It was a divine time at Devine!…read more The wine selection is full of amazing choices! The inside is super cute! Very cozy as well. The staff were super attentive to us having a great experience. Always checked in every so often! Got to try their cheese mongers dish and all the cheeses were paired nicely with a snack that compliments the cheese! Super tasty. Our waitress was amazing and recommended some great options for wine :) Definitely will be back!

Went on a Wednesday evening and had the place to ourselves! Service was amazing and so friendly…read more The food and ambiance were also perfect. Can't wait to go back and try more cheeses!

Cute little shop I found after dinner in the area. There were a lot of cute kitchen knick knacks. I…read morepersonally came for chocolate though. I tried the cherry cordial. I never had a dark chocolate one and I may not go back to traditional milk chocolate. If Im ever in the area in again, I try some of their other seasonal chocolates.

For a guy that takes an inordinate amount of photos, I am surprisingly unobservant. This place is…read morejust three doors down from the Posh Bagel on Main St. How is it I just noticed this fantastic store? I mean, stores that sell candy and chocolate are my jam. But it was invisible to me. Until today, anyway. I am so happy I finally found it. Because Gourmet Works is much more than a store that sells candy and chocolate. In fact, as the name would suggest, it's more of a Gourmet food store and Gift Shop than a Chocolate Shop. But it's also a hella cool chocolate shop and that's the main reason I will be sure to return. Right when you walk in the door you are surrounded by an astonishingly large variety of items that would make the perfect gift for a loved one, or for yourself. Because, I ain't gonna lie, there were at least a dozen items that I considered buying for myself. I thought to myself, you know, I do so much for me, and it seems I rarely properly thank myself for my devoted patronage and self care. If you are interested in high quality gourmet gifts, Gourmet Works is definitely the place to go! They carry so many products you would be hard pressed to find elsewhere. Gourmet Salts, Dried Herbs, Pasta Sauces, Dried Pasta, Curry Sauces, Masala Simmer Sauce, Special Preserves and Jams. An impressive, well-curated selection. Then, at the back of the store you find the kind of Chocolate display case that dreams are made of. Oh my Lord! Just the Truffle side alone would be enough to melt anyone's heart. But the other side, with the astonishing variety of hand dipped chocolates is where I lost it. I saw the Almond Bark and stopped dead in my tracks. I stared at that Almond Bark. The Almond Bark stared back at me. We were locked into that stare down for what seemed like an eternity. I was sure neither of us would ever give in. But then I blinked. Somehow I became aware that the wonderful woman behind the counter was asking me if she could help me. As I regained my senses, suddenly I felt so embarrassed. How long had I been staring at that Almond Bark? How many times had she tried to get my attention? I had no idea. I tried to play it off like there was nothing going on between me and that Almond Bark. I casually inquired about some Chocolate Covered Caramels with Sea Salt on a totally different shelf in the display case. Then, of course, I had to buy a couple of those Chocolate Covered Carmels with Sea Salt, to cover up the whole situation with me and the Almond Bark. I purchased a couple ordinary, un-chocolate covered Caramels with Sea Salt too. The woman behind the counter couldn't have been more gracious. She didn't let on that she knew exactly what was happening and I wasn't fooling anyone with the whole Chocolate Covered Caramels with Sea Salt charade. So, my thanks to Gourmet Works, and the gracious woman behind the counter, Padmaja (her family owns Gourmet Works). It was such a pleasure to shop at your wonderful store! Mikey C says: I'm coming back for you, Almond Bark!

Really nice market. The produce is absolutely top notch and priced the same as the competitors…read more The meat is a little pricey but all high quality. The staff cannot be beat. Always a hello and a warm smile. The layout is straightforward and everything is easy to find. They lean towards some of the more premium versions of a lot of their inventory. Very expensive place to buy ALL of your groceries, but you will never run across a quality issue.

I showed up 20 minutes before closing at The Market at Edgewood, but the place already had that…read more"please just leave" energy. Staff clearly wished the doors were locked. While innocently browsing the yogurt section, an Indian employee started aggressively turning off display lights around me like he was closing a strip mall in a hurry. Then, still 17-18 minutes before actual closing, he walked over and killed the lights on the exact yogurt case I was staring into. Meanwhile, I was playing real-life Frogger dodging a Mexican fellow manning the floor cleaner. Overpriced Palo Alto market, but the hospitality felt like rush hour in Mumbai. If you enjoy third-world country living, you might like it, but not for me.

Zanotto closed near my house that use to be off of Southwest. I always loved their sandwiches there…read morethat you can custom to your like. We stopped by here to get sandwiches and enjoyed them outside the market. Sandwiches are still so delicious- customer service is great. When we went it was a bit quiet and slowly picked up during lunch. I miss the premade sandwiches there too!!!

Everyone says that Zanotto's has the best sandwich in the area. We had to give it a try! They have…read morea large parking lot, no issues. The market is nice with a variety of Italian foods and fresh meat and produce. I liked the offerings in the bakery and deli. I grabbed a tiramisu. We ordered our sandwich first, filling out the slip and placing it in the basket at the counter before doing our shopping. The sandwich was made pretty quickly, all ready to pick up once the rest of our shopping was done. Sandwich was super good, amazed by the quality of the meat. We will definitely be back!

Adorable wine bar with fabulous service! So clean and airy with shopping! I'll be back for sure!read more

What a cute spot! I finally came here for a birthday celebration after missing opportunities with…read moredifferent mom groups. It was super cute - we were seated at a bar top with charcuterie boards, and the server was nice enough to let me try a wine before I chose to order it. Service was super friendly, ambiance was relaxed but a nice vibe, and drinks / food were good. I would definitely recommend this venue for a mom's night out! Side note: I thought their bathroom decor was beautiful and I really liked their Andes mints. Support small business!!

Piazza's is the best grocery store! Their produce is fresh and very high quality. They have a…read morewell-stocked deli and a sushi bar as well as a range of soups and a burrito bar. Also lots of snacks, cakes, buns, artisan breads and yummy stuff to eat. The fresh orange juice is delicious! BUT, the best part is the wonderful staff, especially Gloria. They are all great honestly but Gloria is an angel. Check it out -- shopping there is a pleasure.

Very nice grocery store here in Palo Alto. Great selection for ice cream and cheeses! I would come…read moreback to check out the ice cream cakes and maybe get cheeses for a small charcuterie board.

We came here to get a corned beef for St. Patrick's Day. We called ahead a couple days before to…read moremake sure they still had some, and then visited the day before the holiday and they still had a pretty decent selection. This was definitely huge sticker shock for me because I'm usd to getting mine from Safeway or Costco where they are less than half the price, but at least we were supporting a local business. They had a good selection of other meats including different seasoned bacons, marinated chickens, sausage, among other stuff. Again, pretty pricey, but it's an old school deli in Los Altos, so not too surprised by most of the pricing. Enjoyed the corned beef and bacon we got!

The sandwich bar is back! Covid must be over…read more I went in for my usual pilgrimage to Dittmer's. It usually takes me two and a half hours but hey I get to see my friends and drop in on Dittmer's. I usually buy the smoked ham hocks because I am addicted to a Cuban black bean soup. I have tried smoked ham hocks from other sources, but the results were so bad that I threw out the soup. The only place I have found that has true smoked ham hocks is Dittmer's. I noticed the price of ham hocks has gone up. But many of the other prices have held steady. The store remains neatly organized and is spic and span. It's kind of what you would expect from a German shop. Carlo's black bean soup from All around the world cookbook by Sheila Lukins. Totally worth a 2.5 hour drive. 2 pounds of black beans Quarter cup olive oil 3 cups, diced onions Eight cloves of garlic, bruised and peeled. One smoked ham hock 6 quarts water 2 tablespoons +1 teaspoons ground cumin 1 tablespoon dried oregano Three bay leaves. 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper Pinch of cayenne 6 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley 6 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves. 1 teaspoon salt Two medium red bell peppers, diced reserve a quarter of a cup for the garnish Quarter cup dry sherry 1 tablespoon pack of brown sugar 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice. One cup of crème fraîche or sour cream. Soak the beans overnight, drain and rinse. Heat the oil over low heat and sweat the onions and garlic, about 10 minutes. Add the beans with the ham and the water to a large pot. Stir in the 2 tablespoons cumin, the oregano, bay leaves, black pepper, cayenne, and 2 tablespoons each of the parsley in cilantro. Bring to a boil, then simmer, uncovered until the beans are very tender and the liquid is reduced by about 3/4. This will take about one and a half to two hours. Transfer the bone to a plate and let it cool slightly. shred the meat and return it to the pot. Stir in the remaining 4 tablespoons parsley, 2 tablespoons cilantro, salt, and all except 1/4 of a cup of the bell peppers, the remaining 1 tablespoon cumin, the sherry, brown sugar and, lime juice. Simmer another 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Adjust the seasoning and serve hot. Garnish with a dollop of crème fraîche and a sprinkling of the diced peppers and chopped cilantro. Eight large servings or 12 small portions.

Cute, tiny specialty store on the perimeter of this new Menlo Park foodie complex. Fun to browse…read morethe cheese and snacks, and good looking options for fresh pasta, foccacia sandwiches, and antipasto for a quick dinner. Generally expensive, as expected for a specialty import store in this area. However, the gelato and foccacia are both exceptionally good and priced on par with what you'd pay for less delicious versions elsewhere. Foccacia is among the best I've had - pillow light, springy, and well developed flavor. Gelato had a perfect texture - smooth, dense, and creamy - more flavorful than standard ice cream (just as good gelato should be). I got a single cup of half pistachio and half cookies & cream - both flavors were on point. Portion felt generous for $5.99 (compared to other gelatos in the area) and as with the foccacia, the quality here stood out. Given how flavorful gelato is, I found a single to be perfectly satisfying. Foccacia sandwiches looked divine - earmarking to come back and try those when I'm not avoiding deli meat (due to pregnancy). I think there are less expensive places to buy imported cheese, although I did grab a round of tartufo from the cheese case because it was calling to me. The folks working here are helpful and friendly. In short, a tasty place to grab a chic snack or low lift dinner.

The market is closed, but the gelato window is open Fri-Sun noon-6…read more - 4.5: Gianduja gelato: It's too sweet and salty, but great flavor. It's milk chocolate and hazelnut. - 4.3: Pistashio gelato: It's too sweet, and the salt level is very high. But great flavor. They do not skimp on the pistachio. - 4.2: Mint chocolate chip. They use a mint extract, not real mint. But it's good. The chocolate chips are thin shards that melt quickly. - 3.0: Strawberry milk-based gelato: The flavor is weak and somewhat artificial, and the gelato is too sweet. Great smooth texture. It has some tang to it, from either lemon juice or a cultured dairy product. - 3.0: Chocolate gelato: It has a stale, burned, artificial flavor.

Even though we frequent this business, I usually forget to check-in and then write a review…read more Fruit and Veg, locally grown as well as far flung places. Organic and non-organic. Read the signage, learn to appreciate the efforts of the farmers and then enjoy the flavors. The prices may appear to be higher than what you might find at your local supermarket, but you get what you pay for. The quality is usually far superior. They also have an extensive selection of cheese, balsamic vinegars, olive oils, dried fruits and nuts. Join their email club and receive a free gift every time you spend more than $30. Don't be shy if you need help or have questions either. If the first person you ask doesn't know the answer, they will find out for you.

Do no Farm…read more Locally-run farm stand who saw it's beginnings originate in a roadside stand in Morgan Hill back in 1975 into this brick-and-mortar location and another at Stanford Shopping Center. The Good: *They partner up with lots of local farms, bakeries, and even Burlingame's 157-year-old chocolatier, Guittard. *Transparent labeling about where the products come from. Most stores try and hide it, but Sigona's stands behind it whether it's local or from a different country (e.g., Mexico). *Great selection of fruits and veggies *Also sell meats and locally produced baked goods, like pies and bread. *Friendly service The Meh: *Smallish private parking lot that could fill up during busier times. *Prices aren't cheap but in-line with the typical local farmers market. The Ugly: *Located across the street from the Costco, so it can be a nightmare getting in and getting out of here. Conclusion: Great place for locally produced foods. I wish it was closer to us. =/

We had an amazing time! Food is incredible! Many different choices and meats from all over the…read morecountry. All fresh and tasty! Juan made our experience even more memorable with his attentiveness and knowledge of the menu. Thank you Juan for making this birthday dinner that much more special!

My friends and I went to La Fondue earlier this month as a birthday dinner. The restaurant has a…read morevery eclectic interior design style, with bold wallpaper in the check in area, and large statues throughout the dining area. We booked a reservation and arrived about 5 minutes before our reservation time, however we were not seated until almost 20 minutes after our reservation had started. If you go to La Fondue, I would plan for about 2 hours for your meal if you choose one of the coursed meals. While the restaurant was slow to seat us, the team was attentive once we were seated. Most of us ordered the fondue feast, and since we were a party of 8 we got the choice of 2 types of cheeses. We chose the stinking rose and four cheese, both of which were delicious. A selection of bread, potatoes, pickles, and fruits are brought out to dip in the cheese, and the staff will bring out more on request. Most of our party got the fondue feast, so there was lots of variety in the types of meats we were served. Some of the standouts were the duck and the boar. The spatulas given were a little difficult to use when flipping the meats, but other than that our grilling experience went smoothly. Our meal ended with chocolate fondue, served with a wide variety of desserts to dip in it. We chose the decadent one and chocotastic flavors, both of which were delicious. My favorites to dip in the fondue were the fruits, but they offer everything from strawberries to pound cake to cream puffs to cookie dough bites! Overall, I would definitely come back, but likely during a less busy time to avoid waiting so long before being seated.