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About Cafe Pro Bono
Cafe Pro Bono is an Italian restaurant at 2437 Birch Street, just off California Avenue. It has served the neighborhood for more than 30 years, according to the restaurant. The menu is Italian with some broader European dishes, built around homemade pastas, seafood and meats.
The restaurant says it was honored as Palo Alto Weekly's Best Italian Restaurant in 2021, 2022 and 2023. Owner Akif Aydin, who also acts as the house sommelier, personally picks every bottle on the wine list.
What is on the menu
Pasta is the heart of the kitchen. Several are made in house, including potato gnocchi with Genovese basil pesto and a rigatoni with spicy Italian sausage and roasted red peppers. One dish that appears on both the lunch and dinner menus is Susan's Downfall, a homemade cheese and herb ravioli in gorgonzola sauce topped with toasted almonds. Other pastas include capellini pomodoro, spaghetti Bolognese, a whole grain buckwheat tortiglioni with portobello mushrooms, a squid ink spaghetti with prawns and salmon, linguine with Manila clams and tagliatelle alla Pro Bono with smoked chicken and shiitake mushrooms.
Starters at dinner include wild boar sausage, polenta with portobello mushrooms, beef carpaccio, sautéed Gulf prawns, burrata and a daily soup. Entrées come with a starch and seasonal vegetables. Examples are a grilled half chicken with citrus oregano sauce, salmon and veal scaloppine with lemon and capers. Lunch adds panini served with salad. There are also larger salads such as a duck confit salad. The restaurant says it uses organic salads and vegetables, free range poultry and wild fish. Daily specials change every day and are best heard by phone.
The bar and wine list
The full bar serves specialty cocktails and modern takes on classics, including zero proof options. Beer runs from local craft to imports, some of it on tap. The wine list is the standout: more than 300 domestic and imported wines, all chosen by Aydin, who is on hand to help match a bottle to dinner. You are welcome to sit at the bar for a drink or eat there if seats are open.
Private events
Cafe Pro Bono offers three event rooms. The restaurant suggests them for rehearsal dinners, birthdays, baby showers, family gatherings and business meetings. Requests go through the party booking form on its website. It also runs a catering service for events off site, with its own menu on the website.
Who it suits
The menu and setting suit a romantic dinner as well as a casual weeknight meal, as the restaurant puts it. The private rooms make it a practical choice for family celebrations. Weekday lunch is the time for a quicker meal, since the restaurant opens at 11:30 a.m. on weekdays and only for dinner on weekends. The outdoor patio, which the restaurant says has become a favorite with guests, is the place for a bottle of wine or an after-dinner drink on a warm evening. You can also simply sit at the bar for a glass and a plate of pasta, which the restaurant welcomes when seats are open.
Dietary notes
The restaurant says it has vegetarian and gluten-free options and will try to accommodate other restrictions within reason. Alert your server or note it on your reservation so the kitchen can plan.
Tips for visiting
Book a table online through the restaurant's website, especially on weekends. Walk-ins are welcome, but call first to check that the restaurant is not full. For takeout, call in your order for pickup, or use DoorDash or Grubhub. The restaurant accepts American Express, Discover, Mastercard and Visa. It closes for Thanksgiving and reopens with regular hours the next day.
The California Avenue Caltrain station is a short walk away. Our California Avenue guide covers the street. Our Italian food and pizza guide lists other Italian options in town. For other spots with outdoor tables, see our outdoor dining guide.
Location and getting there
Cafe Pro Bono is at 2437 Birch Street, Palo Alto, CA 94306, in the California Avenue area of Palo Alto. Our California Avenue guide covers what else is around.
The California Avenue Caltrain station is less than a quarter mile away, a walk of a few minutes.
Parking: street spaces and city garages with posted limits (see parking in Palo Alto).
Hours
| Monday to Friday | 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. |
|---|---|
| Saturday | 5 to 9:30 p.m. |
| Sunday | 5 to 8:30 p.m. |
Hours from the business's own website, checked October 30, 2026.
What is nearby
- The Coder School, school or studio, under 0.1 mi
- Bar Underdog, bar, under 0.1 mi
- Silicon Valley Fit, studio or gym, under 0.1 mi
- Pure Barre, studio or gym, under 0.1 mi
- NITO Boxing, studio or gym, under 0.1 mi
- Bowden Park, 0.2 mi
- Peers Park, 0.3 mi
- College Terrace Library, 0.4 mi
Other restaurants nearby: iTalico (under 0.1 mi); Protégé (under 0.1 mi); Zareen's (under 0.1 mi); Anatolian Kitchen (under 0.1 mi). Browse the full restaurants list.
Before you go
- Popular dinner spots in Palo Alto fill up on Friday and Saturday nights, so book ahead where the restaurant takes reservations.
- Many kitchens close earlier than in big cities. Plan to order by about 9 p.m. on weeknights unless the posted hours say otherwise.
- If you have allergies or dietary needs, call ahead or check the current menu on the restaurant's website.
About this listing
Checked October 30, 2026 against Cafe Pro Bono official website; Cafe Pro Bono food menu; Cafe Pro Bono FAQ. How our listings work. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Cafe Pro Bono in Palo Alto?
Cafe Pro Bono is at 2437 Birch Street, Palo Alto, CA 94306, in the California Avenue area. The nearest Caltrain stop is the California Avenue Caltrain station, about 0.1 miles away.
Does Cafe Pro Bono take reservations?
Yes. Cafe Pro Bono takes online reservations through its website and recommends booking ahead. Walk-ins are welcome, but the restaurant suggests calling first to make sure it is not fully booked.
Does Cafe Pro Bono have vegetarian or gluten-free food?
Yes. The restaurant says its menu has vegetarian and gluten-free options and that it will try to accommodate other dietary restrictions. Tell your server or add a note to your reservation.
Can I order takeout from Cafe Pro Bono?
Yes. For pickup, call the restaurant at 650-326-1626. It also links to DoorDash and Grubhub for delivery. Ask about the daily specials when you call, since they change every day.
What are Cafe Pro Bono's hours?
Monday to Friday: 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Saturday: 5 to 9:30 p.m.; Sunday: 5 to 8:30 p.m..