Unique and Cool Restaurants in Silicon Valley

Aqui Cal – Mex – Campbell, Cupertino and San Jose

_{5679 Snell Ave, San Jose}

There are currently 5 Aqui locations in Silicon Valley, 3 in San Jose, 1 in Campbell, and 1 in Cupertino. I normally wouldn’t include a “chain,” but since Aqui is only located within Silicon Valley and it’s awesome, I’m including it!

Aqui serves Cal-Mex food, with a focus on fresh and organic ingredients. They have creative daily specials. The food is delicious and inexpensive! Entrees average from $15-$20. Aqui has a full bar, and their specialty cocktail is an Industrial Strength Swirl Margarita for under $10.

The restaurants are decorated in a fun Mexican Cantina style. Most Aquis have outdoor seating as well.

Be sure to check out Aqui if you’re visiting Silicon Valley (or if you live here!). It’s one of my favorites.

Duke of Edinburgh (D) – Cupertino

The Duke is a British restaurant and bar that has been here since 1983. It couldn’t be more authentic as it was built in England, then shipped over!

They serve British food, including Beef Wellington, Bangers & Mash, Fish & Chips, and Shepherd’s Pie.

Heads up that this is an active pub with lots of loyal locals. It is open till 2 AM. Beer has been spilled here!

Grandview (D) – San Jose

_{15005 Mount Hamilton Rd, San Jose}

The Grandview Restaurant is near the top of Mt Hamilton on Santa Clara Valley’s East hills. It’s a “special occasion” restaurant with an actual dress code (business casual). You don’t come across that very often anymore, or at least I don’t.

The food (dinner only) is very good, with entrees ranging from $38 to $88. They offer a 4-course tasting menu for $110. The primary reason to go here though, is, of course, the “GRAND VIEW”! Check it out for a stunning and unique view of Silicon Valley, especially at sunset.

Henry’s Hi-Life (L,D) – San Jose

_{301 W St. John St., San Jose}

Henry’s Hi-Life has been around since 1960. I’ll never forget my dad bringing me here when I was a teenager. He said he was going to take me someplace really fancy. My mouth dropped when I saw Henry’s! I couldn’t believe my dad was actually bringing me into the dilapidated place 😀

Now, it doesn’t look quite as rough as it did back then, but it still has the same vibe. They specialize in bar-b-q: ribs, chicken, steaks, and burgers.

Henry’s is located at the end of San Jose’s Little Italy street, and is only blocks away from the SAP Center. It’s a great spot to grab dinner before a Sharks game.

Huckleberry’s (B,L) – San Jose

_{2071 Camden Ave, San Jose}

Huckleberry’s is a fun New Orleans Bayou themed restaurant. Kids will love it, and adults will likely be at least a little charmed. They are open only for Breakfast and Lunch, and serve basic menu items plus things like Mardi Gras Beignets, Chicken & Waffles, Fried Green Tomatoes, and Louisiana Catfish.

When I looked up the website to link in the title, I realized Huckleberry’s is a pretty big U.S. chain. This is the first one in San Jose, though, so I’ve included it.

Left Bank Brasserie (L,D) – San Jose

Dining at the Left Bank really feels like you’ve jetted off to Paris for your meal. Such charming Pariseanne decor and delicious French food. Entrees range from $20 to $40. The Left Bank is also open for Sunday Brunch.

This restaurant is in the lovely outdoor shopping mall, Santana Row. If you can get a little table facing the sidewalk, you can really feel Parisian as you sip your beverage and watch all the people and dogs saunter by.

Even if you don’t go to The Left Bank, be sure to visit Santana Row on your visit to Silicon Valley. It’s the most “happening” spot in the area, especially on the weekends. The flowers and landscaping alone are worth a visit.

Orchestria Palm Court Restaurant (D) – San Jose

_{27 E William St, San Jose}

I was amazed that after living in the area my whole life I just now found this cool place which has been in business for 11 years!

Orchestria Palm Court serves “Continental European dining,” featuring grass-fed beef and dairy and organic vegetables. The food was excellent, but the real star here is the atmosphere!

The walls (and open loft) are lined with various player pianos, antique jukeboxes and even a player violin-piano combination! There are also several “Orchestrion” instruments which look like player pianos but actually also play violin and an assortment of percuassion instruments! So cool and fascinating what people in the past invented!

The instruments play, one by one, at various times during the night. The whole experience is like stepping back in time to 1900!

One of my favorite parts was seeing the “Motion Lamps”! I remembered that my grandparents had one of a train, and I used to spend ages staring at it. I looked online to see if I could find one to buy, and they now go for hundreds of dollars on eBay. The Orchstria Palm Court has a wonderful collection of them scattered around.

Another super fun feature is an old time telephone at the bar counter in the back of the restaurant connected to a phone in a phone booth just inside the restaurant entrance. Kids had a ball talking to each other over these!

Note: The Orchestria Palm Court is only open on Friday and Saturday nights. Be sure to make a reservation.

Son & Garden (B,L) – Palo Alto

_{535 Bryant St, Palo Alto}

Son & Garden is a fake flower-filled little girl’s paradise! Son & Garden was a fun experience. They have loads of foofy cocktails that would be fun to try if you’re in the mood for that sort of thing. Bring your kid to have a (pricey) wonderous experience full of Instagramable backgrounds!

Shadowbrook (L,D) – Capitola

(OK, this is not in Silicon Valley, but it’s less than an hour south of it. Since to me this is the ultimate unique and cool restaurant around, I had to include it for you!)

Shadowbrook Restaurant is simply enchanting! It is considered a “special occasion” restaurant, but you must go by for the fantastic cocktails or even just to see the grounds of this beautiful spot! It is on the hillside leading down to the Soquel Creek. You can either walk down the meandering path past a waterfall, through the lushly landscaped plumeria-scented wonderment, or you can take the adorable mini Cable Car down!

The restaurant itself is on multiple levels. There is a GreenHouse Room, Fireside Room, Wine Cellar Room, Redwood Room, Rooftop Terrace, and the Rock Room bar. You can walk in and get drinks and/or dinner in the Rooftop Terrace or Rock Room. Otherwise, be sure to make a reservation.

I always find the food delicious, but that may be partly because I just love the place so much, and the unique experience it provides feels so magical! 🙂

If you are staying in Capitola (within a 3-mile radius of the restaurant), you can call Shadowbrook. They will pick you up and drive you back after dinner in one of their complimentary old-timey taxis!

But wait, there’s more

hese are more unique and cool Silicon Valley area restaurants that I haven’t revisited within the past couple of years. I will update them with pictures once I can get to each one again.

• Buck’s of Woodside (B,L,D) – Woodside
• Los Gatos Soda Works (D) – Los Gatos
• Teske’s Germania (L,D) – San Jose
• The Vesper (D) – Campbell
• Yiassou (L,D) – Cupertino

Please let me know in the comments if you have any other unique and cool restaurants you’d recommend. Here are favorites some local readers have let me know about:

• Superhot Hot Pot & Korean BBQ (L,D) – Mountain View
• Banana Leaf (L,D) – Milpitas
• Chef Chu’s (L,D) – Los Altos
• Dinah’s Poolside (B,L,D) – Palo Alto
• The Emerald Hour (D) – Mountain View
• Eos + Nyx (L,D) – San Jose
• Gochi Japanese Fusion Tapas (L,D) – Cupertino and Mountain View
• Goga Restaurant (B,L,D) – Saratoga
• Meyhouse Turkish Cuisine (L,D) – Palo Alto and Sunnyvale

Click here if you’re looking for Unique and Cool Restaurants in LA!

Click here if you’re looking for Silicon Valley’s Coolest Cafes!