Located in the thick of downtown Los Altos, Turn, a new addition to the dining scene, combines American comfort food with a farm-to-table and foodie twist on staples like burgers, pizza and steak. And then there are the cocktails.

Owned by lifelong Los Altos residents Jim and Julie Otis, who previously worked in the restaurant industry and technology marketing, respectively, opening Turn has been a longtime goal for the couple. Their new venture hopes to be a welcoming eatery—and late night destination, by Los Altos’ standards—for locals to enjoy a meal or drink.

We began with drinks at Turn’s impressive bar, which takes up a majority of the central space inside the restaurant. I opted for the Member Berry Mule ($13), a unique take on the popular Moscow version. Made with vodka elderberry, hibiscus, Rooibos tea, fresh lime juice, pink peppercorn and ginger beer, the drink was refreshing without being overly sweet or fruity. In addition to its extensive menu of handcrafted cocktails, Turn rotates craft beers and has nearly 35 different wines by the glass. Happy hour runs 3-5pm every weekday with drafts, select wines and specialty cocktails for only $5. Five huge flat-screen TVs allow patrons to enjoy the game from the bar or even while seated at a table.

For entrees, we opted for the lamb chops ($24), which came with a generous portion of mashed potatoes and green beans, and the eggplant parmesan ($19), a layered tower of eggplant discs breaded in panko crumbs and covered in spinach, basil and marinara sauce. While the lamb chops and green beans were seasoned and cooked expertly, the mashed potatoes underwhelmed. The eggplant parmesan was full of flavor and presented beautifully, but a thick layer of mozzarella cheese on top took away from some of that flavor potential. For good measure, we ordered the mushroom, ricotta and spinach pizza ($15) recommended by our server. The pie was packed with flavor and topped with a generous amount of mushrooms and spinach, all on a well-baked and chewy crust that wasn’t overly doughy.

For those looking to stay on the healthy side, Turn also has a decent salad menu, including a classic Caesar ($11) that comes tossed in house-made dressing, and a spinach and roasted corn salad ($9) that’s decorated with halved cherry tomatoes and slivered almonds, all mixed in a light and tangy vinaigrette. The simpler spinach salad stood out for its fresh and full-flavored toppings, and it balanced out our main dishes nicely.

We left Turn thoroughly impressed with its ambiance and ability to cater to those wanting a casual yet upscale meal.

Turn 
295 Main St, Los Altos.
650.559.8876