Calafia Café & Market A Go Go

Palo Alto, United States

3.5

Open now

29 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards
Free Wi-Fi

Contacts

QR code, vCard

Telephone:
+1 650-322-9200
Website:
calafiapaloalto.com
Address:
Town & Country Village 855 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, CA, 94301
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
630 ftStanford
0.5 miPalo Alto Transit Center
0.5 miPalo Alto
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Bussiness info

Takes Reservations
Yes
Delivery
No
Take-out
Yes
Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Good For
Lunch
Parking
Private Lot
Bike Parking
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes
Good for Kids
Yes
Good for Groups
Yes
Attire
Casual
Ambience
Casual
Noise Level
Average
Alcohol
Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating
Yes
Wi-Fi
Free
Has TV
No
Waiter Service
Yes
Caters
Yes
Accepts Apple Pay
No

Today

Today 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
Open now
Local time (Palo Alto) 19:18 Friday, 27 June 2025

Business hours

Monday 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
Tuesday 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
Wednesday 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
Thursday 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
Friday 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
Saturday 9:00 am – 9:00 pm
Sunday 9:00 am – 9:00 pm

Description

Specialties

Organic, sustainable, California cuisine sourced from local ingredients to create seasonal menus.

History

Established in 2009.

In 2009 Charlie Ayres leased nearly 5,000 square feet of space in the Town & Country Shopping Plaza near Stanford University, realizing his dream of a owning neighborhood spot serving organic, sustainable, healthy, delicious food. It was an instant hit, and today still has crowds lining up to get a seat.

This casual restaurant has an energetic vibe, and serves food inspired by the incredible bounty that is available in California.

Meet the Business Owner

Charlie A.

Business Owner

Charlie Ayers

Executive Chef/​Proprietor

Chef Charlie lives by the creed «eat, drink, and be merry.» For the past 25 years, he has embodied this ideal as a chef, providing eclectically inspired food and drink in an atmosphere of music and fun.

Charlie is best known as, «the chef who fed Google.» It was a job he won in a cook-​off in 1999, judged by the company’s then 40 employees. By the time he left Google in 2005, his team of five chefs and 150 employees were serving 4,000 lunches and dinners a day at the company’s headquarters in Mountain View, CA.

After six years at Google, Charlie left to open Calafia Café & Market A Go Go in Palo Alto, CA. His concept epitomizes the idea that «being green» is

good for the producer, consumer, environment and local community.

A former private chef and personal chef to the Grateful Dead, Charlie continues to consult for startup companies and cater private events.

Calafia Café & Market A Go Go also recommends

Your Professional Image

12

reviews

Session Photography

Charlie A. says,

«Lisa is a talented photographer and Calafia enjoys working with her any chance we get.»

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29 reviews of Calafia Café & Market A Go Go

No registration required
Place rating: 5
San Francisco, CA
YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY
3 mushroom pizza
Gnocchi
Banana split
Some Pinot noir.
My fave guy :)
This place always delivers.
Place rating: 2
Washington, DC
Not a good value. I got a roast beef and drink which cost like $ 20 and the sandwich had three little slices of deli roast beef. Was really not happy with that.
Place rating: 5
Menlo Park, CA
Treated myself to a scumptious salmon and arugula salad for lunch today. Creative, healthful menu and very courteous staff. Every time I come here I think the food is delicious. Higher price point than the other restaurants in the shopping center, but I think worth the price for the consitsently good food. Would highly recommend!
Place rating: 1
San Jose, CA
I had high expectations for a lunch that Calafia catered for me. There customer service is horrible. I can’t speak to their «in house dining» but do not trust them with a catered event.
Place rating: 5
San Francisco, CA
Fabulous food and great service!!!
Place rating: 4
Palo Alto, CA
This is one of my favorite go to restaurants in Palo Alto. The food is always delicious and the service is good. My favorite dishes are rock cod tostada, steak tacos and chicken tacos. The puréed cauliflower is so
smooth and rich, it is almost like eating light fluffy mashed potatoes. It isn’t cheap after you add in a glass of wine or two, but the food is fresh and delicious.
Place rating: 3
Toronto, Canada
I had pulled pork and my husband had duck confetti pizza. Mine was ok and too salty, for $ 20 you think your dish must come with some salad or vegetable instead there was too much, too salty fries covering most of the dish. Maybe for a meal for a big guy with big stomach. My husband’s pizza was good but for $ 16 it was too small. Everything too salty. Must be a good place for groups since they have really lengthy tables. Generally speaking too pricy fro quality. But hey, that is Palo Alto.
Place rating: 2
San Jose, CA
This place should be an easy 5 star restaurant/​market. It has all of the bells and whistles I look for in a quality restaurant today: local, organic, grass-​fed, vegan, vegetarian, meat, beer, wine, indoor/​outdoor seating, ambiance, and even relatively clean bathrooms. Sounds great, right? Yeah, we thought so too, which is why we come back. But after three or four visits we always leave feeling a little underwhelmed. After tonight we remembered some of the reasons why we felt this way. The service is the main issue; it’s slow. I’ve worked in many restaurants in my time, so it is forgivable when a place is packed, but the last couple of times it wasn’t the case. To compliment the bad service, there is always something ‘off’ with our meals, too. We’ve had overcooked, burnt, and today a lack of ingredients (in this case cheese on the pizza). We sent it back with the second or third server that we had to flag down. We also ordered another dish requesting that they hold some ingredients, but to no avail. Overall, we didn’t feel we got our money’s worth. When we’re back in the area, we’ll probably try another spot.
Place rating: 1
San Francisco, CA
Over rated. All the items were average at best. The lamb was the best dish. Will not return anytime soon.
Place rating: 3
Menlo Park, CA
I’m torn. We’ve been here a few times and have liked it. The food is good, with lots of gluten-​free, dairy-​free and vegan options. A couple of dings from our most recent encounter, though: I could be mistaken, but I think they may have raised their prices; worse, though is the mark-​up they charge for take-​out orders, which I didn’t see publicized. Our entrées were $ 2 higher each! Why? Makes no sense. If anything, though no one does this, it should actually be cheaper because we’re not taking up space at a table! While we enjoyed the food we ordered, as we always have, we’re not going to order take-​out again, that’s for sure!
Side comment about their Market A Go Go: I stopped there for lunch a while back and was really disappointed. I could have had better food, and a larger selection, at the hot bar at the nearby Whole Foods!
Place rating: 1
Palo Alto, CA
Just moved to Palo Alto and co worker recomended this place, honestly how she described it I thought it was going to be the best but I was not happy at all.
First customer service we’ve tried making reservations for four on a Friday night at 6:45 pm NOT ALLOWED !
We’ve waited 20 min to be seated which it wasn’t bad.
Our server she was good friendly but seemed little distracted or under stress as our meals did not arrived at our table all on time.
Our drinks took way too long but again we were in not rush
Food was not what we’ve expected
Had two items from the special menu and I was not satisfied at all, taste was not there, presentation look good but lack of flavor
Place rating: 3
Washington, DC
Saturday, 4:00PM.
Customer rep: Meg.
Quickie:
— Food quality
+ Hygiene
+ Customer service
— Turnaround
+ Menu variety
And then???
Calafia Café has options for group outings. With the variety of diets and lifestyles, this extensive menu can be a neutral spot.
**********
Stuffed my face in:
1. Wakame salad
+ Mimics the original without the MSG.
2. Tofu cups
— Mundane flavor dulls the good texture.
3. Chiken Curry
+ Appropriate spices adds to the this ‘trickery’.
4. Tofu lentil loaf
— Firm consistency, but lacking a punch.
5. Rotisserie chicken
— Dry meat.
6. Quinoa pilaf
— Arid plate, could use a stronger sauce.
7. Banana split
+ Not too sweet while maintaining its dessert edge.
Place rating: 4
Paris, France
We just came for desserts and were given excellent service from our waiter. We had delicious appetizers (lettuce cups and tofu) and their twist on the banana split. Was decent for having no dairy in it :) Especially loved the brûléed part of the bananas!
Place rating: 4
San Francisco, CA
What if…
You could feel like you were eating catered lunch at your start-​up, but also felt like you were dining in a very trendy-​and-​modern-​yet-​casual gastropub?
Calafia lets you feel all that. Google cafeteria meets Californian osteria.
The menu is IMMENSE. You can get almost anything to eat here, every god damn dietary restriction included. The food is fantastic too. Each plate features carefully crafted details.
Craft beer is cheap. They even had Pliny on the menu.
I’m pretty sure this place could make anyone happy.
Place rating: 1
Palo Alto, CA
Their prices fluctuate and are very inconsistent. They are very rude to the students at the local high school, and overcharge.
Place rating: 5
Belmont, CA
I seriously wish I could give this place more stars. It was the dining experience I haven’t had in a long time, to our waiter who was so kind and easy to talk to. Both of our dishes were full of flavor, resulting in us leaving nothing behind. I was full for the rest of the day.
Part of dining at Calafia I have to say is the experience itself. The warm earthy vibe in the design put us at ease. My first impression was that this was going to be «that» kind of sheeshee place. On the contrary, I felt welcomed and not judged. Our waiter shared that the main chef is from the Grateful Dead. Pretty cool. Now going back to the design. One of my favorite features were the bathrooms. You just have to experience the space to understand what I’m hyping up. Oh and be sure to check out the virtual machine on your table that allows for you to make separate check payments via credit card. Awesome!!! And the device has games on it. We were able to pass the time by playing games.
Give this place a try and let us know what you think?
Place rating: 1
Half Moon Bay, CA
Really poor service and horribly overpriced. This salad I ordered came on a wooden plank try eating it and not making a big mess. Taste was mediocre at best. The best part was the chicken which was cooked perfectly.
Place rating: 4
Denver, CO
Salmon Chowder and the Prosciutto & Pesto Pizza. I really like this place. Appears they have other tasty plates and on their menu. Thumbs up. I’ll be back.
Place rating: 4
Oceanside, CA
Nice hostesses. Very good server. Nice atmosphere. Excellent cappuccino. Amazing music! Grateful dead! Unique décor.
I asked the server what oranges they use for their home made juice and she went out of her way to ask for me. CA navel if you ate interested.
Very attentive. Only down side is the cost
Bagel w cream cheese, side fruit cup and a cappuccino was on the pricey end but it was worth it.
I’m happy to pay a bit extra for good service, excellent coffee and good music.
Place rating: 1
Manhattan, NY
I am pretty disappointed.
The service was a bit slow but that wasn’t it as our server was a nice guy.
The food was just not great… I had so highly recommended the restaurant to celebrate with some family, and my previous experience (which resulted in a 5 star review) did not hold up.
I love the setting and I like the people here. But when the food makes you feel a bit nauseous it says something.
— Pork Belly Buns this time were too ‘juicy’ (got the white sauce on my pants and shirt) and were ‘too fatty’ and ‘too chewy’. It just didn’t settle right. No one else at the table liked it.
— My sister in law had their special burger — it was a mix of premium cuts of meat, with bacon, blue cheese, etc. This did NOT connect. Too much blue cheese and with the selected ground meats, actually tasted somewhat ‘rotteny’. Was SO disappointed by it. Just too much going on in a burger… a good burger doesn’t need all that. Maybe this is just my taste, but I think I have a good palette as I’ve lived in the best foodie cities in the world.
— My sisters beets, goat cheese and arugula pizza was the best thing there but was still just ‘eh’.
— So disappointed in my Shaken Steak salad. The salad was super warm from the meat. The meat was not rare at all or pink at all as I had asked (Medium Rare). And it was like the meat was encrusted in Salt — inedible.
— The Sangria was really tasteless… just bleh.
REALLY DISAPPOINTED and we did not even want to complain… we just wanted to leave. I guess the last straw was no one even asked… we barely touched our food but no one asked, they just gave us the check because they are busy.
Boo, I was rooting for this place.
Place rating: 5
Berkeley, CA
Calafia is a mixed bag. You have to know what to order. Sometimes you get something that’s just mediocre. However many things are very very delicious. Lots of variety so you can go with people who have disparate eating needs.
Service is excellent. One time I didn’t eat my entrée because I didn’t like it. I didn’t complain. They comped me anyway, just because the busser noticed.
Only get the fantastic things: Super salad. Burger. Smoothies. Juice. Pizzas. Pork buns. Veggie tempura.
Place rating: 4
San Francisco, CA
I love this place. My ex turned me onto it and I have now gone there more on my own than I ever did with him. This has become a recurring theme for me. Isn’t it funny how it’s not until after you breakup with someone that you realize how limiting they were?
Since I eat gluten-​free and limit my dairy intake as well, Calafia is a dream destination for me. But I guess given that the owner/​chef, Charlie Ayers was The Man at Google prior to launching his own place tells you he’s used to vegans, vegetarians, pescetarians and good old-​fashioned carnivores all wanting food :) Not to mention gluten-​free, dairy-​free, etc!
I’ve tried the following so far and have enjoyed everything!
Steak Tacos
Grilled marinated hanger steak, ginger-​scallion sauce, butter lettuce shells, cabbage, carrots, and cilantro.
Yellow Curry Chicken
Pulled rotisserie chicken, spinach, roasted yams, and roasted crimini mushrooms, simmered in a traditional English curry cream sauce. Served with quinoa pilaf.
Funky Beets Salad
Golden and red beets, avocado, radishes, rainbow carrots, orange segments, frisée, and quinoa, tossed in a citrus chia seed dressing
Ginger Mashed Yams
House Bacon Burger
Half pound of grass-​fed Marin Sun Farms beef burger, grilled onions, applewood-​smoked bacon, and white cheddar. Served with your choice of side.
Place rating: 5
New Orleans, LA
The menu is large and has a lot of price points, which is good (you can pay about $ 15 up to about twice that for an entrée). Service was fast, the staff was nice, and you can order from the table on a tablet type device.
Everyone was impressed with their food and cocktails. I had the lamb burger with goat cheese and caramelized ions with a citrus salad. The onions were delicious and sweet, and they added a generous chunk of goat cheese to the burger, which was well-​seasoned. The salad was just about perfect in the way the flavors melded together.
My company got a rec to eat here during a work trip to Stanford, so work grabbed the bill, but I’d say that this is the perfect place to go after work, especially if you’re visiting from parts unknown, because there’s such a wide variety of foods, and there are prices to fit most budgets.
Place rating: 5
San Jose, CA
Did not take this place seriously when I went to high school across the street but seriously. This place is super cool!
1. They have ordering tablet things that you can order your food and drinks from. With games that you can play while you wait for your food
2. Service has always been awesome.
3. THEIR BURRATTA CHEESE PIZZA (GIANCALE or something)
do yourself and your mouth a favor. get it.
Place rating: 4
San Jose, CA
I always see this place on Unilocal but never had a chance to go here until my friend recommended it to me for our dinner. I was surprised that a place that had the word «market» in their name would actually have nice ambiance, but then I realized that their market portion is separate from their main dining room. There’s also outdoor seating.
Their menu is all digitalized and you can order on the tablet and even pay on the tablet with multiple credit cards! Love how technology can improve dining experiences.
They have everything from salads to pastas to burgers. I went with a duck confit pizza and while the size wasn’t humungous, it was delicious and had rich flavors. I’ve also tried a super salad before which was overhyped for the price.
I always see people with burgers on their tables and they do look amazing so I want to try those next time. They also have a weekend brunch menu that looks pretty tasty.
Place rating: 4
Foster City, CA
«THE CHEF WHO FED GOOGLE»
Once upon a time, there was a chef who had thousands of Google employees delectably tied to his palate. Following the 6-​year stint at Google, Charlie Ayers opened Calafia Café & Market A Go Go.
Located in Town & Country, Palo Alto, there is a fresh, inviting feeling upon stepping into Calafia. Its rustic décor is pure, modern and inviting. It’s exactly what I like: a clean and pleasant atmosphere coupled with organic, healthy, great tasting food! The fresh, farm-​to-​table concept is noticeable immediately. From their communal table, milk canister and bottle lighting, tree-​to-​fork logo, to their very cute egg-​shaped plates, subtly denote a healthy place to be both in food source and sustainability.
Calafia has a wonderful Plant Eaters’ Menu and a Meat Eaters’ Menu. My first visit here, led me directly to their Yellow Curry Chicken, made from deliciously shredded Rotisserie chicken. In their creamy curry sauce, you’ll find spinach, roasted yams and crimini mushrooms. This delicious mix of ingredients are poured over a quinoa pilaf. The savory curry sauce is also available gluten free and vegan upon request.
Ordering a «cup» of New England Clam Chowder will have you delightfully amused as it arrives in a red LeCruset-​style mini pot, reminiscent of the serving style at, The Wicked Spoon in Vegas!
The Chicken Drumettes are a tasty choice as well. Cooked sous vide, flash fried (which doesn’t absorb as much oil) and served with a choice of 3 sauces: hot sauce, teriyaki and spicy BBQ, make a great starter.
If you haven’t already, try Calafia for fresh, California cuisine, conscientious in source, sustainability, preparation and service.
Place rating: 5
Menlo Park, CA
I would eat here for all my meals if I could.
Food: 5 stars
The salmon is perfectly cooked: tender, juicy, and just on the verge of being under cooked. They used to have a salmon entrée with wakame, which was the best meal I’ve had in Palo Alto. My boyfriend likes the chicken curry bowl. The steak tacos are also excellent. Calafia is the only restaurant where I feel good about eating dessert, but I would recommend not ordering the banana split though (it is essentially a banana with whipped cream). The market-​a-​go-​go is great too, and the baked goods are delicious. You really can’t go wrong, but I wish the portions were bigger.
Atmosphere: 5 stars
Minimalist and modern with wooden furniture; classically Californian. I love the variety in seating areas. You can face the window or the kitchen (which I don’t like because the smoke makes my eyes water). You can sit at a communal or a private table.
Service: 4 stars
The servers and cooks are quick and efficient. At peak hours, you have to wait right in front of the hostess so she knows you are still there. They don’t take reservations for parties less than 8, so you might have to wait a bit.
Place rating: 4
Houston, TX
Such a great location after Town and Country renovated a few years ago. the ceiling to floor glass pulls in a lot of natural light, so it’s the classic and best California restaurant you can think of. The environment is very trendy and laid-​back; you can even sit at a counter and watch the open kitchen like my family and I did!
It’s pretty busy on a Sunday for brunch/​lunch, but it’s expedited if you choose to sit at the counter or outside. At 11:30, we were seated immediately by opting for the counter — waiting for an inside table would have only been 15−20minutes though. Food is quite on point and service is great. The staff are very efficient and quick; the food came out speedily but still well presented.
We ordered:
— side of hash browns
— eggs chiapas
— super salad
— croque madame
— duck confit pizza
— decaf coffee (french press!)
The salad was relatively simple and something I think we could have replicated at home, but the pizza was the standout to me. The chiapas tortilla was great but aside from the freshness of the tortilla, there wasn’t much else that stood out. Nevertheless, nothing to complain about. It was a very solid brunch/​lunch.
Next time I definitely want to try the vegan pizza and the veggie burger. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a vegetarian by any means, but their greens are so fresh and they have such interesting combinations and use of vegetables in their foods!
I wish had stomach space because I would have walked over to their to-​go market right beside the restaurant and tried some of their desserts; they looked amazing.
Place rating: 2
Stanford, CA
1. Sea scallop ($ 30): fishy taste, over cooked. When u seared the scallops, don’t toss them around! Only flip once is enough! god! I think it’s because scallops were not quite fresh that’s why they were pretty heavy-​handed on salt and other condiment, but the scallop ended up to be fishy and bitter. The sous vide pork is better, tho was not as tender as we expected. And comparing to the scallops is better for sure.
2. Pulled pork rice bowl: YOU DON’T USE LEFTOVER RICE, OKAY? Pork is good with squash and spinach, I like the final touch with a pan fried quail egg on top, but the rice was stiff, a bit cold in the center, I figured they might have used leftover rice. Cause I have sensitive digestive system, that night I got really bad stomach convulsion.
Chef, I though you were serious about your food, and passionate about cooking! Am I wrong?
Service was good when it’s less busy.