Local's Guide to Palo Alto
Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, Palo Alto is known for its entrepreneurial spirit and sunny weather. This small town on the peninsula is worth a day trip from the city for more than just business meetings.
This collection features my personal favorites around town from top-notch restaurants to nearby nature hikes and local gardens.
25 Places • 19 Saves • ago
Free
Where to Eat
Cafes + Delis
☕️🍽 Blue Bottle Coffee
@Chelsea
Overpriced but beautiful (a consistent theme around here). Palo Alto’s Blue Bottle is set in a renovated theater with plenty of charm.
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🥤 Bare Bowls
@Chelsea
The place to go if you’re craving something healthy and refreshing downtown. The prices are pretty steep for the amount of food you get.
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🍽🥙 Driftwood Deli & Market
@Chelsea
Casual deli with great sandwiches for the road. I love stopping here to grab lunch for day hikes. The Kevin is my favorite!
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The Willows Market
@Chelsea
My favorite neighborhood spot for sandwiches. The pulled pork is my go to. It’s also a market with grocery items, so you can pick up snacks and drinks for a picnic while you’re here. Note sandwiches are not available on Sundays.
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Restaurants
🍽🧆 Oren's Hummus
@Chelsea
Israeli restaurant with some of the best food in the area at affordable prices. I love the rice bowl, falafel, and Greek salad. Definitely one of the best value meals here.
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🍽🇬🇷 Evvia Estiatorio
@Chelsea
Evvia is an upscale Greek restaurant widely regarded as one of the best places to eat in Palo Alto. I’ve never eaten at Kokkari in SF, but I’ve heard it’s very similar to that!
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🍽🍔 Gott's Roadside
@Chelsea
Local favorite for cheap eats including burgers, fries, and shakes. It gets a lot of lackluster reviews for not measuring up to the one in Napa, but I haven’t been disappointed. They also serve tasty impossible burgers with all the yummy toppings.
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🍽🍔 Alice's Restaurant
@Chelsea
Rustic BBQ restaurant nestled among the redwoods of Portola Valley. The ideal spot to enjoy hearty food after a day of hiking.
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🍽🍜 Ramen Nagi
@Chelsea
Newer restaurant known for amazing ramen. Be prepared for the long line, especially around lunch time.
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Details
🍽🇲🇽 Palo Alto Sol
@Chelsea
I love the enchiladas here, especially the enchiladas guajillo. A little on the pricey side.
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Details
🍽🐟 La Viga Seafood & Cocina Mexicana
@Chelsea
Top-notch Latin-American restaurant in nearby Redwood City specializing in seafood.
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🍽🍕 Terún
@Chelsea
Higher-end Italian restaurant serving the best Neapolitan-style pizzas in town. My favorite is the signature terun pizza.
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Details
🍽🍸 Reposado
@Chelsea
Trendy, upscale Mexican restaurant. I’ve only tried the food, but I’ve heard the margheritas are the highlight here.
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Details
🍽🍷🧀 Vino Locale
@Chelsea
European-style wine bar specializing in regional wines and light bites served in an intimate patio setting with live music.
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Details
🍽🍕 Vesta
@Chelsea
A favorite pizza restaurant in the area along with Terun. It’s worth the short drive to Redwood City.
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Things to Do
Hiking
🌲🥾 El Corte de Madera Creek Preserve
@Chelsea
Natural forest with hiking and horseback trails. I’ve only been here on a whim and can’t remember which trail I took. One of them features a lookout point with views of the sea.
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Details
🌲🥾 Purisima Creek Redwoods Preserve
@Chelsea
My favorite place to hike in the area! I usually take a 7-8 mile trail that takes you along the open ridge with views of Half Moon Bay before winding into the redwood forest.
If it’s not out of your way, pick up sandwiches at Driftwood beforehand for a mid-hike lunch, or stop by Alice’s after your hike.
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Details
Gardens
🌹 Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden
@Chelsea
Historic home surrounded with herb and rose gardens. Free and open to the public. Check out their calendar for tours and special events.
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Gamble Garden in May
🌸🏛 Filoli Historic House & Garden
@Chelsea
A historic manor set on a beautiful sprawling property. Located in nearby Woodside. Check their website for reservations and pricing.
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Details
Filoli in April
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Museums & Landmarks
🖼 Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Center for Visual Arts
@Chelsea
Stanford art museum that boasts an impressive Rodin sculpture garden.
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Where to Stay
There aren’t many interesting hotels around here and most people only visit for a day trip. If you’re staying overnight, check out the Nobu and Rosewood for higher end options or Graduate for something more affordable.
Graduate Palo Alto
@Chelsea
If design, location, and affordability are priorities, Graduate is the perfect option for solo travelers and couples. The aesthetic features an interesting mix of Spanish and art deco elements and the location on University Ave is just a short walk from many of Palo Alto’s best restaurants. Rooms are priced affordably for Palo Alto, but entry level rooms are very small so I recommend checking the dimensions before booking. The rooftop is also a highlight but can be difficult to get a reservation.
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Rosewood Sand Hill
@Chelsea
The Rosewood is a great choice for travelers who care about luxury, service, and amenities. It’s not in walking distance of restaurants and things to do, so you’ll definitely need a car if you stay here.
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Nobu Palo Alto
@Chelsea
Sleek, upscale boutique hotel in downtown Palo Alto inspired by Japanese style and sensibility. The range of modern comforts makes it the perfect tech-friendly hotel and work space. Amenities include functional desks, shared co-working spaces, and an on-site bar and restaurant. It’s well located off of University Ave in reach of restaurants and a Whole Foods.
Pets are not allowed.
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Where to Eat
* * *
CURATED BY
California based travel designer for the design minded + culturally curious.
With professional experience in the luxury travel industry, I specialize in designing custom travel experiences that get to the heart of a place and its local culture through the lens of design and food. I’m here to help you travel in good taste with the perfect balance of high luxury and local flavor. My destinations of expertise include Italy, France, Mexico and the US, but I'm always expanding my destination knowledge and love taking on requests in other places.
Shop my curated travel guides or check out my custom travel design services to elevate your experience and minimize the stress of travel planning.
Let’s get designing!
PERSONALIZED TRAVEl SERVICES
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Local's Guide to Palo Alto
Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, Palo Alto is known for its entrepreneurial spirit and sunny weather. This small town on the peninsula is worth a day trip from the city for more than just business meetings.
This collection features my personal favorites around town from top-notch restaurants to nearby nature hikes and local gardens.
25 Places • 19 Saves • ago
Free
Where to Eat
Cafes + Delis
☕️🍽 Blue Bottle Coffee
@Chelsea
Overpriced but beautiful (a consistent theme around here). Palo Alto’s Blue Bottle is set in a renovated theater with plenty of charm.
Add to
Details
🥤 Bare Bowls
@Chelsea
The place to go if you’re craving something healthy and refreshing downtown. The prices are pretty steep for the amount of food you get.
Add to
Details
🍽🥙 Driftwood Deli & Market
@Chelsea
Casual deli with great sandwiches for the road. I love stopping here to grab lunch for day hikes. The Kevin is my favorite!
Add to
Details
The Willows Market
@Chelsea
My favorite neighborhood spot for sandwiches. The pulled pork is my go to. It’s also a market with grocery items, so you can pick up snacks and drinks for a picnic while you’re here. Note sandwiches are not available on Sundays.
Add to
Details
Restaurants
🍽🧆 Oren's Hummus
@Chelsea
Israeli restaurant with some of the best food in the area at affordable prices. I love the rice bowl, falafel, and Greek salad. Definitely one of the best value meals here.
Add to
Details
🍽🇬🇷 Evvia Estiatorio
@Chelsea
Evvia is an upscale Greek restaurant widely regarded as one of the best places to eat in Palo Alto. I’ve never eaten at Kokkari in SF, but I’ve heard it’s very similar to that!
Add to
Details
🍽🍔 Gott's Roadside
@Chelsea
Local favorite for cheap eats including burgers, fries, and shakes. It gets a lot of lackluster reviews for not measuring up to the one in Napa, but I haven’t been disappointed. They also serve tasty impossible burgers with all the yummy toppings.
Add to
Details
🍽🍔 Alice's Restaurant
@Chelsea
Rustic BBQ restaurant nestled among the redwoods of Portola Valley. The ideal spot to enjoy hearty food after a day of hiking.
Add to
Details
🍽🍜 Ramen Nagi
@Chelsea
Newer restaurant known for amazing ramen. Be prepared for the long line, especially around lunch time.
Add to
Details
🍽🇲🇽 Palo Alto Sol
@Chelsea
I love the enchiladas here, especially the enchiladas guajillo. A little on the pricey side.
Add to
Details
🍽🐟 La Viga Seafood & Cocina Mexicana
@Chelsea
Top-notch Latin-American restaurant in nearby Redwood City specializing in seafood.
Add to
Details
🍽🍕 Terún
@Chelsea
Higher-end Italian restaurant serving the best Neapolitan-style pizzas in town. My favorite is the signature terun pizza.
Add to
Details
🍽🍸 Reposado
@Chelsea
Trendy, upscale Mexican restaurant. I’ve only tried the food, but I’ve heard the margheritas are the highlight here.
Add to
Details
🍽🍷🧀 Vino Locale
@Chelsea
European-style wine bar specializing in regional wines and light bites served in an intimate patio setting with live music.
Add to
Details
🍽🍕 Vesta
@Chelsea
A favorite pizza restaurant in the area along with Terun. It’s worth the short drive to Redwood City.
Add to
Details
Things to Do
Hiking
🌲🥾 El Corte de Madera Creek Preserve
@Chelsea
Natural forest with hiking and horseback trails. I’ve only been here on a whim and can’t remember which trail I took. One of them features a lookout point with views of the sea.
Add to
Details
🌲🥾 Purisima Creek Redwoods Preserve
@Chelsea
My favorite place to hike in the area! I usually take a 7-8 mile trail that takes you along the open ridge with views of Half Moon Bay before winding into the redwood forest.
If it’s not out of your way, pick up sandwiches at Driftwood beforehand for a mid-hike lunch, or stop by Alice’s after your hike.
Add to
Details
Gardens
🌹 Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden
@Chelsea
Historic home surrounded with herb and rose gardens. Free and open to the public. Check out their calendar for tours and special events.
Add to
Details
Gamble Garden in May
🌸🏛 Filoli Historic House & Garden
@Chelsea
A historic manor set on a beautiful sprawling property. Located in nearby Woodside. Check their website for reservations and pricing.
Add to
Details
Filoli in April
Add to
Details
Museums & Landmarks
🖼 Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Center for Visual Arts
@Chelsea
Stanford art museum that boasts an impressive Rodin sculpture garden.
Add to
Details
Add to
Details
Where to Stay
There aren’t many interesting hotels around here and most people only visit for a day trip. If you’re staying overnight, check out the Nobu and Rosewood for higher end options or Graduate for something more affordable.
Graduate Palo Alto
@Chelsea
If design, location, and affordability are priorities, Graduate is the perfect option for solo travelers and couples. The aesthetic features an interesting mix of Spanish and art deco elements and the location on University Ave is just a short walk from many of Palo Alto’s best restaurants. Rooms are priced affordably for Palo Alto, but entry level rooms are very small so I recommend checking the dimensions before booking. The rooftop is also a highlight but can be difficult to get a reservation.
Add to
Details
Rosewood Sand Hill
@Chelsea
The Rosewood is a great choice for travelers who care about luxury, service, and amenities. It’s not in walking distance of restaurants and things to do, so you’ll definitely need a car if you stay here.
Add to
Details
Nobu Palo Alto
@Chelsea
Sleek, upscale boutique hotel in downtown Palo Alto inspired by Japanese style and sensibility. The range of modern comforts makes it the perfect tech-friendly hotel and work space. Amenities include functional desks, shared co-working spaces, and an on-site bar and restaurant. It’s well located off of University Ave in reach of restaurants and a Whole Foods.
Pets are not allowed.
Add to
Details
Where to Eat
* * *
CURATED BY
California based travel designer for the design minded + culturally curious.
With professional experience in the luxury travel industry, I specialize in designing custom travel experiences that get to the heart of a place and its local culture through the lens of design and food. I’m here to help you travel in good taste with the perfect balance of high luxury and local flavor. My destinations of expertise include Italy, France, Mexico and the US, but I'm always expanding my destination knowledge and love taking on requests in other places.
Shop my curated travel guides or check out my custom travel design services to elevate your experience and minimize the stress of travel planning.
Let’s get designing!
PERSONALIZED TRAVEl SERVICES
Connect
with
a
local
expert
to
help
plan
your
ideal
trip
Send A Tip
Support Chelsea Papa’s work.
Select your tip amount
$5
$10
$20
$50
Or type in other amount