10 Amazing Restaurants To Try In Santa Clara

Are you tired of having the same old, boring, fast food meal when you’re on a business trip while in Santa Clara, California?  Here are ten amazing restaurants you need to try on your next visit to Santa Clara!

1. Mio Vicino

This little hole in the wall, on the corner of Benton and Monroe streets, in old downtown Santa Clara, is a Bay Area original. This homestyle Italian Restaurant has been a staple in the Santa Clara community since the ’90s. Mio is always packed to the brim on Friday and Saturday nights, pre-pandemic, has a whopping 4.5 rating on Yelp and has been thriving during the pandemic.  Mio’s homestyle Italian cooking takes your taste buds on a wild ride.  From the deep-fried calamari, classic Italian Bruschetta, to their Penne with Chicken and world-famous Gorgonzola Gnocchi, Mio has every dish imaginable for the pasta lover in your life.  Mio is a locally owned, well-known, family establishment in the heart of the County of Santa Clara.  From the friendly staff, delicious homestyle Italian cooking, and quaint dining area, Mio Vicino is a go-to restaurant while down in the South Bay.

2. China Stix

Tired of going to Panda Express to get Chinese food?  Want to experience high-end, authentic, affordable Chinese cuisine? Well, look no further than China Stix!  Located in the newly minted Santa Clara town square, off of the streets of Scott and El Camino Real, China Stix has been a powerhouse in the Santa Clara food community for decades.  From the moment you walk in, the overwhelming smell of the sweet orange chicken hits you in the face, you forget that you’re in Santa Clara.  When the waiting staff hands you the menu for the first time, seeing the dishes description in English and Chinese text, the sounds of people chatting, silverware clinking in the background, and you just know you’re in for an authentic treat.   The food comes hot and quickly, within 10 minutes of your order, fresh and ready to eat.  From the savory dishes like the Chinese Chicken Salad, Broccoli and Beef, Crab Wontons, Kung Pau Chicken, and Sweet & Sour Chicken, China Stix is a great place to go and enjoy a meal for lunch and or dinner.  The waiting staff prides themselves on serving great food, providing great service, and creating a fun family experience that everyone will love.  If you love authentic Chinese food, at a reasonable price, then you’ll love China Stix.

3. La Paloma

With the abundant amount of taco trucks and taquerias popping up left and right across the Bay area, La Paloma provides customers with an authentic Mexican alternative.  Displaying a vibrant homestyle Mexican atmosphere, focusing on family, great food, and community, La Paloma has been a staple in the Santa Clara community for decades.  From the warm and fresh chips and salsa, cold and tasty specialty margaritas and cocktails, the sizzling hot Fajitas, savory Enchiladas Suizas Mariscos, and the Deep-Fried Ice Cream, La Paloma will give customers a flavorful alternative to the plain and boring fast-food burger and fries combo. La Paloma has been an important establishment for many long-time Santa Clara residents.  My parents and grandparents went to La Paloma before I was even a thought.  Hopefully, when the pandemic is over, I will be able to take my children and grandchildren to La Paloma one day.

4. The Hungry Hound

Looking for a place to get a quick bite to eat?  Tired of going to Togo’s, Subway, Burger King, and Jimmy John’s for a quick, poorly made, sandwich?  Well, the Hungry Hound is the place for you! Directly across the street of Santa Clara University, off of Lafayette road, the Hungry Hound is beloved by all generations, from students and professors at Santa Clara University, along with the many long-time residents of the city of Santa Clara. This traditional American-style restaurant is not much to look at from the outside, just another little hole in the wall, but the quality of food will have patrons salivating uncontrollably.  From the first time you walk in, the smell of the fresh French fries takes people back to a time before the pandemic, and customers are immediately greeted with a smile and a hello by the friendly waiting staff.  From the cold cut sandwiches, savory chili cheese French Fries, to their take on the classic Philly Cheese Steak, The Hungry Hound has everything for the foodie in your life.  From the vintage wood picnic tables in the dining area inside, the old school soda machine on the counter, and the classic rock music blasting through the sound system, The Hungry Hound shows customers and critics why it’s not important what’s on the outside, but what matters most is on the inside.  The Hungry Hound is a great place for people of all ages, baby boomers to millennials, to enjoy a delicious meal, with family and friends, while in an upbeat atmosphere.

5. Sara’s Kitchen

Woke up early, before dawn, and don’t want to cook breakfast? Want to ditch the McDonalds, Taco Bell, and Carl’s Jr. greasy, unhealthy, and unfulfilling breakfast sandwiches?  Looking for a place to have a delicious, savory, mouth-watering, and healthy meal?  Sara’s Kitchen is the place for you! Santa Clara’s favorite diner has been quenching the hungry appetite of the residents of the city of Santa Clara since 1992.  Sara’s has been a staple in the Santa Clara community.  Originally a small-town, family-owned, burger and cheesesteak shop, Sara’s has evolved into a go-to hangout spot within the Santa Clara community.  Whether you’re a long-time resident of the city of Santa Clara, a student at Santa Clara University or live in Santa Clara County, everyone knows that Sara’s is the go-to spot for breakfast and lunch in the city of Santa Clara. Open daily, from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., offering a wide variety of food for everyone, from Breakfast, Burgers, world-famous Cheesesteaks, and Shakes, Sara’s Kitchen has whatever you are craving.

6. Achilles

Achilles, an original Mediterranean restaurant, is a great little hole in the wall in Santa Clara, California. Ranked in the top ten best restaurants in the United States on Yelp, Achilles will satisfy and kill your hunger. Their philosophy is to bring their customers the freshest, high-quality ingredients, great tasting healthy Mediterranean meals at an affordable price. Achilles friendly staff, easy-to-read menu with many spreads and proteins, and hometown values show why they are a top ten restaurant in America. If you’re ever in the south bay area, you need to check out Achilles.

7. Bloom

Bloom, located in the heart of Santa Clara, California, is a modern breakfast and lunch Bistro that is trending up. This restaurant looks to take the regular American breakfast and lunch dishes and provide customers with a new and unique twist on old-fashioned meals. The staff at Bloom look to using local ingredients that are healthy, fresh, and very flavorful. Bloom brings families, friends, and all different types of people in the community together to celebrate life and the love for food around the table. This restaurant is a must-try if you’re in Santa Clara, California.

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8. Taqueria La Veracruzana

This taqueria prides itself on offering customers home-cooked meals while providing an authentic Mexican dining experience. From the moment when you walk into the building seeing the colorful and vibrant environment to the fresh smell of the homemade salsa and the meat on the grill, customers figure out quickly that they are in for an authentic Mexican treat. Taqueria La Veracruzana values family, friends, good food, and the people within the community. In the golden age of the food and taco trucks, this taqueria provides customers with a stable and vintage home-style atmosphere for the whole family.

9. Home Kitchen

Home Kitchen, located in Santa Clara, California, is the quintessential family-owned small business success story. Home Kitchen, which specializes in Vietnamese cuisine, gives customers a nice change of pace from the ordinary American fast food. The staff at Home Kitchen believes that if people eat healthy food, like fruits and vegetables, they will live a healthy lifestyle. Known for their version of the taste of Pho, Home Kitchen provides people with exceptional food. This restaurant is must stop while you’re in Santa Clara, California.

10. Seniore’s Pizza

Located in many locations around the greater San Francisco Bay Area, Seniore’s Pizza is a restaurant that the pizza lover in your life will love! Seniore’s prides itself on giving people quality food. Quality pizza is their goal, and fast delivery is their mission. They specialize in creating and bringing San Francisco’s tastiest pizza to people all around the Bay Area. Along with pizza, Seniore’s also feature customer favorites salads, low-calorie chicken wings, and other San Francisco delicacies. They have everything for the pizza lover, family-sized pizzas, personal pizzas, and even single slices. Check out Seniore’s Pizza down in Santa Clara and grab a slice of pizza.

Those are a few amazing restaurants in Santa Clara that everyone should try. Do you like our recommendations? Have any other recommendations that people should know about? Tell us in the comments below!

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