On this page
Downtown Redwood City is the place Palo Alto residents go when they want a busy restaurant street without driving far. Within a few blocks of the Caltrain station you can find wood-fired pizza, an Italian wine bar, a steakhouse, Latin American cooking, Pakistani food, a German beer hall, a French pastry shop and a gelato counter. Many have outdoor tables on the car-free block of Broadway.
This guide sticks to places we confirmed on their own websites in late October 2026. Restaurants open and close quickly, so check before a special trip. Descriptions are neutral. We say what each place serves, not how good it is. For the bigger picture of the area, see our downtown Redwood City guide.
How downtown dining is laid out
Three streets do most of the work. Broadway is the spine, with Courthouse Square and the Fox Theatre in the middle and restaurants running in both directions. Main Street crosses Broadway and holds a row of smaller places in older buildings. Middlefield Road runs past the library and the multiplex, with several sit-down restaurants.
The 2000 block of Broadway has been closed to cars since the pandemic. The City Council made that permanent in 2024, so restaurants there serve at tables in the roadway. On warm evenings it feels more like a plaza than a street. On cold or wet nights, heaters and covers keep some of it usable.
| Restaurant | Address | What it serves |
|---|---|---|
| Vesta | 2022 Broadway | Wood-fired pizza and small plates |
| Zareen's | 2039 Broadway | Pakistani and Indian |
| Mademoiselle Colette | 2401 Broadway | French pastry, breakfast and lunch |
| Gourmet Haus Staudt | 2615 Broadway | German beer hall, market and bottle shop |
| SF Gelateria | 2621 Broadway | Gelato and dairy-free flavors; call ahead |
| Angelicas | 863 Main Street | California cooking with Latin flavors |
| Ghostwood Beer Co. | 911 Main Street | House beers, burgers, salads |
| Timber & Salt | 881 Middlefield Road | Neighborhood steakhouse |
| Donato Enoteca | 1041 Middlefield Road | Italian small plates and wine |
| Freewheel Brewing | 3736 Florence Street | Brewery with cask ales and IPAs |
On Broadway
Vesta
Vesta at 2022 Broadway serves wood-fired pizza and small plates. The restaurant sits in one of the older commercial buildings on the block. A 2025 profile in The Almanac noted that the Michelin Guide listed Vesta as a Bib Gourmand in 2018 and 2019. Vesta closed briefly at the start of October 2026 for what it called a little refresh and posted that it would reopen on October 2. Our Italian and pizza guide covers the Palo Alto options.
Zareen's
Zareen's started in Palo Alto and now lists Redwood City as one of its locations, at 2039 Broadway according to The Almanac. The menu is Pakistani and Indian. A 2025 Almanac profile pointed to dishes such as chicken tikka masala and Memoni samosas. The Palo Alto restaurant describes its menu as halal. See our halal food guide for details and ask the Redwood City staff if certification matters to you.
Mademoiselle Colette
Mademoiselle Colette at 2401 Broadway is a pastry shop modeled on Parisian cafes. Its website says it serves breakfast, lunch and aperitifs as well as pastries to go. The Almanac lists sister shops in Palo Alto, Menlo Park and Atherton. It is a daytime stop rather than a dinner spot.
Gourmet Haus Staudt
Gourmet Haus Staudt at 2615 Broadway has been family owned since 1975. According to its website, Joe and Lucie Staudt started it as a flower shop. It grew into a Bavarian bierstube, a market and a bottle shop. The bar pours German and craft beers on a rotating list, with German food and daily specials. The market sells imported European groceries, from pickles to candy and deli meats. It takes reservations for large groups.
SF Gelateria
A few doors along at 2621 Broadway, SF Gelateria scoops gelato in classic and international flavors and offers dairy-free choices. Its website still lists the scoop shop and its job board was hiring shop staff in November 2026, but the site loads only some of the time, so call (650) 257-0940 before making a special trip. It is a natural last stop after dinner or a movie. Our ice cream guide covers Palo Alto's own shops.
On Main Street
Angelicas
Angelicas at 863 Main Street describes itself as family owned since 2006. Its cooking blends California food with Latin flavors. It has a full bar menu and hosts celebrations as well as ordinary dinners. Main Street's older buildings give it a different feel from the newer blocks around the station.
Ghostwood Beer Co.
Ghostwood Beer Co. calls itself a local brewery that also runs a restaurant. Its website lists 911 Main Street as its primary location for beer and food and a second site at 1757 East Bayshore Road. The beers lean toward lagers and IPAs, with seasonal releases. The kitchen serves smash burgers, chicken sandwiches and salads. It describes itself as family friendly. Its posted kitchen hours show it closed on Tuesdays, so check before you go.
On Middlefield Road
Timber & Salt
Timber & Salt at 881 Middlefield Road calls itself a neighborhood steakhouse. Its site lists dinner from 5 p.m. and reservations through OpenTable. The cocktail menu changes with the seasons and the kitchen follows California produce. Sundays, Mondays and lunch are set aside for private events by arrangement, so plan a weeknight or Saturday dinner. Our steakhouse guide compares it with Palo Alto options.
Donato Enoteca
Donato Enoteca at 1041 Middlefield Road is an Italian restaurant built around shareable small plates and a long wine list. Its website lists lunch, happy hour and dinner menus and posts occasional winemaker dinners. It sits across from the downtown library, a few minutes from the square.
Beer and breweries
Palo Alto has no brewery inside its city limits, so Redwood City is where many people go for a fresh pint. Three stops stand out:
- Freewheel Brewing at 3736 Florence Street, a short drive from downtown. Its site describes cask ales in the English style, bold IPAs and nitro pours and lists the Redwood City taproom as open daily from 11:30 a.m.
- Ghostwood Beer Co. on Main Street downtown, described above.
- Gourmet Haus Staudt on Broadway, a beer hall and bottle shop rather than a brewery, with a deep German list.
Our bars, wine and beer guide adds breweries in Belmont and wine bars in Palo Alto.
Before a show or a movie
The Fox Theatre at 2221 Broadway and the Cinemark multiplex both draw big crowds on weekend nights. A few tips help:
- Book a table, or arrive by 6 p.m. if the place does not take reservations.
- Pick something on Broadway if the show starts early. Vesta, Zareen's and Gourmet Haus Staudt are all a short walk from the theater.
- Leave dessert for after. SF Gelateria is steps from the Fox, but call ahead to check it is open.
- Check the last southbound Caltrain if you plan to linger.
Our Fox Theatre guide covers tickets and house rules.
Recent changes to know about
Restaurant lists for Redwood City get stale fast. Two examples from our research:
- Arya Steakhouse opened a Redwood City branch in 2012. Its website now says the Palo Alto restaurant combines both locations into one, so go to University Avenue in Palo Alto for it.
- Several places named in older roundups did not have working websites we could check. We left them out rather than guess.
Getting there and parking
Take Caltrain north from Palo Alto to Redwood City. Most local trains stop there and the restaurants on this list are mostly within a ten-minute walk. See our Redwood City station guide. If you drive, downtown has public garages. The car-free block of Broadway means you should park a block or two away. If a long dinner turns into a late night, you can compare hotels in Redwood City near the station.
Good to know
- We confirmed every restaurant here on its own website in October 2026. Hours change often, so check before you go.
- Outdoor tables on Broadway get cold after sunset most of the year. Bring a layer.
- Large groups should call ahead. Several places host private events on set nights.
- Freewheel Brewing is not downtown. Plan a short drive or bike ride.
Frequently asked questions
Where should I eat before a show at the Fox Theatre?
Vesta, Zareen's, Gourmet Haus Staudt and Mademoiselle Colette are all on Broadway within a few blocks of the theater at 2221 Broadway. Donato Enoteca and Timber & Salt are on Middlefield Road a short walk away. Book ahead or eat early on a big show night.
Are there breweries in Redwood City?
Yes. Freewheel Brewing on Florence Street pours its own beers, including cask ales. Ghostwood Beer Co. lists a brewery and restaurant at 911 Main Street downtown plus a second site on East Bayshore Road. Gourmet Haus Staudt on Broadway is a German beer hall and bottle shop rather than a brewery.
Is there halal food in downtown Redwood City?
Zareen's, the Pakistani and Indian restaurant that started in Palo Alto, lists a Redwood City location on Broadway. Its Palo Alto restaurant describes its menu as fully halal. Confirm with the Redwood City restaurant before ordering, since practices can differ by location.
Is Redwood City cheaper than Palo Alto for dinner?
Prices are broadly similar, ranging from casual counters to a steakhouse and a pizza place that Michelin once listed as a Bib Gourmand. The main difference is choice. Downtown Redwood City has more restaurants within a few blocks of the train. A car-free block of Broadway turns into an outdoor dining room.
Can I walk to these restaurants from Caltrain?
Most of them, yes. Everything on Broadway, Main Street and Middlefield Road on this list is within about a ten-minute walk of the Redwood City station. Freewheel Brewing on Florence Street and Ghostwood's East Bayshore site are a short drive or bike ride away.