This independent guide to California Avenue is part of the Palo Alto Tourism guide. It contains no affiliate links, sponsored placements, or paid recommendations. Updated on October 27, 2026, by Ardan Michael Blum, who has lived in downtown Palo Alto since 2015.
Navigation note: There are two dedicated pages that you may wish to see as well. The first is about Downtown Palo Alto. The second is about Palo Alto's Neighborhoods and Local Places.
California Avenue is a compact commercial district south of downtown Palo Alto, with restaurants, cafés, bakeries, shops, patios, and public art along the few blocks between El Camino Real and the California Avenue Caltrain station. Its origins lie in the separate town of Mayfield, whose main street became part of Palo Alto in 1925. Today, it is an inviting place for a meal and a stroll. Allow about an hour for a walk and coffee, and longer if you add a meal or the Sunday farmers’ market.
The district’s central feature is the community-street section of California Avenue between El Camino Real and Birch Street. The City Council made its closure to through motor traffic permanent on March 10, 2025. Bicycles use the corridor, and emergency and other authorized vehicles may enter. Take care at junctions, entrances, and driveways.
Begin at California Avenue Caltrain station and follow the signed station paths toward California Avenue and the business district. Continue toward Park Boulevard and Birch Street, using the sidewalks and crossings. The car-free section begins at Birch. Walk past the Ash Street junction to El Camino Real, then return the same way. Birch Street offers a short detour to additional restaurants.
Along the way, look for the public art associated with the district’s “Avenue of the Arts” nickname. The works are scattered through an active business district, so leave time to look beyond the restaurant patios and shopfronts. On Sundays, the farmers’ market adds another reason to linger.
October 2026 street work: The City has scheduled paving and crosswalk work on California Avenue between El Camino Real and Birch Street for October 2026. Check the current street-project notices for dates and changes to access, and follow signs around the work areas.
Caltrain provides a convenient regional connection, but check the station schedule and service notices before traveling because some trains pass through without stopping. Caltrain lists California Avenue station as wheelchair accessible. Its platforms are connected by a station pedestrian underpass at the south end of the station. Confirm current platform access with Caltrain if step-free travel is essential to your visit.
The station connection is separate from the City’s California Avenue bicycle and pedestrian undercrossing beneath the railway and Alma Street. The City’s transportation assessment identifies steep grades and an ADA-accessibility barrier in that city undercrossing. Do not confuse it with the station’s platform connection when planning your arrival. Cyclists using the city undercrossing must dismount when other people are present.
VTA Route 22 and Rapid 522 serve stops listed as “El Camino & California” in both directions. Check their current schedules and service alerts, including the return connection if you are staying for dinner.
Drivers should approach parking from the surrounding streets rather than through the car-free blocks. Visitor parking is available on nearby streets, in surface lots, and in garages. The public garage at 350 Sherman Avenue is a central option and includes bicycle parking. Consult the City’s California Avenue parking information and read the signs at your space, since time limits and permit requirements vary.
There are no district-wide opening hours, and shops may close earlier than restaurants. Caltrain’s station-restroom list does not include California Avenue, so plan ahead rather than relying on a restroom at the station. Caltrain trains have an accessible onboard restroom.
California Avenue grew from the commercial center of Mayfield, a community older than both Palo Alto and Stanford University. The City of Palo Alto traces Mayfield’s beginnings to James Otterson’s 1853 roadhouse near today’s California Avenue and El Camino Real. Regular rail service from San Francisco reached Mayfield in October 1863, and the town incorporated in 1903.
Mayfield became part of Palo Alto on July 6, 1925. Its principal business street, Lincoln Avenue, was renamed California Avenue that year. The former town center remains a distinct neighborhood shopping and dining district, with its own railway station and commercial character.
Run by Urban Village Farmers’ Markets, the California Avenue Farmers’ Market takes place on Sunday mornings along California Avenue between El Camino Real and Birch Street. It occupies the district’s permanently car-free blocks and brings together California farmers and other food vendors.
Browse seasonal produce and food stalls, then leave time for breakfast or an early lunch. Vendor attendance and menus vary, so check individual announcements if you are coming for a particular item. A market visit also combines easily with a walk along the avenue, although nearby businesses set their own Sunday hours.
Hours: Sundays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Season: Year-round, rain or shine. Check the operator’s current announcements before a holiday visit.
Location: California Avenue between El Camino Real and Birch Street, a short walk from California Avenue Caltrain station.
CalFresh and Market Match: Visit the market information booth to use a CalFresh EBT card. UVFM’s Market Match program provides a dollar-for-dollar match of up to $15 per day; the matching funds are for fruits and vegetables.
These independent editorial suggestions are listed alphabetically within each area. The selection includes daytime cafés, casual meals, neighborhood restaurants, and dining rooms suited to a longer evening. It is a selective directory rather than a ranking, and all addresses below are in Palo Alto, CA 94306.
On California Avenue
iTalico offers Italian dining with pizza, wine, and housemade pasta dishes. Address: 341 California Avenue.
Izzy’s Brooklyn Bagels is a daytime bagel shop with spreads, sandwiches, and other breakfast and lunch options. The Palo Alto location is supervised by Sunrise Kosher, the Vaad of Northern California. Address: 477 S. California Avenue.
La Bodeguita del Medio has served Cuban-inspired food and cocktails on California Avenue since 1997. Address: 463 S. California Avenue.
La Bohème offers lunch, dinner, and weekend breakfast-brunch, with indoor and outdoor seating. Address: 415 California Avenue.
Palo Alto Sol is a long-running Mexican restaurant specializing in the regional cooking of Puebla. Address: 408 California Avenue.
Protégé offers contemporary Californian dining, with a seven-course tasting menu in the Dining Room and an à-la-carte menu in the Lounge. Choose the dining space when booking. It holds one star in the 2026 Michelin Guide California. Address: 250 California Avenue.
Rara serves Nepalese cooking, including momo dumplings, curries, and dal bhat meals. Address: 201 California Avenue.
Sekoya Lounge & Kitchen serves seasonal California-fusion cooking, steaks, and cocktails in a lounge setting. Address: 417 California Avenue.
Terún serves Southern Italian cooking and Neapolitan-style wood-fired pizza, with indoor and outdoor dining. Address: 448 California Avenue.
Zareen’s serves Pakistani and Indian cooking, including curries, kababs, and thali plates. The restaurant describes its menu as halal. Address: 365 S. California Avenue.
On Birch Street and Nearby
Café Pro Bono is a long-established Italian restaurant with pasta, seafood, and an extensive wine list. Address: 2437 Birch Street.
Caffe Riace offers Italian cooking with Sicilian roots and outdoor dining on Sheridan Avenue, near California Avenue. Address: 200 Sheridan Avenue.
Naschmarkt serves Austrian and Central European cooking, including schnitzel, spätzle, and goulash. Address: 2323 Birch Street.
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