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Downtown Palo Alto is the heart of the Silicon Valley, California. It is a walkable district that contains a variety of restaurants and cafes. Below are the best places that will take you around the world by the spoonful.

Coupa

Coupa

Cafe, Venezuelan, Coffee, Tea , Vegetarian

Time for a cup of coffee
© OiMax / Flickr

A cafe located across from NOLA, Coupa offers traditional Venezuelan dishes as well as Venezuelan-brewed coffee. It offers a variety of food ranging from breakfast foods to dinner dishes. Throughout the day, Coupa serves coffee that was grown in Venezuela and also has pastries that are made fresh daily. Favorites here are Coupa’s Mechada empanada, shredded beef stew with Coupa’s homemade dipping sauces. For lunch, try the Strazza strawberry and Nutella crepe for dessert. However, if you are not in the mood for a full meal, Coupa has a large coffee selection that comes with intricate latte art.

NOLA

NOLA is a New Orleans-themed restaurant that offers Cajun and Creole cuisine. It embraces the French Quarter culture and creates a festive atmosphere starting from the Mardi Gras beads that are placed on each table. NOLA has a retractable roof that is opened on warm nights in the summer or on a nice day. Everything on the menu can only be found at NOLA. Some of their dishes include spicy jambalaya, crabmole, and fried chicken and waffles. However, the best is Mr. T’s famous skirt steak and NOLA’s beignets.

NOLA, 535 Ramona St, Palo Alto, CA, USA +1 (650) 328-2722

Fraiche

Fraiche

Cafe, Restaurant, Dessert

A Californian-influenced European style cafe, Fraiche is the place to go for artisanal crafted frozen yogurt. All of its yogurts are organic and give customers a choice of fresh or frozen yogurt while offering an extensive selection that includes fruit, nut, and organic cookie toppings. Flavors include original, soy, and Valrhona chocolate, but also seasonal flavors like mango, coffee, and Oreo. Not only does Fraiche offer a variety of yogurts, it serves organic steel-cut oatmeal, fresh baked goods, breakfast sandwiches, and Blue Bottle organic coffee. If you try only one thing, make it a regular-sized frozen yogurt with half coffee and half Oreo, topped with Newman’s-O’s and Fraiche’s in-store made mochi.

La Strada

Restaurant, Italian

Tamarine
© star5112/Flickr
La Strada offers a variety of Italian food in the heart of downtown Palo Alto. Located on University Ave, it offers traditional pasta dishes with a modern twist. The restaurant is dimly lit at night for a warm atmosphere, but also offers patio seating that makes a great spot for lunch on a sunny day. La Strada’s dishes are made with fresh ingredients and homemade sauces. Some come with freshly made pasta that absolutely makes the dish. Although La Strada offers a variety of dishes, try the egg fettuccine and Niman Ranch lamb cheeks. It comes with tender lamb pieces in a delicate yet flavorful sauce with freshly made fettuccine.

Tamarine

Located on the main street in downtown Palo Alto, Tamarine is the place to find a variety of Vietnamese food with a twist of California. Tamarine offers a wide range of dishes from crispy calamari to pho noodles to dishes like Hoisin lamb chops. With its diverse menu the carnivore or vegetarian can find their favorites to share family style. It provides an intimate and warm atmosphere for date nights as well as family dinners. If you choose to eat at Tamarine, be sure to order the Empress rice and the crab and garlic noodles.
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