the tall pine trees is a relaxing enjoyable journey. If you keep going west and down the other side of the mountain you will drive by farm land and fairly desolate regions.
At the end of Rte 84 is San Gregorio, population 214, and the Pacific ocean. Stop into the General store at the corner and check out the merchandise. They have cool t-shirts, vintage knick knacks, clothing, some toys, sandwiches and refreshments.
This little shack across the from the General Store has a rather interesting facade. Not sure what goes on there; we didn’t venture in. Clearly, it’s not your standard Silicon Valley abode. The western side of the mountain range is not as affluent as the east side. It’s more of a farming and ranching community, with homes far apart and lots of land in between.
The Pacific Ocean lies at the foot of route 84. This is the end of the road – you have reached the western end of the contintent. From here you can go north to Half Moon Bay, or south to Pescadaro. In either direction, you will encounter unbelievable views of the Pacific ocean. For more information on the coast please go to my California Coast blog.
One last location I’d like to mention is Mountain View, just south of Palo Alto. It houses the Computer History Museum, which is a fascinating visit. The city has gorgeous views of the Santa Cruz Mountains, nice restaurants and beautiful hiking trails.
Enjoy your trip to Silicon Valley!
For more photos of California please visit Wonderland Photography. Enjoy your visit to California.