Top 10 Restaurants In Sunnyvale, California

Japanese fare
Japanese fare | © Pedro Serapio/Flickr
Monica Nastase

In the center of Silicon Valley, Sunnyvale in California features a range of international cuisine restaurants, along with classic American places. These 10 restaurants are the most flavorful culinary experiences to have.

Dishdash Middle-Eastern cuisine

1. DishDash

Restaurant, Mediterranean

Dish Dash
© Lauren Bosak/Flickr
DishDash is a Middle-Eastern restaurant right in the center of Sunnyvale, serving authentic culinary traditions made with locally sourced and fresh ingredients. The interior is simple, with a few regional decorations on the walls, among which is a ‘dishdash’ — a traditional Middle-Eastern dress. On the menu, expect to find staple dishes like hummus and falafel, and other specialties like beriani, beef cubes with raisins and potatoes topped with aged yogurt, or zahra, slow-cooked lamb with grilled cauliflower and garlic.

2. BonChon Chicken

Restaurant, Korean

Japanese fare
© Pedro Serapio/Flickr
Simply decorated, BonChon Chicken is a very popular Korean restaurant specializing in chicken, for both dining in and take-out. Some of the most popular items on the menu are the chicken wings and drumsticks with various sauces, plus other specialties like beef bowls or spicy rice cakes. Temper the hot dishes of the Korean cuisine with a regional specialty drink, such as the yogurt soju. They serve this in various flavors like strawberry or peach. Or, just grab a Sapporo beer.

3. Tanto Japanese Restaurant

Restaurant, Japanese

Tanto is a modern Japanese restaurant that displays tables, private booths, and even mini versions for two people, along with a tatami room. Brown and beige decorations adorn the interior plus there is soft lighting to set the mood for a warm, romantic ambience. The large menu features many options from appetizers to stir-fried dishes and simmered plates, salads and even sashimi, in a combination of fish, grilled meats and fresh vegetables. Most of the plates are tapas-style, meaning smaller portions, perfect to sample a variety with friends.

4. Merit Vegetarian

Restaurant, Vegan, Vegetarian, Chinese, Thai, Indian, Vietnamese, Japanese

Offering fusion cuisine of plant-based foods and Asian cuisines, like Vietnamese or Indian, Merit is one of the few vegetarian options in Sunnyvale. With a classic American interior, complete with leather booths, Merit Vegetarian serves freshly prepared vegan dishes all made from sustainable products. Their varied menu goes from soups and salads to rice dishes, curry vegetables and even vegan desserts.

5. Sunnyvale Cafe

Cafe

Sunnyvale Cafe

A small and cozy café located in northern Sunnyvale, Sunnyvale Cafe is a family-owned business offering both dine-in and take-out options. Preparing authentic Lebanese food from scratch, the menu features staple dishes like hummus, falafel, tabouleh and meat pies. Their opening hours are quite limited, but they also offer catering, perfect for an office party or a Saturday brunch, Lebanese-style.

Sunnyvale Cafe, 223 E Maude Ave, Sunnyvale, CA, USA, +1 408 530 8191

6. Speedy’s Tacos

Speedy’s Tacos

Speedy’s Tacos is a family-owned, Mexican place, enriching the culinary scene in one of the major cities of Silicon Valley. With a modern interior and colorful art on the walls, Speedy’s offers authentic tacos and other traditional Mexican dishes. The menu features staple choices like soft or crispy tacos, burritos or quesadillas. You can wash down the tasty food with a bottle or two of Jarritos, a favorite Mexican soda they import and offer, or a glass of sangria.

Speedy’s Tacos, 929 E Duane Ave, Sunnyvale, CA, USA, +1 408 685 2791

Greek specialties | © Alexander Baxevanis/Flickr

7. Obed Mediterranean Cuisine

Obed Mediterranean Cuisine

Located in northern Sunnyvale, Obed brings a mix of Middle Eastern and international cuisine to the city’s food scene. Simply decorated with modern furniture, they let the food give the value of the place. The menu draws from various cuisines, like Lebanese, Greek and Persian. It features dishes like tabbouleh, falafel or a Mediterranean platter as starters, various wraps plus salads. For mains, they serve various meats with rice and saffron, or vegetarian options like the sambuseh Persian dish. The drinks feature traditional yogurt-based refreshments.

Obed Mediterranean Cuisine, 911 E Duane Ave, Sunnyvale, CA, USA, +1 408 685 2269

8. Cam Hung

Cam Hung

A small, centrally located venue offering Vietnamese-style sandwiches and coffee, Cam Hung is a popular choice among locals for a quick bite full of flavor. For their sandwiches, they use the banh mi bread, highly acclaimed by the customers, which they fill with a variety of traditional ingredients like sweet pork, fish cake, shredded beef, fried tofu or Vietnamese sausage.

Cam Hung, 903 Reed Ave, Sunnyvale, CA, USA, +1 408 735 8989

Gourmet burger | © David Vespoli/Flickr

9. Nom Burger

Restaurant, American, Pub Grub

Nom Burger is an upscale burger place offering ‘the modern burger’ to the residents of Sunnyvale. A contemporary venue, with high ceilings, modern light fixtures and a warm atmosphere, this restaurant aims to change the view of the burger. They state that they use only the best ingredients, organic when available, to create the burgers from scratch. The burger buns are also baked in-house. On the menu, you’ll find burgers topped with guacamole, gruyere Swiss cheese and roasted tomato aioli, or with pork belly and sautéed napa cabbage.

10. Sawa Sushi

Restaurant, Diner, Japanese, Seafood, Beer

A gourmet sushi and Japanese cuisine restaurant, Sawa Sushi is one of the most recognized in the Silicon Valley area. The owner and head chef, Steve Sawa, offers omakase-style dining, where he chooses the day’s menu for his customers. The dishes vary from fresh sushi or sashimi to grilled fish and seafood. For drinks, they have imported Japanese beers and sake. Featured in mainstream media and the Michelin Guide as a top restaurant, Sawa Sushi is also on the pricey side.

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