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Stanford Shopping Center is the largest shopping destination in Palo Alto and one of the best known malls in the Bay Area. It sits on Stanford University land at El Camino Real and Sand Hill Road, a short walk from downtown and the Caltrain station. Four department stores anchor it. More than 140 shops and restaurants fill the walkways between them, from Apple and Sephora to Hermès and Cartier.
What sets it apart is the format. This is an open-air center with planted walkways, fountains and benches rather than an enclosed concourse. On a mild day it feels more like a garden than a mall. This guide covers the history, the store mix, dining, parking and how to reach it without a car. For the city's other districts, start with our Palo Alto shopping guide.
History: from vineyard to mall
The land was once part of Leland Stanford's vineyards. After World War II the university needed income from its huge landholdings. Selling land was off the table under the founding grant, so it leased parcels instead. Stanford Research Park was one result. The shopping center was another.
Construction began in 1954. The first retailer, the clothing store Roos Bros., opened in September 1955. The center was completed in October 1956 when Blum's restaurant opened. At that point it had nine buildings and about 45 businesses. The original anchors were The Emporium and I. Magnin, two San Francisco names that defined Bay Area shopping in that era.
The anchors changed over the decades, which tells you a lot about American retail:
- 1961: Macy's California joins.
- 1962: Saks Fifth Avenue opens. It closed in 1994.
- 1972: Bullock's arrives.
- 1984: Nordstrom opens in November.
- 1985: Neiman Marcus becomes an anchor in August.
- 1996: The Emporium becomes Bloomingdale's.
- 2014: A new three-level Bloomingdale's of about 120,000 square feet opens.
Ownership shifted too. The university's investment arm, Stanford Management Company, managed the center from 1991. In 2003 Stanford's trustees sold the center to Simon Property Group for $333 million. The land did not change hands. Simon operates the mall under a long-term ground lease. Published accounts give its term as 51 years. Stanford still owns the soil under every store and still earns income from it.
The open-air layout
The center is a single level of shops arranged along a network of outdoor walkways. Department stores sit at the ends and corners. Smaller shops line the paths between them. There is no roof over the main walkways, which is why you see people with coffee strolling in shirtsleeves in February and why it can feel quiet on the rare stormy day.
Gardens are part of the appeal. The center promotes a self-guided garden walk and seasonal displays change through the year, with the biggest effort at the holidays. Seating is scattered throughout, so it works for a slow afternoon with older relatives or small children.
The layout has expanded in phases. A new wing opened in 2016 with Anthropologie and True Food Kitchen. The Container Store took over the former Andronico's grocery space in 2013. The old Macy's men's store building was approved for replacement in 2019 and demolished starting in 2021 to make way for RH, the home furnishings gallery with a rooftop restaurant.
Department stores and notable tenants
The directory changes often, so treat this as a snapshot from the center's own directory in October 2026. All four department stores remain: Bloomingdale's, Macy's, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom.
Luxury and designer
For a city of under 70,000 people the luxury lineup is striking. It includes Hermès, Louis Vuitton, CHANEL, Cartier, Tiffany & Co., Loro Piana, Brunello Cucinelli, ZEGNA, Max Mara and Wilkes Bashford. Watch shoppers will find a Rolex Boutique plus Breitling, IWC Schaffhausen and Panerai. Jewelers include David Yurman, Shreve & Co. and Gleim the Jeweler.
Fashion and everyday apparel
Mid-range clothing is well covered: Aritzia, J.Crew, Madewell, Banana Republic, Gap, Levi's, Reformation, Everlane, Free People, Urban Outfitters, Vince, Veronica Beard, Eileen Fisher, Tory Burch and Ralph Lauren among them. SKIMS has a store on the Garden Walk near Vuori and Reformation. Athletic and outdoor brands include lululemon, Vuori, Alo Yoga, On, New Balance, Arc'teryx and Backcountry. Our outdoor gear guide has more on the last two.
Home, tech and beauty
- Home: RH, Crate & Barrel, Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, Williams-Sonoma Grande Cuisine, Arhaus, The Container Store, Frette and Hästens beds.
- Tech and cars: Apple, Bang & Olufsen, Tesla and Rivian.
- Beauty: Sephora, Aesop, L'Occitane en Provence, Jones Road and Drybar.
- Kids: Janie and Jack, Gap Kids and a Toys R Us shop inside Macy's.
- Travel: TUMI, Going in Style Travel Accessories and a Currency Exchange International counter.
Food to take home
Two food shops make the center useful for groceries as well as gifts. Sigona's Farmers Market, a family produce and specialty foods market founded in 1975, has a store here. Schaub's Meat, Fish & Poultry is next door. See our groceries and specialty food guide. For sweets, See's Candies and Läderach chocolate are both here.
Dining at the center
The center is one of the easiest places in Palo Alto to feed a group with mixed tastes. The headline name is Zaytinya, José Andrés' mezze restaurant with Turkish, Greek and Lebanese dishes. Other sit-down options include Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, Sushi Roku, Kappo, Pacific Catch, P.F. Chang's, True Food Kitchen and the RH Rooftop Restaurant above the furniture gallery.
Quicker meals come from Dumpling Time, Taro San Noodle Bar, Shake Shack, Tender Greens, The Melt, Hummus Mediterranean Kitchen, Go Fish Poke Bar and World Wrapps. Coffee options include Blue Bottle Coffee, Ralph's Coffee and Gregorys Coffee. Dessert stops include Bacio di Latte gelato, Pinkberry and Rabbit Rabbit Cream. A small plates and cocktail restaurant called Cedar and Sage was listed as coming soon in October 2026.
Weekend lunch is busy. Aim for 11:30 a.m. or after 1:30 p.m. For dinner at the busier restaurants, reserve ahead. Our food and drink guide puts the center's restaurants in context with the rest of the city.
Getting there and parking
The center's address is 660 Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto. By car, the main approaches are from El Camino Real, Sand Hill Road and Quarry Road. The center itself suggests the El Camino Real entrance by Blue Bottle Coffee and Dumpling Time as the easiest way in.
Parking
Parking is in large surface lots that ring the stores, so you are rarely far from your destination. Spaces near the department stores fill first on weekend afternoons. There is a rideshare pick-up and drop-off zone. In December, arrive before noon or come on a weekday evening. The center's map on its official website shows parking areas and amenities.
By train and shuttle
The Palo Alto Caltrain station is roughly a 15 minute walk away. Head out the west side of the transit center and follow Quarry Road toward the medical center, or walk along El Camino Real. Stanford's free Marguerite shuttle runs between the transit center and the Stanford medical area beside the mall on weekdays and is open to the public. Lines change by quarter, so check the Marguerite lines and schedules page. Our getting around guide covers Caltrain and the shuttles in detail.
Practical tips
- Hours: Regular center hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Restaurants keep their own, longer hours. Holiday hours run later.
- Management office: It is on the second level near Zaytinya and is open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wheelchair rentals are available.
- Gift cards: The office no longer sells Simon gift cards in person. They are sold online.
- Events: The center hosts seasonal events such as a Halloween afternoon in the Center Pavilion and a Santa photo experience in the holiday season.
- Fitness: Barry's, SoulCycle and YogaSix have studios here if you want a class before shopping.
Good to know
- Bring a layer. The walkways are outdoors and evenings cool down quickly even in summer.
- Stanford home football Saturdays add traffic on El Camino Real and Embarcadero Road. See Stanford sports and game days.
- The department stores offer services such as personal shopping and alterations. Ask at their service desks.
Combining it with Stanford and downtown
The center makes an easy half day alongside the campus. The Stanford Medical Center is next door. The Cantor Arts Center is about a 15 minute walk along Palm Drive and Museum Way and is free. Our Cantor Arts Center guide has hours. Downtown Palo Alto is across El Camino Real and the Caltrain tracks, so you can shop here in the afternoon and walk to dinner on University Avenue.
A mile south, Town & Country Village offers a smaller, older and more local counterpoint with boutiques, Books Inc. and Trader Joe's. If you are visiting for a weekend, compare hotels near Stanford Shopping Center. Several hotels on El Camino Real are within walking distance.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Stanford Shopping Center?
Stanford University owns the land. Simon Property Group bought the center's buildings and operations from the university in 2003 and runs the mall under a long-term ground lease, so Stanford still earns income from it.
Is Stanford Shopping Center indoors or outdoors?
It is an open-air center. Stores open onto landscaped walkways with plantings, fountains and seating. Bring a layer in winter and sunscreen in summer, since you will walk outside between stores.
What department stores are at Stanford Shopping Center?
Four: Bloomingdale's, Macy's, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom. Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom arrived in the mid 1980s and the current Bloomingdale's building opened in 2014.
Can you walk from downtown Palo Alto to Stanford Shopping Center?
Yes. It is roughly a 15 minute walk from the Palo Alto Caltrain station along Quarry Road or El Camino Real. The free Stanford Marguerite shuttle also runs between the transit center and the Stanford medical area next to the mall on weekdays.
Where can I eat at Stanford Shopping Center?
Sit-down choices include Zaytinya, Fleming's Prime Steakhouse, Sushi Roku, Pacific Catch, True Food Kitchen and the RH Rooftop Restaurant. Quicker options include Dumpling Time, Shake Shack, Tender Greens and Taro San Noodle Bar, plus coffee from Blue Bottle and Ralph's Coffee.