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Calafia Cafe

855 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, CA 94301-2305
650-322-9200
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Ranked #26 of 277 restaurants in Palo Alto
Cuisines: American, Café, Sandwiches
Dining options: Breakfast/Brunch
4 visitor photos
Restaurant details
Dining options: Breakfast/Brunch
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54 reviews from our community

75% Recommend
    24
    17
    7
    2
    4
Rating summary
    Food
    Service
    Value
    Atmosphere
Date Rating
Vancouver, Canada
Senior Contributor
38 reviews 38 reviews
21 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 13 cities Reviews in 13 cities
26 helpful votes 26 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 16 June 2013 NEW

Clearly a very popular place, since it was packed! We were with a large group, and had a reservation for inside, but opted to wait a bit for a table outside so we could hear each other talking. I'm vegetarian, and there were many items on the menu that I could choose from. I went for the crimson quinoa salad,... More

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Phoenix, Arizona
Contributor
18 reviews 18 reviews
8 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 11 cities Reviews in 11 cities
3 helpful votes 3 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 31 May 2013

Busy, busy, busy at lunchtime on a weekday--and noisy too. That being said, it was an enjoyable lunchtime experience. Service was fairly prompt and certainly friendly. We ordered a variety of dishes, and while none of them "wowed" us--they were all quite tasty. I had the beet burger--quite unusual and surprisingly yummy.

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Columbus, Ohio
Senior Contributor
49 reviews 49 reviews
33 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 15 cities Reviews in 15 cities
15 helpful votes 15 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 30 May 2013

Awesome, fresh salad bar with more options than one could imagine. Sandwich selection on fresh breads (turkey, bacon, tomatoes you can actually taste), great soups, lots of room to sit outdoors. Service very friendly and helpful

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See 11 more reviews by lsfcmh for Palo Alto
Shasta Lake, California
Senior Contributor
47 reviews 47 reviews
25 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 27 cities Reviews in 27 cities
20 helpful votes 20 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 3 April 2013

My first visit here. We were greeted in a friendly and prompt manner. I ordered the Spinach Dragon Noodle Bowl (VG)(GF) with "house-made spicy" organic tofu, spicy vegan almond butter, green onion, and flat rice noodles. I asked our server if the dish was very spicy and he said no. It was absolutely delicious! A creamy sauce with lots of... More

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See 5 more reviews by SBunny for Palo Alto
Top Contributor
60 reviews 60 reviews
53 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 6 cities Reviews in 6 cities
36 helpful votes 36 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 27 March 2013 via mobile

We have visited Calafia on most of our visits to Palo Alto over a number of years and the food has always been good but never spectacular. Although the food has been consistently good the service is a bit impersonal and the screens at each table don't help. Although I go to a restaurant for good food, the service, atmosphere,... More

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See 4 more reviews by EgunRonnie for Palo Alto
Fremont, California
Top Contributor
64 reviews 64 reviews
34 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 31 cities Reviews in 31 cities
18 helpful votes 18 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 18 February 2013

I love, love, love this restaurant. I have eaten here many times, and I keep coming back anytime I need a treat. The food is excellent, with only the freshest organic ingredients. Emphasis on healthy - grass-fed beef, wonder foods such as kale, and fresh organic juices. This is not an inexpensive restaurant and portions are modest - but I... More

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See 2 more reviews by Ono O for Palo Alto
Palo Alto, CA
2 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 3 January 2013

My family really loves this restaurant, for its delicious, fresh, and inspired food, and for the lively and fun atmosphere. The staff work closely together, like a family, and the hostess and waiters go out of their way to make you feel at home and well cared for. The chef originally cooked for The Grateful Dead, and then for Google,... More

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San Francisco Bay Area
Top Contributor
98 reviews 98 reviews
45 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 50 cities Reviews in 50 cities
39 helpful votes 39 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 29 December 2012 via mobile

Just tried out Calafia for pre game brunch. Easy walking distance to Stanford for basketball. Nice brunch menu. Sat at counter next to kitchen which was a good choice. Luckily the kitchen boss (chef?) filled in for our server who seemed quite stretched. Tried the chicken, blue cheese salad which was excellent. Also tried their special breakfast salmon / egg... More

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See 5 more reviews by kh57ca for Palo Alto
Palo Alto, California
Senior Contributor
33 reviews 33 reviews
21 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 6 cities Reviews in 6 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
1 of 5 stars Reviewed 13 December 2012

Bringing a vegetarian guest from Chicago to Calafia last week turned out to be an embarrassment! The Hostess at the door was ridiculously rude and frazzeled. People were waiting to be seated but 1/2 the restaurant was empty at that moment, including the entire bar seating. When asked why there were screens at the table, she rebuffed us saying they... More

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See 15 more reviews by Rubylaserjules for Palo Alto
San Francisco, California
Senior Contributor
22 reviews 22 reviews
13 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 9 cities Reviews in 9 cities
3 helpful votes 3 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 24 November 2012

Food is mostly very good (there have been some misses, usually with pasta or other grains). Soups are outstanding, as are salads, and appetizers. They make their own delicious sodas. The market has some good deals -- rotisserie chicken is piping hot and fresh at 5 pm, and is a plump rocky chicken. Good music in the market cafe, noisy... More

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See 2 more reviews by CaTravel_10 for Palo Alto

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