Downtown Palo Alto loses a longtime restaurant and gains a new all-you-can eat concept
When I was in elementary school, my favorite place to eat was Fresh Choice in Mountain View. It was a very mediocre buffet, but for a young child, the concept of being able to load my plate with food, eat it and repeat this process endlessly was one of ultimate wonderment (I still dream about that tapioca pudding.)
While Fresh Choice’s demise was long before the pandemic, 2020 became the year that many all-you-can-eat style restaurants closed. Now, they’re making a comeback. According to Yelp’s 2026 Trend Forecast, Yelp searches for “all you can eat buffet near me” jumped 252% from September 2024 though August 2025 compared to the 12 months prior.
Last week, a new all-you-can-eat concept made its debut in Palo Alto: Meze Kebab, from the team behind upscale Turkish restaurant Meyhouse. More on this in What I’m Eating.
In other Palo Alto food news, Sunday marks the final night of service at Il Fornaio. The Italian restaurant has been situated in the downtown area since 1989, attracting celebrities, politicians, tech CEOs and other notable figures over the years. I talked with longtime regulars and staff to reflect on its 36 years in business.
Stay tasty,
Adrienne
‘The end of an era’: After 36 years in Palo Alto, Il Fornaio prepares to close
For 36 years, Il Fornaio has served Italian classics in downtown Palo Alto, garnering longtime employees and regulars. Servers say it’s where Steve Jobs chatted with Tim Cook and where Hall of Famers, tech executives and government leaders would go to dine.
A famous LA chain is opening its first Bay Area outpost, mushroom foraging tips and a unique new burger spot
- Iconic Los Angeles doughnut shop Randy’s Donuts is soon opening its first Bay Area outpost in Santa Clara.
- Mushrooms are flourishing along the Peninsula after heavy rain. A foraging expert offers tips on how to forage fungi safely.
- Speaking of fungi, Hidden Villa is hosting introductory foraging workshops Saturday and Feb. 7 from 10 a.m. to noon.
- Katsu Burger, a Seattle-founded chain operating since 2011, has expanded to the Bay Area with the grand opening of its Santa Clara location on Monday.
- Sunnyvale’s Off The Rails Brewing Co. closed “indefinitely” on Saturday. A statement posted to its Instagram said, “While Off the Rails is closing for now, we hope the space continues on in a new chapter ahead.”
- Two new upscale Indian restaurants recently opened in Silicon Valley: Jashn debuted in Santa Clara, and Safar by Karimi opened in Cupertino.
- Sunnyvale has two new tea shops: Taning, a Chinese tea and smoothie shop, recently opened its first California location, and Thai tea-focused cafe Cha-La-One opened in Sunny’s Food Hub.
- La Honda Winery in Redwood City is hosting wine and Large Marge cheese tasting Saturday from noon to 4 p.m.
- Chill Spot Rendezvous is soft reopening after a vehicle drove into its storefront in San Mateo.
- Rathore’s Kitchen, a family-owned Indian Punjabi restaurant, has opened in the former Local Kitchens space in Mountain View.
All-you-can-eat dinner at Meze Kebab
The owners of Meyhouse have taken over the space next door to their Palo Alto location and are serving flavorful, high quality Turkish dips and meats in unlimited portions.
Order with a QR code and choose between three sets: Nonvegetarian, listed as “Elite” ($60); vegetarian ($45); and one for kids under 12 ($25). Then the 90-minute time limit begins.
The table quickly becomes cramped with various dishes, including freshly baked garlic bread and lavash bread, green salad, French fries, bulgur pilaf, basmati rice and dal makhani as well as a golden sampler tray of seven dips. Throughout dinner, a server pushing a cart of dips makes the rounds asking if you’d like more, and other servers come around with a variety of meat options.
My favorite bite of the night was the döner kebab. It was seasoned perfectly and incredibly juicy and tender with crispy, meaty edges. Other standout protein options include the masala rack of lamb and the herb garlic shrimp. In terms of the dips, the hot pepper dip and babaganoush paired with the baked garlic bread were simply spectacular. And don’t skip dessert: The burnt Basque cheesecake was heavenly.
To read my full review, click here. To watch my review, follow @peninsulafoodist on Instagram.
Meze Kebab, 632 Emerson St., Palo Alto; 650-521-0935, Instagram: @mezekebab. Open Monday to Thursday and Sunday from 5-9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 5-10:30 p.m.
Meet The Baker Next Door: Neighbors bring handmade bread and pastries to downtown Redwood City
Currently a weekly pop-up, plans for a permanent bakery and cafe on Main Street are well underway
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Protesters show up for back-to-back anti-ICE protests in Mountain View, Palo AltoJanuary 24, 2026 3:50 pm