Location: East Palo Alto
Top Restaurants in East Palo Alto
Where to Eat in East Palo Alto: The Best Restaurants and Bars
East Palo Alto (abbreviated E.P.A.) is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population of East Palo Alto was 28,155. It is situated on the San Francisco Peninsula, roughly halfway between the cities of San Francisco and San Jose. To the north and east is the San Francisco Bay, to the west is the city of Menlo Park, and to the south the city of Palo Alto. Despite being called "East" Palo Alto, this is a misnomer, as the city is precisely due north of Palo Alto. While often incorrectly assumed to be part of the city of Palo Alto, East Palo Alto has always been a separate entity since its founding as an unincorporated community. It is also in San Mateo County, while Palo Alto is in Santa Clara County. The two cities are separated only by San Francisquito Creek and, largely, the Bayshore Freeway (the vast majority of East Palo Alto is northeast of the freeway, while all of the residential part of Palo Alto is southwest of the freeway). The revitalization projects in 2000, and high income high-tech professionals moving into new developments, including employees from Google and Facebook, have begun to eliminate the cultural and economic differences between the two cities. East Palo Alto and Palo Alto share both telephone area codes and postal ZIP codes.
Things to do in East Palo Alto
1. Evvia
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 619 reviews
Sister restaurant of Kokkari, Evvia has been serving beautiful and elegant Greek cuisine since 1995. Fabulous fish, savory roasted meats, and sun-soaked vegetables are jazzed up with a spritz of lemon, a little olive oil, and herbs. There is perfection in simplicity.
Reviewed By Dotts0908 - Nairobi
Getting a table at Evvia takes time as it's always fully booked and for a good reason. The food is amazing, the service is delightful and excellent. The setting is perfect. And although the restaurant is big, it's still very cozy. Whatever you order for starters, I highly recommend the melted cheese with oregano and the grilled vegetables with Greek yogurt. The lamb shanks are tender and melt in the mouth. The chicken rotisserie is tasty and juicy...really, the whole menu is tantalizing...and the dessert, we asked for the house favorite and though it looks like Baclava, it is tastier and creamy and is served with pistachio ice cream. Oh, and they have a great wine collection!
2. Palo Alto Creamery Fountain & Grill
Overall Ratings
4 based on 328 reviews
Reviewed By AKDut - Anchorage, Alaska
The Creamery is clearly a peoples choice place - I look at where the locals go and found this place pretty popular from morning till night (but not crowded)! The staff were really attentive and helpful and the food was just as I expected - tasty and generous portions at a reasonable (for Palo Alto) price. lots of good burger options and some really tasty looking pies to choose from cooked daily on site. This is a place that takes pride in being what it is and that is just fine with me.
3. Coupa Cafe
Overall Ratings
4 based on 114 reviews
Reviewed By GSpier - Zurich, Switzerland
The coffee here really is excellent, although it can't beat Cafe Venetia on University. Where this place really rocks out though is as a place to settle in and do some work or have a meeting. I loved the buzz and the vibe - more than Venetia - which I found to be less convenient for a business meeting. And Coupa coffee, it's all about facilitating great work and great meetings.
4. Quattro Restaurant and Bar - Four Seasons Hotel
Overall Ratings
4 based on 132 reviews
The Italian word for "four", the name is in line with the architectural design of the restaurant as a large light airy room with glass on three sides. The room is lit dramatically at night and illuminates the front of the hotel entrance. Quattro features Northern Italian seasonal and light cuisine with a fresh Cal-Italian twist at breakfast and lunch. The dinner menu is comprised of contemporary Italian cuisine featuring locally grown produce and artisan products from Northern California farms since opening. Attentive, unobtrusive service compliments the exquisite menu and an extensive wine list which includes predominantly California wines with many boutique offerings and an extensive Italian selection.
Reviewed By Bentarazero - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
A good place for a meal and maybe people watching for deals that is about to be done in the tech space. I'd recommend the Cremè Brulee French Toast for Breakfast. You won't regret it..unless you are really, really worried about calori intake. But then.. live a little, right?
5. The Refuge
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 176 reviews
Reviewed By sunshine_susan - Bay Area, California
While the food here seems a little over the top (humungous pastrami sandwiches dripping with fat and juice), the beer selection cannot be surpassed anywhere close by. A wide selection of Belgian beers & glassware suited to each type of beer makes this place special. While a little perverse in a beer bar (I don't like beer), I ordered the vinho verde (Portugal) and it was pretty good.
6. Sundance The Steakhouse
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 443 reviews
Since its opening in 1974, prime steaks and martinis have never gone out of style at this Palo Alto institution. The atmosphere is very clubby with fireplaces, dark wood, sports memorabilia and plush leather booths tucked into the many nooks throughout the dining room. Famous for their slow-roasted prime rib & hand-cut U.S.D.A Prime Steaks, they also offer fresh seafood, cold water lobster tail & succulent shellfish. The 23 oz. Bone-In Rib eye Steak is the "Boss' Favorite" while the Double Cut Filet Mignon runs a close second. Sundance is respected for serving the best food money can buy coupled with value & simplicity – a welcome relief for serious food & steak aficionados. The menu is supported by an award-winning wine list that features over 400 selections focusing on highly allocated Napa Valley Cabernets & Sonoma Pinot Noirs. Exceptional ratings & numerous restaurant awards rank Sundance the Steakhouse as a true dining destination.
Reviewed By Charles S - Falmouth
Old friends invited us to dine with them at Sundance and what a wonderful experience we had. We hadn't seen each other in several years so we had much to catch up on. The booth was quiet and roomy. The staff was exceptionally helpful and eager to please. We spent several hours reminiscing and enjoying our meal. The prawns were extremely good and the salmon as well.
7. Cafe Borrone
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 256 reviews
Reviewed By Susan E - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
There's parking underneath which is free. Order at the counter (we did have a long line) and then find a table. Lots of outside seating but it's very popular.
8. CREAM
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 117 reviews
CREAM (Cookies Rule Everything Around Me) - Freshly baked HOMEMADE cookies. Award winning ice cream. Amazing ice cream sandwiches!
Reviewed By nusenovich
I just wished they had more locations. Always a good dessert option and fun to bring first timers or visitors here and see their faces!
Also, don't forget to check-in on yelp for a free cookie!
It would be a 5 stars but with all that sweetness they don't have a water fountain and in a few occasions I got hard cookies. I know, you'll say you should have told them to get a soft and warm one, but that's the difference betwern a 4 and 5 star rating: the staff should notice it's a hard cookie when preparing it and not even give it to customers in the firat place.
9. IKEA
Overall Ratings
4 based on 18 reviews
Reviewed By nandu79 - New Delhi, India
This is a huge IKEA outlet with restaurant. Only issue is that it's not very easy to access for pedestrians. Tonnes of stuff to buy.
10. Menlo Grill Bistro and Bar
Overall Ratings
4 based on 228 reviews
A classic American grill with a warm and inviting neighborhood feel. The relaxed setting offers casual, yet sophisticated, dining with a menu that highlights regional and seasonal ingredients. An extensive wine-by-the-glass and craft brew selection is also featured.Open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and late night snacks.
Reviewed By lwj - Norcal
Located in the Stanford Park Hotel just North of Stanford University, this restaurant is a quiet gem.
The Sunday evening special is the Smoked Prime Rib... very well seasoned, good and tasty.... worth the drive up from the South Bay and reasonably priced.
We have always had attentive service....
Someday we will have to try other entree items on the menu, but have yet to get past the Sunday special Prime Rib.
