Los Gatos Restaurants

Californian. The award-winning Duck Club Restaurant in the Stanford Park Hotel in Palo Alto is a favorite among hotel guests, local business types and shoppers who seek cocktails and fine dining after a day of shopping at the Stanford Shopping Center across the way. On the menu, imaginative preparations of Californian cuisine feature the region’s fresh produce and seasonal ingredients.

Californian. The Flea Street Café in Menlo Park is most notable for carefully crafted, impeccably chosen food featuring seasonal local produce and Niman Ranch meats. The entrees are spectacular, generous and pricey, while the atmosphere is casual and eclectic.

Kaiseki-style Japanese. There are few kaiseki restaurants in the Bay Area, but Kaygetsu restaurant in Menlo Park is one of the best. Kaygetsu’s artfully presented food celebrates the seasons, in both the choice of ingredients and presentation. Even the plates and glassware play on seasonality. The food at Kaygetsu restaurant is extraordinary, and unless you've dined around Kyoto it's probably unlike anything you've ever had.

French. Wise country fare combined with metropolitan savoir-faire and a dash of Gallic attitude make the Left Bank a hit. This Menlo Park dining spot features the breezy, engagingly decorated appeal of a French brasserie, the menu wins with creative French fare and the sizeable selection of wines affords plenty of pairing opportunities.

Contemporary American. An elegant Menlo Park dining choice, Madera impresses with both style and cuisine. The fare reflects the naturally occurring flora and fauna of Northern California, favoring bold flavors and sustainably harvested and produced seafood and meats coupled with locally sourced produce. The internal focal point of this rustically stylish restaurant is the open, artisan wood-burning kitchen.

French. Blending European glamour with fresh California ingredients, this glitzy new Santa Cruz Avenue star offers up sophisticated New American food with a French accent. Marché’s menu changes daily, drawing on the local bounty for preparations of contemporary and classic French cuisine. This Menlo Park fine dining favorite also features an excellent wine list.

American. A casual attitude combines with a lofty, rustically grand setting to give the Oak City Bar and Grill in Menlo Park the feel of a neighborhood grill that’s all grown up. The chefs produce flavorful renditions of contemporary American cuisine and favor artistic presentations.

Italian. A small space with a large menu, sporting the traditionals that have been mainstays at local eateries. Appetizers and salads are the best bets.

French Bistro. Vida Bistro exudes atmosphere, from its smart bar and procession of enormous cylindrical chandeliers--very Brasilia 1965--to its blackboard menu of wines and specials. Impeccably authentic bistro dishes and welcoming prices are spun through Bay Area culinary consciousness to create regional homey French cuisine.