Cafe Pro Bono

4.8

1457 Reviews

$30 and under

Italian

Make a reservation

2 people

Mar 8, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 17 times today

Good for special occasions
Neighborhood gem
Charming

Cafe Pro Bono stands as Palo Alto's premier destination for exquisite Italian cuisine. With a legacy spanning over 30 years, we take pride in offering a diverse array of authentic and reasonably priced Italian and European dishes, each crafted with a dedication to freshness that is evident in every bite.

Whether you seek a romantic evening or a casual dinner, our menu features a wide selection of traditional dishes at accesible prices. From beautifully presented appetizers to homemade pastas, daily fresh seafood, quality meats, and indulgent desserts, complemented by expertly crafted cocktails we strive to ensure every visit is a memorable culinary experience.

Consider our Private Event Room for your next rehearsal dinner, birthday celebration, baby shower, family gathering or business meeting. Our full bar offers a variety of cocktails, including alongside domestic and international wines.

We look forward to welcoming you soon to Cafe Pro Bono.

Buon Appetito!!!

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Dining style
Fine Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Italian, European, Cocktail Bar
Hours of operation
Sun 5:00 pm–8:45 pm Lunch Mon–Fri 11:30 am–2:15 pm Dinner Mon–Sat 5:00 pm–9:45 pm
Phone number
(650) 326-1626
Website
http://www.cafeprobono.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual
Executive chef
Ignacio Cortez
Private party facilities
To reserve our private room (or the entire restaurant!) for your next business meeting or party, call us at 650/326.1626 - or fill out our inquiry form at https://cafeprobono.com/private-dining-special-events and we will contact you right away Stop by our web site to view our ‘Events Menus’ too - we have a variety of menus/pricing to choose from.

Location
2437 Birch Street, Palo Alto, CA 94306
Neighborhood
Palo Alto
Cross street
California Ave. / Sherman Ave. Garage: handicap/charging stations
Parking details
New four-level parking garage directly across the street.
Public transit
Cal Train - California Avenue stop, VTA
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Liquor, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Delivery, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

100 San Francisco Bay Area Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day

Popular dishes

Grilled Polenta$15.95
Roasted Portobello Mushroom Sauce
Sauteed Gulf Prawns$17.95
Parsley, Garlic, Lemon, White Wine
Carpaccio$24.95
Thin Sliced Raw Beef, Bermuda Onions, Capers, Parmigiano Reggiano, Drizzled Dijon Mustard Truffle Oil
Susan's Downfall$18.95
Cheese & Herb Ravioli, Gorgonzola Sauce, Toasted Almonds

Starters

Organic Baby Spring$12.95
Mixed Greens, Roma Tomato, Cucumber, and Fresh Citrus Vinaigrette
Wild Arugula$15.95
Candied Walnuts, Poached Bosc Pear, and Balsamic Dressing
Caesar Salad$14.95
Organic Hearts of Romaine Lettuce, Shaved Parmigiano Reggiano

Panini

all our sandwiches are served with salad

Grilled Portobello$19.95
Mushrooms, Roasted Bell Peppers, Caramelized Onions, Tapenade
Steak Panini$28.95
Black Angus Filet Mignon, Mushrooms, Caramelized Onions, Butter Gorgonzola Cheese
Chicken Confit$22.95
Mary's Free Range Chicken Confit, Mushrooms, Caramelized Onions, Roasted Garlic Aioli, Provolone Cheese
Smoked Salmon$26.95
Norwegian Smoked Salmon, Bermuda Onions, Arugula, Lemon Caper Aioli

Luncheon Salads

Yabo Salad$32.95
King Salmon, Hearts of Romaine Lettuce, Roasted Red Bell Peppers, Tomatoes, Cucumber, Olives, Feta Cheese, Citrus Vinaigrette
Duck Confit Salad$19.95
Organic Baby Spinach, Mushrooms, Sun Dried Cranberries, Granny Smith Apple
Grilled Chicken Salad$24.95
Pro Bono Bistro Salad, Mushrooms, Roma Tomatoes, Citrus Fresh Herbs

Pasta

Capellini$22.95
Fresh Tomatoes, Garlic, Basil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Spaghetti Bolognese (homemade)$25.95
(Beef & Veal Top Sirloin) Classic Bolognese Sauce
Tortiglione$25.95
Organic Whole Grain Buckwheat Pasta, Portobello Mushrooms, Green Peas, Sun Dried Tomatoes, Broccoli Crown, Light Marinara
Gnocchi$25.95
(homemade) Basil Pesto, Sun Dried Tomatoes, Pine Nuts
Susan's Downfall$28.95
(homemade) Cheese & Herb Ravioli, Gorgonzola Sauce, Toasted Almonds
Rigatoni$26.95
(homemade) Spicy Italian Sausage, Mushrooms, Tomatoes, Roasted Red Bell Pepper Sauce
Tagliatelle alla Pro Bono$27.95
(homemade) Pasta with Smoked Free Range Chicken, Roasted Shitake Mushrooms, Light Alfredo
Linguini alla Vongole$29.95
Fresh Manilla Clams, Calabria Pepper, Basil, Lemon, Vermentino
Squid Spaghetti$32.95
(homemade) Gulf Prawns, King Salmon, Manila Clams, Roasted Tomato Sauce

Lunch Entrees

all entrees served with starch and vegetables

Pollo alla Pro Bono$29.95
Free Range Chicken Breast, Pine Nuts, Sun Dried Tomato Sauce
Loch Duarte Salmon$33.95
Orzo Pasta, Dill, Lemon Chardonnay Sauce
Veal Scaloppine$37.95
Lemon Capers Pinot Grigio Sauce

What 1,457 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8

4.8 based on recent ratings

4.9Food
4.8Service
4.6Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Peninsula
Best Overall
Peninsula
Best Food
Peninsula
Italian

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Cafe Pro Bono in Palo Alto is a beloved Italian restaurant known for its "outstanding service" and "delicious food." Patrons praise its "relaxing ambiance" and "attentive staff," with special mention of dishes like Susan's Downfall and Veal Piccata. Regulars appreciate the "friendly family-run" vibe and consistently enjoyable dining experiences.

1,457 Reviews

R
Rial
San Francisco
31 reviews
5.0
31 reviews
Dined 5 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Our dinners were absolutely delicious. I highly recommend the salmon. I can’t say enough about the service - I felt totally spoiled.
Is this helpful?
V
Vini
VIP
San Francisco
43 reviews
5.0
43 reviews
Dined 6 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Lamb entree was Very delicious, wild boar sausage n beans were good. My friends enjoyed the halibut and spicy rigatoni as well.
Is this helpful?
S
Sandra
VIP
San Francisco
213 reviews
4.0
213 reviews
Dined 6 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 3
Food great, as usual, but I will pass on dining in on Saturday night. Noise so loud I ended up with headache. No one could hear each other talking.
Is this helpful?
E
Elaine
San Francisco
12 reviews
5.0
12 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Felt really special. Food, wine, service was great.
Is this helpful?
L
Lucile
VIP
San Francisco
10 reviews
4.0
10 reviews
Dined on February 28, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
One plate had a small dark spot but overall was pretty pleasant.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
New York City
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on February 28, 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 1
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 2
Said they had a hh but they canceled it but didn’t take it off the website.
Is this helpful?
F
Frank
San Francisco
31 reviews
5.0
31 reviews
Dined on February 24, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
I always enjoy dining at this restaurant. Pleasant and attentive staff and excellent food. Definitely my first choice for Italian food in Palo Alto. Among numerous Italian restaurants in town, Cafe Pro Bono stands out for me. Simply outstanding pasta, including one of their signature dishes, Susan’s Downfall, which is not to be missed.
Is this helpful?
L
Lynne
VIP
San Francisco
27 reviews
5.0
27 reviews
Dined on February 21, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
As always, our experience at Pro Bono was delightful. We were greeted warmly and service was attentive without being intrusive. The pasta was simply perfect and the duck confit salad was a rare treat. Desserts and coffees finished off our special outing, all at a very reasonable price. Pro Bono is a true gem!
Is this helpful?
C
Chisato
Greater Boston
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on February 18, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
My husband and I ate there for my birthday. Everybody was attentive and energetic. Food was great and we enjoyed what they offered. Pro Bono will be one of our favorite restaurants in Palo Alto.
Is this helpful?
W
Wanda
Unspecified
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 16, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Our first visit. Taste and service justified the cost. Unfortunately, neither of us slept well afterwards. Could be the rich food?
Is this helpful?

FAQs

Cafe Pro Bono offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (650) 326-1626.

Cafe Pro Bono is rated 4.8 stars by 1457 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Mar 8, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 17 times today

Order delivery or takeout

2437 Birch Street, Palo Alto, CA 94306

Additional information

Cross street
California Ave. / Sherman Ave. Garage: handicap/charging stations
Neighborhood
Palo Alto
Hours of operation
Sun 5:00 pm–8:45 pm Lunch Mon–Fri 11:30 am–2:15 pm Dinner Mon–Sat 5:00 pm–9:45 pm
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Italian, European, Cocktail Bar
Dining style
Fine Dining
Dress code
Smart Casual
Parking details
New four-level parking garage directly across the street.
Public transit
Cal Train - California Avenue stop, VTA
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Ignacio Cortez
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Liquor, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Delivery, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.cafeprobono.com/
Phone number
(650) 326-1626
Private party facilities
To reserve our private room (or the entire restaurant!) for your next business meeting or party, call us at 650/326.1626 - or fill out our inquiry form at https://cafeprobono.com/private-dining-special-events and we will contact you right away Stop by our web site to view our ‘Events Menus’ too - we have a variety of menus/pricing to choose from.

Featured in

100 San Francisco Bay Area Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day

Cafe Pro Bono

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

100 San Francisco Bay Area Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day

Rigatoni

Gnocchi

Cappellini

Appetizers

Grilled Polenta$15.95

Sauteed Gulf Prawns$17.95

Carpaccio$24.95

Susan's Downfall$18.95

Starters

Organic Baby Spring$12.95

Wild Arugula$15.95

Caesar Salad$14.95

Panini

Grilled Portobello$19.95

Steak Panini$28.95

Chicken Confit$22.95

Smoked Salmon$26.95

Luncheon Salads

Yabo Salad$32.95

Duck Confit Salad$19.95

Grilled Chicken Salad$24.95

Pasta

Capellini$22.95

Spaghetti Bolognese (homemade)$25.95

Tortiglione$25.95

Gnocchi$25.95

Susan's Downfall$28.95

Rigatoni$26.95

Tagliatelle alla Pro Bono$27.95

Linguini alla Vongole$29.95

Squid Spaghetti$32.95

Lunch Entrees

Pollo alla Pro Bono$29.95

Loch Duarte Salmon$33.95

Veal Scaloppine$37.95

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

Does Cafe Pro Bono offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Cafe Pro Bono restaurant rated?

Is Cafe Pro Bono currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Featured in

100 San Francisco Bay Area Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day