"During the past year, I was incredibly touched by the outreach from the community, especially my long-term customers. They are the reason I was able to keep my doors open. Some of them went so far as to pre-pay for future work to ensure that my business could survive such a challenging time."
Richard Sumner Frames & Prints,
Best Frame Shop

"We had a family approach us about planting a succulent garden in front of our store. They asked for donated cuttings and some extra hands from their neighbors and came one morning and completely transformed the plant bed into a beautiful garden."
Cheeky Monkey,
Best Children’s Store

"We had customers and community members who checked in on us frequently — our sanity, our health, our business — and offered their support in different ways. We had customers who came in and volunteered to work at the market to help us keep up with an influx in online orders and deliveries. We saw neighbors shop for one another, and teens shop for the elderly. We had team members who volunteered to be cross-trained to help their other teammates in other departments."
The Market at Edgewood,
Best Grocery Store, Produce

"It broke my heart to see and hear our employees feeling so lonely, scared and detached. I realized in a new and significant way that we are providing more than just jobs and a paycheck — we are a community."
Ada’s Cafe,
Best Coffeehouse, Meal Under $20

"I have to say, the loyalty of our amazing customers overwhelmed us. At a time when everyone was worried about their own personal survival, they were equally as worried about Cafe Pro Bono’s survival. They gave us so much support and positive energy over the past year, letting us know they weren't going anywhere, placing even more takeout orders than usual and inspiring us to not give up."
Cafe Pro Bono,
Best Italian Restaurant

"Pre-pandemic, we would sell a few gift cards each month. When we first went into lockdown and business plummeted, we noticed something unusual: We suddenly were selling hundreds of dollars worth of gift cards each day: It was simply the local community — our neighbors and well wishers — supporting us."
Zareen’s,
Best Indian Restaurant

"Providing meals through multiple charities at hospitals, police stations and to India through donations has definitely been an uplifting part of this difficult journey."
Rooh Palo Alto,
Best New Restaurant

"My landlord’s support, flexibility and huge sacrifices to keep our restaurant afloat. A big thank you to her."
Thaiphoon,
Best Thai Restaurant

"Definitely online ordering and curbside pickup."
State of Mind Slice House,
Best New Food Establishment

"The pandemic has increased our use of digital consultations and interactions. It makes it much easier for patients to be able to have an initial consultation digitally and minimize their travel while still getting a good sense of the patient’s concerns."
Hessler Plastic Surgery,
Best Plastic Surgeon

"Yes! It gave me time to speak to other social ventures, and we are now happily collaborating to start a wholesale jam and granola business that uses Ada’s know-how and winning recipes while adding opportunities to learn, grow and work with the clients at Ability Path (a nonprofit that provides support services to individuals with special needs and developmental disabilities)."
Ada’s Cafe,
Best coffeehouse, Meal Under $20

"Before the pandemic, we dabbled in takeout, but were apprehensive. It turns out, we have a ton of menu items that are great at home. We’ve also really built our retail seafood counter business, including introducing subscription boxes for pickup or delivery each month."
The Fish Market Restaurant,
Best Seafood Restaurant

"Before the pandemic, less than 5% of our sales were online. During the lockdown, we added products to our website and promoted same-day local deliveries. Even though our store is now fully open, our web sales to local customers have become a larger part of our business."
Cheeky Monkey,
Best Children’s Store

"Even as we return to the theater in the fall, we anticipate streaming and virtual performances to be an important tool in the future — expanding the reach of our work to those unable to attend in person. We will be offering streaming for our first two productions back in the theater, 'Lizard Boy' and 'It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, allowing patrons to watch either from home or in the theater."
TheatreWorks,
Best Virtual Theater Performances

"I think a big thing that we’ll be maintaining is our outdoor fitness center. We learned that people love having the option of indoor and outdoor workouts."
Oshman Family JCC,
Best Gym, Personal Trainers, Pivot to Online Workouts

"The pandemic pushed us to find ways to modernize our ordering process. We started an online ordering and payment system and a new website (ThaiphoonTogo.com)."
Thaiphoon,
Best Thai Restaurant

"We now offer a Private Fitness Suite so travelers can workout in private. We also provide hybrid meeting and virtual event options, more outdoor dining space for guests and the ability for guests to Work-From-Hotel (WFH)."
Four Season Hotel Silicon Valley,
Best Hotel

"So many businesses, unfortunately, were unable to weather the storm of last year. I was one of the lucky ones. I would highly encourage everyone to support small, family-owned businesses because they are the backbone of the economy and shape the communities that we live in."
Richard Sumner Frames & Prints,
Best Frame Shop

"I think we all need to remember that life won’t change overnight. Just be mindful everyone has a different tolerance and concern for the virus and be accepting of that."
Hessler Plastic Surgery,
Best Plastic Surgeon

"It is still incredibly tough for restaurants: Just as we start to recover economically, we have been hit with an extreme labor shortage. We request customers to understand that our staff is shorthanded and so things will be less than perfect."
Zareen's,
Best Indian Restaurant

"It is still a very challenging time, especially considering that we can`t find new staff."
Terun,
Best Pizza

"Try to remember that small businesses support local families, so try not to ask for too much."
Rick’s Rather Rich Ice Cream,
Best Ice Cream/Gelato

"We are all recovering — the impact is still with us. We need to be patient and kind with our fellow community members and the people who are getting back to work."
Ada’s Cafe,
Best Coffeehouse, Meal Under $20

"We are doing our best to maneuver constantly changing guidelines."
Calave,
Best Cocktails To Go

"Wear a mask if you don’t feel comfortable. No one will judge you for being careful."
Rooh,
Best New Restaurant

"Hang in there with us, and help us to recover and build back our businesses. ... It was a rough year and many of us lost everything that we had built up."
Saint Michael’s Alley,
Best California Cuisine

"Remain mindful and aware that COVID-19 brought struggles for everyone. Local businesses had to fight especially hard to get to where they are now."
Palo Alto Dental Group,
Best Dentist

"Everyone has had to accommodate a lot of changes over the last 15 months. We are giving them time and grace to reemerge at their own pace."
Hobee’s,
Best Kids Menu

"Please be patient, tolerant and kind as we all start to rebuild and reestablish ourselves."
La Bodeguita del Medio,
Best Latin American Restaurant, Curbside Service, Takeout for a Romantic Night at Home, Most Creative Outdoor Dining Service

"Only very recently have things started to improve a bit. At this rate, it may take the rest of this year for things to approach normalcy."
Izzy’s Brooklyn Bagels,
Best Bagels

"So far, so good."
Zola,
Best French Restaurant

"It is getting better but still, we feel there is a long way to go."
Rick’s Rather Rich Ice Cream,
Best Ice Cream/Gelato

"The first half of 2021 has been so much better than 2020 as life returns slowly to normal and our community finally returns to our tables . If not a return to full normalcy, there is the return of hope to our stoves and tandoors. For the first time in months, we can exhale our anxious, suspended breaths and get back to hosting our patrons with a grateful smile."
Zareen’s,
Best Indian Restaurant

"It has been much less chaotic and more predictable."
Oshman Family JCC,
Best Gym, Fitness Classes

"The first half of 2021 has been so much better than 2020 as life returns slowly to normal and our community finally returns to our tables. If not a return to full normalcy, there is the return of hope to our stoves and tandoors. For the first time in months, we can exhale our anxious, suspended breaths and get back to hosting our patrons with a grateful smile."
Zareen's,
Best Indian Restaurant

"It has given us the promise of getting back to normal. We still have a ways to go, but we see the light at the end of the tunnel."
Calave,
Best Cocktails To Go

"It’s been a rocky start, but things are getting better!"
Saint Michael’s Alley
Best California Cuisine

"This year has been much better. Both employees and clients are feeling hopeful again, planning fun activities and starting to care about looking their best again."
La Belle Day Spas & Salons
Best Skin Care

"We’re still in recovery mode from 2020 — but with each day that passes, business continues to improve. I’d say the biggest challenge Cafe Pro Bono now faces in 2021 seems to be a universal one for the restaurant community: We need to hire more staff."
Cafe Pro Bono
Best Italian Restaurant

"Many times during the pandemic, we thought about walking away from the 17 long years we’ve put into building our name and clientele. But now we can see brighter lights and better days are near."
Thaiphoon
Best Thai Restaurant

"Best year so far."
Terun
Best Pizza

"It has been much less chaotic and more predictable."
Oshman Family JCC
Best Gym, Personal Trainers, Pivot to Online Workouts

"If we are talking about sales, we took a big hit — no sugar coating that fact. If we are talking spirit, ingenuity, hope, pride, strength, I couldn’t be prouder of our team. They have risen above every challenge."
Hobee’s
Best Kids Menu