The best restaurants in Palo Alto right now

Take in 360-degree views at Palo Alto's only rooftop bar. The President's Terrace is perched atop the new Graduate Hotel, which reinvigorated the shuttered Hotel President originally built in 1929. The space is an ode to the rooftop garden on top of the original hotel. Like the rest of the Graduate, the intimate bar honors the building's Spanish-colonial roots with wicker furniture, muted tile and ornate light fixtures. Cozy up to the roaring fire and enjoy a drink from the cocktail menu dreamed up by notable mixologist Bad Birdy or a glass of natural wine. The food menu is seafood-forward with standout dishes including oysters, tuna tartare and scallop ceviche.

In the middle of the shopping mall blandness near the Stanford campus, Vina Enoteca is a respite of Italian authenticity housed in a striking, brick-walled, 1800s barn. The menus feature wood-fired pizzas and handmade pasta like cacio e pepe and rabbit agnolotti. The bar serves up elegant, Italian-influenced cocktails featuring local ingredients.

The sister restaurant to SF’s Kokkari, Greek restaurant Evvia Estiatorio dishes out juicy lamb chops, whole grilled fish, spanakotiro pita (phyllo stuffed with spinach, leeks, feta and dill) and plump gigantes (wood oven-baked giant beans in tomato sauce) in a rustic, hearth fire-warmed dining room. 

Chef Zareen Khan calls on her Pakistani and Indian roots for this order-at-the-counter restaurant featuring family recipes like masala fries, creamy curries and aloo samosa burgers (a smashed potato samosa layered with cheese and chutneys on a toasted bun) alongside salads and sandwiches. 

Modern Vietnamese dishes are the focus here, like the taro root rolls, crab and garlic glass noodles, claypot cod and soy, garlic and onion-seared shaking beef.

Bird Dog brings a hip, mid-range dining experience to Palo Alto. The lunch menu showcases uni and crudo alongside Wagyu striploin and short rib. Wood-grilled avocado in ponzu and real wasabi are the house specialties. Wine pairings include European and California varieties alongside stiff cocktails like the English Patient (barrel-aged gin, Maurin Quina Aperitif, saffron and Suze).

The original location of this Bay Area mini-chain opened in 2011. The affordable, order-at-the-counter cafe offers Israeli and Middle Eastern fare like shakshuka in both traditional tomato sauce or green kale and spinach sauce. Hummus comes in a number of different varieties, of course. 

Bevri delights khachapuri fans who now have a local source for the traditional Georgian dish (a massive “boat” of bread filled with cheese and egg). Bevri also serves other Eastern European and Georgian dishes like shashlik (skewered meat), borscht soup and khinakli soup dumplings. Don’t forget to pair with Georgia’s other great export: fascinating, funky and elegant natural wines.

Chef Yu Min Lin shows off seafood in dishes like black sesame-laced tartare, squid risotto and grilled lobster with leeks and Peruvian potatoes at this pricey, seafood-centric steakhouse. For beef fans, try Alexander’s memorable Wagyu trio with different salts.