Cafe Pro Bono is Palo Alto’s crowning jewel for exceptional Italian food. For over 28 years we’ve served a wide variety of authentic, reasonably priced Italian and European dishes using only the best organic ingredients available.
As the recipient of Palo Alto Weekly’s ‘Best Italian Restaurant’ in 2021 and 2022, we’re extremely proud and grateful for our wonderful, loyal ‘CPB Family’. Our menu includes delicious, attractively presented appetizers, fresh pastas, fresh fish, steaks, chicken, salads, paninis and homemade desserts. We also have a full bar, so enjoy your favorite cocktails or explore our extensive domestic and international wine collection, personally selected by CPB’s owner and your host, Akif Aydin.
Buon Appetito!!!
This relaxed Italian eatery with a long wine list serves traditional dishes on white tablecloths. Based on 529 reviews, the restaurant has received a rating of 4.4 stars. Price $$
✔️ Dine-in ✔️ Curbside pickup ✔️ Delivery
Address:
2437 Birch St, Palo Alto, CA 94306
Phone: (650) 326-1626
Website:
Social Profile: 
Hours
| Friday |
11:30 AM–2:30 PM, 5–10 PM |
| Saturday |
5–10 PM |
| Sunday |
5–9 PM |
| Monday
(Labor Day)
|
11:30 AM–2:30 PM, 5–10 PM
Hours might differ
|
| Tuesday |
11:30 AM–2:30 PM, 5–10 PM |
| Wednesday |
11:30 AM–2:30 PM, 5–10 PM |
| Thursday |
11:30 AM–2:30 PM, 5–10 PM |
Menu
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Menu Photos
Photo Gallery
Order and Reservations
Reservations: opentable.com
Reviews
kailiang huang
Cozy Italian restaurant.
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Trudy Stephenson Willis
Great food, perfectly prepared, just the right amount of meat, lovely vegetables, a bit of starch. It may be a bit pricey, but it’s worth every penny!!! Can’t go wrong here. Post (I hope) pandemic: With an outdoor parklet for cautious diners to an enlarged banquet area and lots of carefully distanced seating areas inside, the restaurant is being discovered again. Warming temperatures are encouraging larger numbers to show up. There are more large groups both inside and out, but the tables are spaced so as to allow other diners to feel safe. I’m attaching photos of a recent meal where I started eating before I thought of taking a picture (my apologies). It’s braised short ribs (minus bones) and an artfully arrayed selection of vegetables, plus dessert — apple-pear cobbler. Delicious!!!
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Mruga Salunkhe
A nice place for a dinner date. We had Susan’s downfall, arugula and beetroot salad, chocolate gelato and creme brulee. All of the dishes were delicious.
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Dee
Dangerously good. I came here via recommendation from my coworker while on a business trip. The food was so delicious and the contrails were great too. I’ll be back anytime I visit the area. I had the Tagliatelle alla Pro Bono
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Merna Rezk
Food was ok! I wouldnt say its too authentic. I ordered the Tagliatelle alla Pro Bono and it was very flavorful but the pasta was undercooked and the whole plate was a bit too oily! Tiramisu was really delicious and full of coffee flavor. Service was good
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Liz Mad
I had a wonderful lunch here. The pesto gnocchi is superb, very delicious sauce , probably the best I ever had. There pastas are delicious. Staff is very friendly and it’s a very relaxing ambience.
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Jacob Gao
The food was really delicious.(I forgot to take pictures of the food). The server was very friendly as well. The only thing that I had was they took way to long to serve us. We waited more than 30 mins to get our food. My daughter was very hungry. They seems like lack of employees.
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Chuck F
Sometime you forget how really good a place is until you come back after not dining there for a while and realize that this is one of the best restaurants in Palo Alto and on the peninsula. I’ve been here on several occasions in the past and hadn’t been here for some time. Decided to celebrate a wedding anniversary with dinner and couldn’t have asked for a better evening, especially with our son picking up the check!
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Ajinkya Gode
Before I came here, I thought fine dining was a rip-off. But after tasting the chocolate cake, I was in heaven. The chicken was perfect. And so was the fresh lemonade. Everything was very well worth it!
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Simerit Kaur
My fave place to go for pasta and drinks. Honestly I think this place does well because of how humble they are. They are never arrogant or annoyed if anyone disliked anything. I never had this experience but I see many people ask if something can be improved and they take it back with a smile. Drinks are always sooo perfect. Our fave is the Tropic of Cancer! I prefer more cheesy and hearty dishes so my fave dish is Susan’s downfall with rich Gorgonzola. The pesto gnocchi that’s only available at lunch time is also to die for.
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