Vino Locale — Restaurant in Palo Alto

Instant Love in a Hidden Gem:

Vino Locale is likely one of Palo Alto’s most charming and underrated gems. Nestled in what looks like an early 1900s Queen Anne-style Victorian home, it offers a warm, relaxed setting that feels worlds away from the hustle of Silicon Valley. It’s located just off University Avenue and a short drive from Stanford University and the Stanford Shopping Center, making it a perfect end-of-the-day relaxing experience.

I was invited by a girlfriend who’s a regular, and we stopped by during happy hour (3:00–5:30 PM)—and what a delightful experience it was. I’m not usually a happy hour-focused patron, since I tend to order whatever piques my interest—but the savings were a nice bonus. My friend recommended the Sweet Grilled Cheese (a baguette with brie and pear—absolutely divine), which is only available on the happy hour menu, so I was glad to have caught it.

The indoor bar area is small, quaint, and inviting, with seating for about six at the bar and two cozy tables nearby. I was instantly greeted and served by Nima, the managing director/owner, who was gracious, charming, and incredibly hospitable. You can feel that the staff and management treat each other—and their guests—like family.

I had a delicious Brut Rosé and sampled a crisp white Bordeaux, and I can’t wait to come back to try their wine flights, stay for dinner, and enjoy the free live music in the garden. The back patio is a real highlight—spacious, calm, and outfitted with greenery, fire pits, and heaters for year-round comfort. The space is unassuming from the front, but the back patio can host private events for up to 100 guests. All the details seem to be clearly outlined on their website, which I really appreciate—no surprises or confusion, just thoughtful planning.

Vino Locale is closed on Sundays and Mondays, so plan ahead. If you look through my other reviews, you’ll see I’ve been fortunate to experience many high-quality restaurants—and I can honestly say Vino Locale was an instant love the moment I stepped into its time-capsule space.

I must admit I was shocked that no one had ever mentioned Vino Locale to me—especially as a Bay Area foodie local. All the other wonderful reviewers are absolutely on point. I wish I lived closer—but it’s absolutely worth the drive. I can’t wait to return and post an updated review after my next visit. This is the kind of place you treasure—and keep...

Awesome wine bar - perfect for an evening of drinks and fun. We were a party of 5, had reservations. The place isn't very large, so would recommend reservations. As the name suggests, most of the wines are from NorCal... (there may be some from other regions, didn't read every word of the menu :) ) The service was excellent.

The wine pours are very generous - they have 6, 9 oz options - my advice: if you plan to try a bunch of them, go with 6oz. Tried a cab sav and a cab franc. A couple of fellow diners had a rose bubbly - all of us really like all the drinks. They also have cocktails - one of us had a soju based drink - she thought it was unique and excellent.

The food: several cheese platters and appetizers on the menu.The dinner options are not very deep but you typically wouldn't go there just for dinner. We got the spanakopita, samosas, vegan meatballs, cheese platter - all very good except maybe that I didn't care for the Gouda cheese (maybe aged 6 mos, I prefer the 18). The service was excellent - I was the lone non-veg eater at the table, they were very accommodative by adding some salami to our cheese platter just for me!

The place is a converted house, the seating is in the front yard and a tasteful verdant backyard. There's even a "threshold" arch so if you want some fun pictures after a few drinks. There was also live music - the guy was mostly into the classic rock and 80s stuff (our style!!); it was one of our birthdays so he even sang the birthday song and got everyone at the restaurant to do the chorus - fun stuff!

Perfect night out,...

Beware the fees. And overcharging.

A table of three couples is considered a large group at Vino Local. This, in their opinion, warrants a mandatory gratuity.

And they didn't give themselves a mere 15% or 18% tip. 20%? Keep going. They took 22%. Their service must have been spectacular!

Since Vino Locale was in charge of the gratuity, and it was not voluntarily given by the customer, you will be taxed on top of it. Add another ~9%.

You should also be aware that if you add the $14 skewers add-on to your pasta order, you might be charged for the standalone skewer dish price of $29 instead. They did for us. That's an extra $15 for them (plus 22%). That's one way to to support a local business I guess.

Surely, this was an oversight, easily fixed with an email or phone call. Surely at other restaurants. But Vino Locale has no email or text number, and calling just drops into voicemail. We left a message and haven't heard back.

Bottom line: Caveat emptor. Check your bill carefully.

And maybe just avoid restaurants that tack on an automatic 22%.

[3/20/2024 Update: The owner said they'd refund the incorrectly charged item. I'll update the review once I see the refund on my credit card statement. Or, they can provide an email address and we can communicate...