Places To Eavesdrop And Eat In Silicon Valley, California
Intrigued about the lives of startup workers? Hanging out at the right casual dining places in Silicon Valley might teach you a thing or two. Here are the top five places you can visit in Palo Alto and Mountain View to get an insider’s glimpse of Silicon Valley’s culture over delicious food.
1. Bierhaus
Bierhaus
A tour of Silicon Valley wouldn’t be complete without Castro Street in Mountain View. Located across from Fenwick, one of the most prestigious law firms in Silicon Valley that handles tech IPOs and M&A deals, this place is always crowded with tech workers after work. (Notable companies on Castro Street or nearby include 500 startups, Quora and Polyvore) The place has long picnic tables so it’s easy to strike up a conversation with your techie neighbor. Besides, who is not friendly at a beer garden anyway?
2. Philz Coffee
Grocery Store, Coffee Shop, Tea
3. Rosewood Sand Hill Hotel
Rosewood Sand Hill Hotel
New York has Wall Street and Park Avenue. Silicon Valley has Sand Hill Road – the land of venture capital firms. Venture capital partners listen to startup founders pitch their dreams, then figure out which start up will become the next Facebook. Want to find out more ? Get a drink at Madera at around 5PM, enjoy the stunning view of the Santa Cruz mountains and observe. If you are lucky enough, you might hear some interesting conversation. If not, you can at least impress your friends later by saying you have been here. The drinks are pretty stiff by the way (minimum $15) but worth it. Don’t be intimidated to park next to a Ferrari.
Rosewood Sand Hill Hotel, 2825 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park, CA
4. Sushirrito & CREAM of Palo Alto
Sushirrito & CREAM of Palo Alto
Start up employees line up as early as 11:30AM for this hot local chain, although for some, this is breakfast. Waiting in line is a great time to strike up a conversation while waiting for some delicious, fresh hand-held sushi burritos. Remember to show up early because the line gets pretty long. For dessert, try the ice cream sandwich from CREAM next door, or explore their other options such as sandwiches or milkshakes.
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