5 Amazing Restaurants To Try In Santa Clara

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 five amazing restaurants you need to try on your next visit to Santa Clara!

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 1990s. Mio is always packed to the brim on Friday and Saturday nights, pre-pandemic, has a whooping 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.

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.

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.

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.

Sara’s Kitchen

Have you ever woke up early, before dawn, and was too tired 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.