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About Asian Box
Asian Box is a fast-casual Vietnamese restaurant in Town & Country Village, the open-air center at 855 El Camino Real. It is part of the Asian Box chain, which lists its other stores on a locator on its website. You order at the counter, choose the parts of your meal and pick it up in a box.
The company calls itself a Vietnamese scratch kitchen. Its about page says the idea was inspired by the street stalls of Asia, which it describes as some of the first sustainable restaurants. It says every meal is made to order by hand from scratch. Grace Nguyen is listed as executive chef. One of the signature dishes carries her name: Chef Gracie's Grandma's Pho.
Two claims stand out. Asian Box describes its whole menu as 100 percent gluten-free, with gluten-free kitchens. It also says its ingredients come without hormones, antibiotics or pesticides.
How the menu works
The core of the menu is a box you build in four steps:
- Pick a base: brown rice, jasmine rice, Asian salad or chilled rice noodles.
- Pick a protein: chicken, pork, organic coconut curry tofu, steak, shrimp or salmon. You can double the protein or add a Vietnamese caramel egg.
- Add toppers: bean sprouts, scallion oil, fresh jalapeño, lime, fresh herbs, crispy shallots, chopped peanuts and wok-tossed or steamed vegetables.
- Choose a sauce: tamarind and Miss Jones Sriracha are included. Others such as peanut sauce, yellow coconut curry, fiery red curry, green curry and classic fish sauce cost extra. Sauces come on the side.
If you would rather not decide, there are signature boxes with set combinations. The menu lists The Workout, The Miss Jones, Chicken Curry, Chicken and Veggie Green Curry, The Ox Box, the pho and a banh mi. Other boxes include Vietnamese hot chicken, a vegan Garden Box and salads with chicken, steak or salmon.
Sides include shrimp or tofu spring rolls, green papaya salad and glass noodle salad. There are wings in mango habanero, Sriracha buffalo and garlic soy. Drinks run from Vietnamese iced coffee and fresh lemonade to boba teas in flavors such as taro, Thai, matcha and brown sugar. Menus change, so check the website before you go.
Dietary notes
Asian Box is one of the easier places in town for people avoiding gluten, since the company says nothing on the menu contains it. Vegan diners have plenty of choice too. The menu marks the tofu, all four bases, the toppers, the Garden Box and every sauce except the fish sauce as vegan. Items with raw or undercooked ingredients carry the standard health warning. The company does not post a full allergen chart. Peanuts appear as a topper and in a sauce, so mention any nut allergy when you order.
Ordering, catering and kids
You can order at the counter or online for pickup. The location page also links to takeout and delivery ordering, catering, gift cards and a page for fundraisers and private events. Catering is built around big boxes that serve five people, family-style sides that serve five to seven and drink boxes that serve 10 to 15. There is a kids box with chicken, pork or tofu, broccoli, a drink and a chocolate chip cookie. The menu notes a service charge of up to 5 percent on bills.
Who it suits
Asian Box suits a quick counter-service lunch, a takeout dinner on the way home along El Camino Real or a group order for an office. Because you choose each part of the box, it handles mixed groups well: one person can order steak over rice while another builds a vegan noodle box. Families get the kids box. It is not a sit-down restaurant for a long meal, so pick somewhere else for a celebration.
Tips for visiting
- Order online for pickup if you want to skip the counter line at peak meal times.
- The center's lots are free, but the rows near the restaurants fill fast at midday.
- It is open until 9 p.m. Monday to Saturday and until 8 p.m. on Sunday, so it works for an early dinner.
- For Japanese food in the same center, try Sushi House. For dessert, Kara's Cupcakes is in the same center.
- Our Town & Country Village guide and guide to Asian food in Palo Alto have more ideas.
Location and getting there
Asian Box is at 855 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, CA 94301, in the Town & Country Village area of Palo Alto. Our Town & Country Village guide covers what else is around.
The nearest train stop is the Palo Alto Caltrain station, about 0.4 miles away. That is roughly a 11 minute walk.
Parking: the center's own free surface lots.
Hours
| Monday to Saturday | 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. |
|---|---|
| Sunday | 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. |
Hours from the business's own website, checked October 29, 2026.
What is nearby
- bluemercury, salon or spa, under 0.1 mi
- Marine Layer, store, under 0.1 mi
- Marigold Row, store, under 0.1 mi
- Athleta, store, under 0.1 mi
- Faherty, store, under 0.1 mi
- Town & Country Village, under 0.1 mi
- Stanford Stadium, 0.3 mi
- Pacific Art League, 0.4 mi
Other quick bites and takeout nearby: Jamba Town & Country Village (under 0.1 mi); LuLu's (under 0.1 mi); Poké House (under 0.1 mi); Mamahuhu (under 0.1 mi). Browse the full quick bites and takeout list.
Before you go
- Ordering ahead online or by phone saves time at lunch, when downtown and Cal Ave spots get busy.
- Delivery apps cover most of Palo Alto, but prices and menus there can differ from ordering in person.
- Check the posted hours before a late-night visit, since closing times vary by day.
About this listing
Checked October 29, 2026 against Asian Box Palo Alto location page; Asian Box menus; Asian Box about page. How our listings work. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Asian Box in Palo Alto?
Asian Box is at 855 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, CA 94301, in the Town & Country Village area. The nearest Caltrain stop is the Palo Alto Caltrain station, about 0.4 miles away.
Is Asian Box really gluten-free?
Asian Box describes its menu as 100 percent gluten-free and says its kitchens are gluten-free. If you have celiac disease or a severe allergy, confirm the details with staff, since the company does not publish a full allergen list.
What vegan options does Asian Box have?
The menu marks the organic tofu, all four bases, the toppers, the Garden Box and every sauce except the classic fish sauce as vegan. Build a box from those parts for a fully plant-based meal.
Does Asian Box Palo Alto cater?
Yes. The Palo Alto location links to catering through an online ordering page. The catering menu includes big boxes that serve five people, group sides and drink boxes that serve 10 to 15.
What are Asian Box's hours?
Monday to Saturday: 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday: 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m..