What local restaurants do you miss the most?

In downtown MV:

Jacqueline's bistro and wine bar (closed around '93)

Sue's Indian Cuisine (I believe her descendents run Shezan now)

Cafe Yulong (owners retired)

Hunan Chili (forced out last year when rent literally tripled)


Sunnyvale area:

Empress of India (in original format -- no menu or buffets, they just brought you exquisite dishes)

Afghani House (IMO, best of several Afghan restaurants with related owners)

Hardy's Bavaria WHEN the affable Hardy Steiner still ran it

In downtown MV - Cafe Yulong

In north MV - Buda Thai

Nora's Cafe, Cafe Sofia, Mike's Cafe in Menlo Park. What was the diner owned by the Chinese-American man several decades ago, in downtown Palo Alto on Univ Ave? They roasted a turkey every day, and I believe owned another diner down the street. One of them was Jim's Cafe? Ken's in Menlo, Uncle Frank's in EPA, and its predecessor, Betty's Soul Food, The Cookbook at T & C, before that silly rhapsodizing motherhood place took over - and subsequently went under. Stickney's at T & C, too. Pear Williams, Waverley Place, Dal Baffo, Lisa's Tea Treasures (yes, I know it moved, but it was great to meet friends who took the train there). John Bentley's in Woodside and Chantilly when it was in downtown PA, in that lovely old building. Going way back, too, Pearl's Oyster Bar/Place where Nola's is.

Admittedly, not all of the above places were great, but they're tied in to good memories for a lot of locals, many were affordable and family friendly, too.

The Boardwalk in Mountain View is closing.

The Good Earth, downtown PA.

I miss Windy's Chinese restaurant, Miyakes (yes...oddly enough I do) and Elbe (great lunch specials and awesome lunch prices).

I miss Windy's Chinese restaurant, Miyakes (yes...oddly enough I do) and Elbe (great lunch specials and awesome lunch prices).

The Good Earth had an unfortunately huge cockroach problem. Blech.

The original Ming\'s, Dal Baffo, Spago, the Heidelberg, Trader Vic\'s, Mac\'s Tea Room (Los Altos), Stickney\'s, 42nd Street, Higashi West, Waverly Place, Liaison, and Jan\'s Valley Inn (Portola Valley).

This takes some real thought ... I have to go back along with some to list the places I miss the most.

The Good Earth was one of them. Before the Good Earth it was House of Pies.

I used to really like Macheesmo Mouse, now I am not even sure where it used to be.

Pizza A-Go-Go was also a favorite, I have still not found pizza that was as good as their pepperoni, veggie and super-veggie.

The Village Cheese House is still there physically, but it has changes so much and the sandwiches are just not the same.

Bistro Elan was my all-time favorite, at their old location with the patio in the back ... it was one of the best place to eat on the planet in my opinion as good as any gourmet food I've had in France.

I miss the Togo's of yesteryear, the one at Meadow & El Camino ... their stuff today is nothing like it used to be.

Another good one was the Red Pepper Mexican restaurant near the same location.

Hobee's in Town & Country.

Up until the 80's I think there was the Amber Lantern that had the best hamburgers ever, which was sold and re-opened as Mountain Mikes, and then change to the Starbucks on El Camino near California. Today no one really even knows what a decent hamburger tastes like ... they would faint dead way if they ever ate one or those Amber Lantern burgers. Until recently Clarke's in Mountain View used to do a decent imitation, but they have changed too.

I also miss ... I can hardly remember what it was called ... I think World Wraps, where the sushi/sashime place is now over by the Aquarius theater.

Also, not for the great food, but for staying open 24 hours - the University Creamery.

There was also a good barbecue place in the old Whiskey Gulch area of Palo Alto or East Palo Alto.

That's all that is coming to mind now, but I'm sure there's more, does anyone else remember these places?

So many things I love are disappearing. Most of all I miss Maddalena's on Emerson Street, and the next door Cafe Fino, owned by the wonderful Freddy Maddalena who danced while preparing Bananas Foster and sometimes sang with the little combo in the bar area. It was elegant and fun, the perfect spot for special occasions. The tuxedo-clad bartender, Maurice, was in the French Resistance.

I also miss Babbo's and Bravo Fono in the Stanford Shopping Center with their great atmosphere and kind servers.

Trader Vics, Marie Callendar's when it just served simple family meals and pies, and going to miss Mings when it closes

Shocked I don't see Compadre\'s on this list!

I miss the Menu Tree, it used to be a wonderful place when I was a child. If it was really hot out and my Mother did not want to cook, my Father would say let?s do Menu Tree. I miss the birds and the funny clock and the variety of places to eat there. I also miss Red Pepper, Compadres, the Good Earth, Café Sofia and so many other restaurants that no longer are in the area.

Pudley's on University. You could get a good burger and a beer, sit at the long table that was just above the sidewalk and open. Best people watching in the 80's.

I miss old Stickney's.......the fresh pastries to buy, the menu especially the Chicken Pot Pie!!!, the child-friendly menu, the super friendly wait staff. It was good old American-style cooking and heavily patronized. Then it became Scott's Seafood. Scott's has 'shot itself in the foot'. Had to close down the breakfast portion. Visitors think it is a seafood restaurant from the sign outside, and Scott's should change its name!!- which is why visitors didn't bother to even come in for breakfast. Lunch isn't that full either, visitors think it's seafood, and rumor has it that it's in trouble. You'd think that with Hobee's kicked out, a moderate priced place for breakfast would be a winner.
Scott's has really shot itself in the foot with its marketing - some questionable service - and constant rising of prices.
It was popular and crowded with seniors using its coupon on weekends, but that too has been cut out. and greatly diminished. M-F. Customer traffic seems to be down on weekends. Not that many mid-week either.

Rinconada Pool snackbar- cheeseburgers...slushes...

I miss
Sophia's on Middlefield in Midtown the most!!!!!

@ Ingrid Mallory

I remember the old Menu Tree as a kid and the whole open air mall of San Antonio Shopping Center. The Sears with their red dyed pistachios and the hobby shop. Bullocks was the other anchor store. Good times

Restaurants have a life of their own and many when they go its past time IMHO. I miss Adam the old owner of the Schezuan Cafe on California avenue (he alone was reason to go there) and of course The Velvet Turtle

I just thought of another one ... but I cannot remember it's name even.

There was like a big old white house on El Camino between University and Town & Country that housed a Mexican restaurant that was pretty good ... but I can't remember the name of it now. Anyone?

Oh, and I hate to say it, but I miss the old Denny's and Lyon's in Palo Alto on El Camino. Great places to eat very late at night, even though the food was not that great. Things have changed so much I am not even sure where the Lyon's was now.

There was the Samurai Japanese place also on El Camino.

Rudolfo's and Joe's Palo Alto.

you used to say ''you long for the cafe yu long!'' ,well now you really do. the fate was in it's name.

Anyone remember Uncle Otto's in downtown Palo Alto on Bryant, maybe, or Emerson? Best milkshakes ever.

I also miss Des Alpes on California Avenue at Park. And Blum's at Stanford for their coffeecake.

I miss a restaurant with a kids' menu. I miss a restaurant with a salad bar.
I miss a restaurant where kids can choose something they recognize as designed for them but is still real food.

It is becoming almost impossible to find something that isn't pizza or fast food for kids. Where's the salad bar, the non garlic fries, the non garlic anything? Where can we go for a simple soup and salad, a grilled cheese or simple piece of fish and baked potato.

Where are the affordable family places?

I miss Pasta Q, formerly on University Ave in Palo Alto, and Castro St in Mountain View. They have been replaced with great restaurants, but I sure long for their Arrabbiata

Gayle, Pasta Q place was good ... they still have their restaurant in Mountain View though ... not too far away.

I miss Higashi West (University), Coppola's (University), Sue's Kitchen (Castro St), and Florentine's (Castro St).

The restaurant I miss the most is PEARL'S OYSTER BAR. That place was the perfect combination of great food, a wonderful outdoor/courtyard location, and most importantly, a staff who loved what they did and made you, the customer feel like part of the magic. We ate there at least 2-3 times a month in the early 90's when it was in it's hey day and never walked out of there without smiles on our faces. I bumped into the blonde 'kid' (now grown man) who managed Pearl's at Robert's Market in Woodside a couple of years ago and instantly recognized him. We had a nice chat about the Pearl's and I chided him for not keeping Pearl's going longer. I've tried NOLA (which replaced PEARL'S after the original team sold it) and have always felt sad that what was once such a special place to us is now so raucous and uninviting. Ahh....Pearl's....

Jocco's in downtown Los Altos. Someone in the local paper called in "the best thing to happen to Los Altos since they paved the streets." It was where Sumika is now. Sumika's really good and I like it, but I loved Jocco's.

I agree about Maddalena's, of course, where I had my wedding reception, and Yulong (the only restaurant named after a C data type), Elbe before its decline, and Spago. I?ll add Mackie?s Steakhouse, Caffe Verona, Andalé (which survives at the airport and in Los Gatos, and O'Connell's Irish Pub.

I miss several old places including: Stickney's Town & Country; Foster's Freeze; Dinah's Shack; L'Ommelet; Kirk's; Ramona's; Maddelena's = Palo Alto. In Menlo I miss Edy's Ice Cream; and a place I can't name, along El Camino near the Atherton border - where you could get great salads and dinners. In Burlingame I miss Kee Joon's (atop a tall building out on the water).

Chiyetos in San Carlos in the 80s n early 90\\\\\\\'s. Most unique and tasty burritos ever. The "Howard Special" and "Double Beefer with Cheese" were the bomb!!

I miss ALL of Palo Alto from when it was once affordable! Sundance Mining Company, Maddalena's as some others have mentioned, yes I remember Fred, he was so sweet and into his business. Dinah's Shack had the most incredibly stupefying fried chicken plate, yum ... The Fish Market when it was still new.

Another poster asked about the Chinese place on University Avenue that roasted a fresh turkey daily - I remember that place, used to love walking in for a turkey sandwich from my little job on Hamilton, I was so young. I think it WAS Jim's.

Fun to remember, what little I can remember. It has been a great food town for decades. I live in Maine now and Portland has its fair share of up and coming chefs, but I will always remember the Good Earth, a long-time favorite, that closed the exact day I arrived in town for a rare visit just after 9-11 - went there all full of anticipation and saw the goodbye note on their front door. Sigh.

(I left in '85; these are long gone:)
Late for the Train, Menlo Park - 50s decor, all real tableware and nothing matched; great breakfast & lunch.
Blue Sky Cafe, Mt. View 2 blks west of Castro St - vegetarian food in wooden cottage w/patio.
Dinah's Shack, Los Altos - poolside patio.
Good Earth, PA on University & High - spinach Alfredo w/walnuts
Hobee's - the original, Mt. View on Alma - hamburgers and owner/staff.
Ken's House of Pancakes, MV - German Babies and open late. The grim reapers from "Dead Like Me" would have fit in.
Le Meursault - PA on Emerson - not for the service but for the "eggs en cocotte" (and the sponge painted orange walls Alex Tseng painted when he turned this Chinese laundry into restaurant space).
name?? - Redwood City off Seaport Blvd (?) Wooden, on stilts, overlooking salt flats and boat yard.
London Tea Room - PA on Bryant - incl. pub w/fireplace and Punch magazines; so quiet at night; Dubonnet w/lemon twist.
name? , PA 379 Lytton, 1909 Birge M Clark bldg w/patio, demolished 1985. Quintessential charming patio restaurant.

Irma-
Charlie Brown's was at the end of Seaport Blvd. just past Peninsula Building Materials yard and on the left...of course!
Great memories...ALL! I could get 'stuck' here for days. ThankswRn

As a kid my parents would take my sister and I to Pioneer Chicken. They had 2 locations as far as I can remember. We often frequented the Sunnyvale location, but we also went to their Mountain View restaurant as well. If anyone out there remembers the Sunnyvale location was located next to Longs Drug store, (CD) Consumer Distributors and across on the other side of El Camino was Record Factory. Being a young kid at the time was fun because Pioneer would always give you toys on your birthday. I'm 43 years today, looking back on those times still puts a smile on my face.

Ha ... I've got one that probably no one will remember.

My grandmother used to walk downtown to eat at a place called
Wenzit Burger ... does anyone recall that. I think the color scheme
was orange and it was somewhere around what used to be the
old Woolworth building. It might have been in what was Jim's as
that is where she switched to go as her regular place.

Captain Cosmos