On this page
Brunch in Palo Alto comes in two moods. One is the sit-down weekend meal with cocktails and a reservation, the kind that stretches past noon. The other is a fast counter breakfast before a hike, a market run or a game at Stanford. The city has good options for both, spread across downtown, Town & Country Village and Stanford Shopping Center.
Every place below was confirmed as open in 2026 through its own website or recent coverage. Brunch hours are the most changeable on any menu, so check the restaurant's site before you go.
Sit-down weekend brunch
NOLA, 535 Ramona Street
NOLA is a two-story New Orleans-themed restaurant on the car-free block of Ramona Street. Its weekend brunch runs Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and the main draw is the bottomless NOLA mimosa, which its posted menu offers with a food purchase for up to 90 minutes. The menu leans Southern, with beignets, a jambalaya skillet with andouille and shrimp and thick NOLA French toast. With a balcony level and a patio, it is set up for birthdays and groups. Metro's 2025 guide listed NOLA as closed on Mondays.
Reposado, 236 Hamilton Avenue
Reposado is an upscale Mexican restaurant downtown. Its website lists brunch on Saturday and Sunday starting at 11 a.m., lunch on weekdays and dinner nightly. The menu shows small plates such as ceviche and shrimp empanadas plus a separate children's menu, which makes it a good pick for families who want something other than eggs.
Local Union 271, 271 University Avenue
Local Union 271 serves American food on University Avenue. Its website lists weekend brunch on Saturday and Sunday and a weekday brunch menu from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. It takes reservations and hosts private parties, so it works for a group celebration.
Taverna, 800 Emerson Street
Taverna is an all-day Greek restaurant at the south end of downtown rather than a classic brunch spot. It suits a later, lighter weekend meal of shared plates and gyros, with Greek wines by the glass.
Brunch at Stanford Shopping Center
The open-air mall across El Camino Real from Stanford has two reliable brunch rooms with easy parking.
- True Food Kitchen, 180 El Camino Real, Suite 1140. The chain's Palo Alto page lists weekend brunch and labels the menu vegan-friendly and gluten-friendly. It takes reservations through OpenTable.
- RH Rooftop Restaurant, above the RH furniture gallery. American food with indoor and outdoor seating. It appears in OpenTable's Palo Alto brunch listings.
Shopping-center brunch is a good plan when you have kids or older relatives in tow. Restrooms and parking are close and you can walk off the meal. See our Palo Alto with kids guide for what to do afterward.
Cafes and pastry for a lighter brunch
Mademoiselle Colette, 499 Lytton Avenue
A French pastry shop and cafe inspired by Parisian cafes. It serves breakfast and lunch along with croissants and tarts. Its website lists hours of 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday, so plan an early Sunday visit.
Yutori, 3375 El Camino Real
A Japanese bakery, cafe and konbini with a shaded garden patio out back. The cafe sells sandwiches on milk bread, salads, sashimi trays and matcha and hojicha drinks. It added a full restaurant and bar in 2026. Expect a line at the cafe counter on weekend mornings.
Palo Alto Creamery, 566 Emerson Street
The Creamery has served downtown since 1923. Breakfast is served all day, from egg dishes with hash browns to house granola and oatmeal in the morning. It opens daily at 8 a.m. A milkshake with breakfast is entirely acceptable here.
Quick counter breakfasts
Sometimes brunch is just a good egg sandwich. Town & Country Village, at El Camino Real and Embarcadero Road, has three counters within a short walk of each other.
| Counter | What it does | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Hatched | Egg sandwiches and toasts, from 7 a.m. | An early start before a hike or a game |
| Boichik Bagels | New York style bagels, spreads, lox and sandwiches | Takeout for a picnic or the office |
| Manresa Bread | Naturally leavened bread and laminated pastries | Croissants and coffee |
Hatched opened in January 2026 from the Poon brothers, who also run the Thai chicken shop Roost & Roast in the same center. Its menu is built around eggs on toast and fried chicken sandwiches topped with a runny egg. Boichik is mostly takeout, with a few outdoor tables.
Make a market your brunch
On Saturdays, the downtown farmers market on Gilman Street runs from 8 a.m. to noon. Its 2026 vendor list includes crepes made to order, dim sum, Pakistani rotis and curries, Oaxacan dishes from a food truck, bagels and babka from Wise Sons and pastries from local bakers. Grab a coffee downtown first and graze your way through.
On Sundays, the California Avenue market runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the car-free street. Shop first, then sit down at one of the street's restaurant patios. Our California Avenue guide lists what is nearby.
A short drive away
OpenTable's 2026 brunch listings for the Palo Alto area also include Scratch in Mountain View, Menlo Tavern and Vida in Menlo Park and The Village Bakery in Woodside. Inside Palo Alto, Dinah's Poolside Restaurant at Dinah's Garden Hotel on El Camino Real appears on the same list. If you are planning a day in the hills, Woodside makes a natural stop on the way to Filoli.
Which brunch for which occasion
Use this quick table to match the place to the plan.
| If you want | Try | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Cocktails and a party | NOLA | Weekend brunch with bottomless mimosas on a car-free block |
| A family meal with a children's menu | Reposado | Weekend brunch from 11 a.m. and a separate kids' menu |
| Something old-fashioned | Palo Alto Creamery | All-day breakfast in a diner that opened in 1923 |
| A Paris-style cafe breakfast | Mademoiselle Colette | French pastries and breakfast plates, early hours |
| Speed before a hike | Hatched or Boichik Bagels | Counter service at Town & Country from early morning |
| Easy parking and a stroll | True Food Kitchen or RH Rooftop | Shopping-center lots and shops next door |
After a big brunch, the flat walk from downtown to Rinconada Park or a loop around the Stanford campus makes a good way to spend the rest of the morning.
Brunch tips
- Book for groups. Sunday between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. is the peak. Reserve for four or more.
- Watch Stanford weekends. Commencement, home football games and parents' weekends fill every brunch room. Check the events calendar.
- Go early for counters. Bagel and bakery lines peak mid-morning on weekends.
- Mind the meter. Downtown garages and lots have time limits. A long brunch can outlast a two-hour spot. See getting around.
- Ask about bottomless terms. Bottomless deals often come with time limits or table rules.
Good to know
- Many cafes close by mid-afternoon. Mademoiselle Colette closes at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
- Weekend brunch hours change more often than dinner hours. Check the restaurant's own site the day before.
- For coffee before or after, see our coffee guide.
- For a vegetarian or vegan brunch, True Food Kitchen labels its menu vegan-friendly. See the vegetarian guide.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I get bottomless mimosas in Palo Alto?
NOLA at 535 Ramona Street lists a bottomless NOLA mimosa on its brunch menu, available with a food purchase for up to 90 minutes. The New Orleans-themed restaurant serves brunch Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., with dishes such as beignets and a jambalaya skillet. Check its current brunch menu and drink terms before you go.
What is the oldest breakfast spot in Palo Alto?
The Palo Alto Creamery on Emerson Street opened in 1923. It serves breakfast all day along with milkshakes, burgers and pies. Its website lists a daily opening time of 8 a.m.
Which Palo Alto restaurants take brunch reservations?
Sit-down restaurants such as Reposado, Local Union 271 and True Food Kitchen take reservations. Counters such as Hatched, Boichik Bagels and the Yutori cafe do not. Book ahead for groups of four or more on Sunday.
Is there brunch on California Avenue?
The Sunday farmers market on California Avenue doubles as a brunch outing, with prepared food stalls and the street's restaurant patios nearby. The market runs 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. year-round.