Asian food in Palo Alto

Palo Alto's Asian restaurants reflect who lives and works here. Engineers and researchers from across Asia have shaped the city for decades and the restaurants followed. You can eat Tokyo-style ramen, Cantonese dim sum, Korean tofu stew, Burmese food and halal Pakistani curries within a few miles. More regional variety is a short drive away in Mountain View, Sunnyvale and San Mateo, but Palo Alto covers the main cuisines well.

Every restaurant below was confirmed as open in 2026 through its own website, the MICHELIN Guide, the Infatuation's July 2026 Palo Alto guide or local news. The exception is Tai Pan, which we could not confirm for 2026. Restaurants turn over quickly downtown, so check before you go.

At a glance

Japanese

Ramen Nagi, 541 Bryant Street

Ramen Nagi is a Tokyo-based ramen chain known for a rich tonkotsu broth simmered for many hours. Diners choose the spice level, noodle thickness, broth richness, garlic and saltiness. There are also versions with squid ink or basil. Lines can run long at dinner, so go at an off hour.

Iki Omakase, 460 Ramona Street

Iki Omakase serves a multi-course omakase of nigiri and small dishes at a small counter. Seats are limited, so book well ahead through its Tock reservation page.

Nobu Palo Alto, 180 Hamilton Avenue

The restaurant inside the Nobu Hotel serves the global brand's Japanese menu with sushi and its signature cooked dishes. See our Nobu Hotel Palo Alto page for the hotel.

Yutori, 3375 El Camino Real

Yutori began as a Japanese cafe, bakery and konbini with grab-and-go sandwiches, salads, sashimi trays and hot dishes plus a garden patio. In September 2026 Yutori opened a full Japanese restaurant and bar. The cafe suits a quick lunch and the restaurant suits dinner.

More Japanese options

• Tane Vegan Izakaya, 461 Emerson St. A fully vegan izakaya with sushi rolls, agedashi tofu, ramen and grilled skewers.
• Sushi Roku, Stanford Shopping Center. Contemporary sushi from a Southern California group.
• Taro San Noodle Bar, Stanford Shopping Center. Izakaya dishes and udon.

Chinese

At Stanford Shopping Center, Dumpling Time opened in May 2025. It is a modern dumpling restaurant with roots in San Francisco and a menu of dumplings and small plates. P.F. Chang's is also at the center for familiar Chinese American food.

Tai Pan at 560 Waverley Street has long been downtown's classic Cantonese restaurant. It is a maze of dining rooms with lazy Susans on the big tables, built for groups and family celebrations. Dim sum is the focus. Its website has not been updated recently, so call before you go. Our dim sum guide covers confirmed alternatives.

For more regional Chinese food, the Peninsula is the place to look. Mr. Pan Bistro at 711 El Camino Real in Redwood City is a newer spot with Taiwanese, Chinese and Japanese comfort food, from stir fries to bento boxes and milk tea. Michelin lists "wonderful" in Millbrae for Chinese cooking.

Korean

So Gong Dong Tofu House at 4127 El Camino Real specializes in soondubu, Korean soft tofu stew served bubbling hot. The menu lists about 16 versions plus bibimbap and grilled dishes like bulgogi. Every bowl comes with banchan, the small side dishes of Korean meals. It is popular with Stanford students. The parking lot is tiny, so be patient at dinner.

For contemporary Korean cooking, Yeobo, Darling in Menlo Park is listed in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide. Our fine dining guide covers it with the other nearby listings.

Vietnamese, Thai and Burmese

Tamarine, 546 University Avenue

Tamarine serves modern Vietnamese food on University Avenue. Its website lists lunch on weekdays, dinner nightly and a happy hour at the bar from 5 to 6 p.m. every day. It also offers private dining and catering.

Roost & Roast, Town & Country Village

Roost & Roast is a Thai-inspired chicken shop at 855 El Camino Real. It serves southern Thai Hat Yai-style fried chicken along with Thai street food. It is counter service and works well for takeout. There is a second location in Sunnyvale.

Rangoon Ruby, 445 Emerson Street

Rangoon Ruby is downtown's Burmese restaurant. Burmese food borrows from India, China and Thailand, with salads, noodle dishes and curries. The restaurant recommends booking a table. It also handles holiday parties and catering.

Indian and Pakistani

Zareen's at 365 California Avenue serves halal Indian and Pakistani food with quick, casual service and patio seating on the car-free street. The Zareen's website lists more locations in Mountain View, Redwood City and Sunnyvale and a large catering business.

Ettan at 518 Bryant Street is the upscale option. It is listed in the 2026 MICHELIN Guide and serves dishes from across the subcontinent in a two-floor dining room. Its sister restaurant is Copra in San Francisco.

Nearby, Eylan in Menlo Park holds a Bib Gourmand for Indian cooking and Aurum in Los Altos is also listed in the guide. Chaat Bhavan in Mountain View serves vegetarian Indian snacks and thalis.

Asian food at the farmers market

The downtown Saturday market lists several Asian food stalls among its 2026 vendors:

• Bao Bao Express, fresh dim sum, dumplings, buns and boba tea.
• Bun Bao, frozen steamed buns, dumplings and sesame balls to heat at home.
• Sakura Soup, fresh ramen soup bases and toppings.
• Roti, Pakistani breads, curries, dals and chutneys.
• C Farm, Asian vegetables such as bitter melon and long beans from Sanger.

A few ordering basics

If a cuisine is new to you, these basics help.

• Soondubu. Korean tofu houses usually ask how spicy you want the stew, from mild to very hot. Start in the middle. The raw egg on the side goes into the boiling stew. Banchan side dishes are shared and often refilled on request.
• Dim sum. Order several plates for the table and share. Steamed dumplings, baked buns and rice noodle rolls make a good first round. Tea is part of the meal.
• Omakase. The chef chooses the sequence. Tell the restaurant about allergies when you book, arrive on time and eat each piece soon after it is served.
• Ramen. Eat the noodles quickly before they soften. Slurping is normal.
• Indian and Pakistani. Order a mix of curries, a lentil dish and plenty of bread or rice for the table.

Tips

1. Go early or late for ramen. Ramen Nagi is busiest at prime dinner time.
2. Bring a group for dim sum. Dim sum works best when you can share many plates.
3. Book omakase ahead. Iki's counter seats fill quickly.
4. Look south for depth. Mountain View's Castro Street area and Sunnyvale add many more regional Chinese, Indian and Japanese restaurants. See our San Jose day trip for the South Bay.

Frequently asked questions