Saint Michael's Alley | Our Story
A Palo Alto table since 1959
We opened in 1959 as a coffeehouse and grew into the restaurant we are today, right here in Palo Alto.
The coffeehouse years
We took our name from St. Michael's Alley in London. In the early years the coffeehouse had a bohemian feel tied to Palo Alto's beatnik era.
A new chapter
In 1993, Stanford graduates and longtime Palo Alto residents Michael Sabina and Jennifer Youll bought the restaurant. They've shaped the space and the rhythm of the place ever since.
The room today
Today you'll find a warm dining room, a bar, and a covered patio. Our team is loyal, talented, and family to us.
An evolving table
The menu changes with the seasons, and we've always kept evolving without losing ourselves. If you're here for the first time, start with the seared scallops.