Los Altos is found in the San Francisco Bay Area right in Santa Clara County and is very well known to be a very established and beautiful neighborhood in the northern part of Silicon Valley. In Spanish, the name Los Altos directly translates to "the heights" and is very aptly named. While in the past, Los Altos was a very agricultural town full of apricot orchards, the city has since been developed into a residential area for many families that commute to other areas within Silicon Valley.
There is also a well designed downtown area of Los Altos which is where the majority of their shopping and restaurants are located. The downtown area is full of a plethora of hidden gems and is the only area within Los Altos in which commercial zones are allowed. Throughout the downtown area there are many great foods to try out and here is a list of a few of them.
1. Sumika
Sumika is a very authentic and traditional Japanese restaurant that brings Japanese cuisine to Los Altos locals in an upscale manner. The menu is full of great options like bento boxes or yakitori (charcoal grilled skewers). Make sure to check the hours at Sumika as lunch is only served from 11:30 to 2:00 and the kitchen closes around 1:15 so their last seating times are around 1:00. The dinner hours vary based off the day of the week so make sure to confirm the hours in advance. As Sumika is very popular amongst the local community, it is highly recommended to reserve a table over the phone or on their website to skip the long wait times. In the past year, Sumika has adapted to the pandemic situation by altering parts of their menu as well as now expanding to offer a beautiful and spacious outdoor seating area.
Sumika can be found located at 236 Plaza Central.
2. Chef Chu's
Chef Chu's is a legendary establishment in the Los Altos area and is a great place to visit for some delicious and contemporary Chinese cuisine. The head chef Lawrence Chu is always experimenting with various culinary innovations and tends to draw in many crowds of the locals. An additional fun fact about Chef Chu's is that chef Chu's son, Jonathan Chu is actually the director of many famous films such as Crazy Rich Asians, Now You See Me 2, and In the Heights just to name a few. Due to this connection, many of the elites from the local scene can be commonly spotted at Chef Chu's restaurant.
Chef Chu's can be found located at 1067 N San Antonio Rd #1300.
3. Urfa Bistro
Urfa Bistro is a Turkish restaurant that focuses on being true to Turkish cuisine and providing the highest quality dishes. The establishment itself is very cozy and establishes a very comfortable dining experience for those looking to experience Mediterranean cuisine. Some of the most popular dishes served at Urfa include the grilled octopus and the Kizartma (sauteed vegetables marinated in a tomato puree). For those that love feta cheese, the sigara böregi is a wonderful option as well. The dessert menu is also highly recommended and a visit to Urfa Bistro is not complete without at least tasting the künefe, a traditional Turkish dessert with a shredded pastry dough and covered in syrup and combined with layers of cheese throughout. Urfa Bistro has also expanded to included an open patio with outdoor seating which allows for ample space for dogs or other pets.
Urfa Bistro can be found located at 233 State St.