Baylands Cafe

About Baylands Cafe

Baylands Cafe is the restaurant inside the clubhouse at Baylands Golf Links, the public golf course at 1875 Embarcadero Road on Palo Alto's bayfront. Most customers are golfers grabbing breakfast before a tee time or a burger after the back nine, but the cafe is open to everyone. It is one of the few places to sit down for a meal on the east side of Highway 101 near the Baylands.

The course itself has a long local history. It opened in 1956 as the city's municipal course and reopened in 2018 after a redesign by golf course architect Forrest Richardson. Today the course website lists the cafe alongside tee times, lessons, a practice facility and event rentals.

What is on the menu

The menu is classic clubhouse food with a few golf-themed names. Breakfast is served until 1 p.m. and comes with diced breakfast potatoes and a choice of sourdough, wheat or marble rye toast. Highlights listed on the cafe menu include:

• Bananas Foster French toast with caramelized bananas and two eggs
• The Baylands Classic Walkin' Burrito with scrambled eggs, potatoes, cheddar and jack cheese and a choice of bacon, sausage or ham
• The Falcon "Hole 1" breakfast sandwich, pancakes with eggs plus several three-egg scrambles, including an egg white and vegetable option
• Shareables such as chips and salsa verde, nachos, vegetable spring rolls and chicken wings with Buffalo, Cajun, garlic Parmesan or mango habanero flavors
• Salads including Caesar, Cobb, Asian chicken and chicken fajita, plus chili by the cup or bowl
• Sandwiches and burgers such as the "Sandy Par" steak sandwich and the "Albatross" club, with fries, sweet potato fries or onion rings

Menus change. The course posts updated versions as PDFs on the cafe page, so check there before you go if you have something specific in mind.

Takeout and quick bites

The cafe also publishes a shorter takeout menu. It covers handhelds such as the Back 9 Fairway Burger, a breakfast sandwich, quesadillas, a Buffalo chicken wrap, hot dogs, grilled cheese and grab-and-go sandwiches, along with a few salads. Takeout orders are placed by calling the cafe at 650-223-8888. Ordering ahead is useful if you are squeezing lunch between nine holes or picking up food for a picnic.

Events and group space

Baylands Golf Links rents its clubhouse for meetings, tournament receptions, birthday and anniversary parties, holiday parties and small wedding receptions. The course lists a banquet room with large windows over the course that seats up to 80 guests with a 12 by 15 foot dance floor, or up to 90 without it. A covered patio with a lattice-style ceiling and enclosed walls seats up to 50. The course notes that rain can limit use of the patio. Requests go through an events inquiry form on the golf course website. A banquet menu is available to download.

Who it suits

Baylands Cafe is built for convenience rather than a destination dinner. It suits golfers first. It also works for walkers, cyclists and birders who spend a morning at the bay and want eggs or a sandwich without driving back into town. Families can find simple choices such as pancakes, hot dogs and grilled cheese. Office groups can use the banquet room for a team lunch or an offsite meeting with a view of the course.

The menu leans on meat, eggs and cheese. Salads and the egg white and vegetable scramble are the lighter options. The kitchen notes on its menu that it will try to accommodate cooked-to-order requests.

Tips for visiting

The cafe is open every day from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., according to its page. Come before 1 p.m. if you want breakfast. Parking is at the golf course lot off Embarcadero Road, which is far easier than finding a space downtown.

The location makes the cafe a good refuel stop for an outing to the bay. The trails of the Baylands Nature Preserve start just down Embarcadero Road. The San Francisco Bay Trail runs along the shoreline nearby. For more about playing the course itself, including the driving range and tee times, see our golf guide. If you want more morning options around town, our breakfast guide covers cafes closer to downtown.

Location and getting there

Baylands Cafe is at 1875 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto, CA 94303, in the Midtown area of Palo Alto. Our Midtown guide covers what else is around.

The nearest train stop is the California Avenue Caltrain station, about 2.2 miles away. That is roughly a 56 minute walk or a short bike ride.

Parking: street spaces or a small lot nearby; check posted limits.

Hours

Hours from the business's own website, checked October 30, 2026.

What is nearby

• West Valley Flying Club, school or studio, under 0.1 mi
• Stanford Federal Credit Union Embarcadero Road, service business, 0.1 mi
• Jones Day, firm, 0.2 mi
• Anderson Honda, service business, 0.3 mi
• Audi Palo Alto, service business, 0.3 mi
• Palo Alto Airport, 0.3 mi
• Sea Scout Building, 0.5 mi
• Baylands Duck Pond, 0.5 mi

Other cafes and coffee shops nearby: Starbucks West Bayshore Road (0.7 mi); Teaspoon (1.5 mi); Palo Alto Cafe (1.6 mi); Ada's Cafe (2.2 mi). Browse the full cafes and coffee shops list.

Before you go

• Weekday mornings bring a rush of commuters and students, so expect a line between about 8 and 9:30 a.m.
• Some cafes limit laptop use at busy times or have few outlets. Ask before settling in for a long work session.
• Hours often change with the school calendar and holidays. Check the cafe's site or map listing before a special trip.

About this listing

Checked October 30, 2026 against Baylands Cafe page, Baylands Golf Links; Cafe menu (PDF); Takeout menu (PDF); Meetings, banquets and special events. How our listings work. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Frequently asked questions