Santa arrives at Stanford Shopping Center's Center Pavilion tomorrow, Friday, November 6. The center around him has changed a lot since last December. The past twelve months brought a 12-seat tasting counter, a gelato shop with lines, a beauty store of about 1,300 square feet and a speaker flagship. Each one is small and built around one specialty. The places that cover an ordinary Tuesday are a different story. A sit-down restaurant open from late morning to late evening and a coffee bar are both tied up in rent disputes. A planned late-night lounge has now missed two projected opening seasons. If you shop or eat here every week, it helps to know which parts of the map are new and which are uncertain before December gets busy.
The year's arrivals, by size and date
| Arrival | What it is | Footprint or capacity | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zaytinya | First Bay Area location | Not published | Debuted Dec. 1, 2025 |
| Kappo | Chef's counter next to Dumpling Time | 12 seats | Officially opened Dec. 3, 2025 |
| Bacio di Latte | Italian gelato | Not published | Open by late May 2026 |
| Jones Road | Bobbi Brown's beauty brand, first Northern California store | 1,309 sq ft | Open by Aug. 25, 2026 |
| Bang & Olufsen | Audio and design flagship | About 2,800 sq ft | Announced open Sept. 15, 2026 |
Each one does one thing in a tight space, and you would go out of your way for it.
A counter, a first Bay Area dining room and a gelato line
Kappo is the clearest case. The Almanac reported that it seats 12 at a counter facing an open kitchen, right next to Dumpling Time's Stanford outpost. It soft opened last November and officially opened December 3. The chef's tasting menu was seven courses for $140. Beverage pairings ran from a $75 nonalcoholic progression to a $150 reserve pairing of vintage California wines, beers and sakes. The chef told The Almanac that he moved down from San Francisco because he "wanted to do a little bit more high-touch, more close-and-personal with the food, more close to the guests." You book a counter like that for an occasion. It isn't where you stop after picking up a gift.
Zaytinya made its first Bay Area debut on December 1, 2025, as Palo Alto Online reported. Both restaurants are now coming up on their first anniversary, which makes this their second holiday season at the center.
Bacio di Latte followed this spring. The M-A Chronicle described long lines and a minimalist room when it visited in late May. The chain has more than 220 locations worldwide. Prices that May started at $7.45 for a two-flavor piccolo cup and rose to $8.95 for a regular and $10.75 for a four-flavor grande. Cones can be coated in pistachio cream or Nutella. The Almanac's 2026 openings preview listed its address as 660 Stanford Shopping Center.
Two small showrooms this fall, and a third on the way
Retail followed the same pattern as the food. Jones Road, the beauty brand founded by Bobbi Brown, opened its first Northern California store in 1,309 square feet. The address is 180 El Camino Real, Space 1155. Simon's directory puts it on the main level near Anthropologie & Co., between K. Minamoto and Mejuri.
In mid-September, Bang & Olufsen's regional operator announced that its flagship at 660 Stanford Shopping Center had opened. The store is about 2,800 square feet. You go in to sit down and listen to the speakers.
Next in line is Herman Miller, which Simon lists as "Coming Soon." The space is on the main level near Arhaus, between TUMI and Pottery Barn Kids. Herman Miller fits the year's pattern too. It's a showroom built around one category, and the furniture is something you try before you buy.
The everyday tables are where the map is unsettled
The year's new stores are specialty rooms. The two places most likely to be part of an ordinary week have had a harder twelve months, and both are tied up in disputes over rent.
True Food Kitchen has been a tenant since 2016. It opened that year as the chain's first Northern California location, in the former Bloomingdale's space. Its parent company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on October 4. The Almanac reported that the company closed 12 restaurants as part of the restructuring. A spokesperson said the Palo Alto restaurant "is continuing to operate as usual," one of 34 restaurants open across 14 states. Stanford Shopping Center appears on the filing's list of unsecured claims. The menu is the kind people return to week after week: bowls, burgers, salads, sourdough pizzas and a full bar. The Almanac listed its hours as 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday.
Gregorys Coffee opened in April 2025 in the former Starbucks space. Palo Alto Online reported that the center's property manager sued over alleged unpaid rent in January. It then filed an unlawful detainer in Santa Clara County Superior Court in June. On August 28, the cafe's attorney filed an answer that denies most of the allegations. The answer also argues that the center kept Gregorys from meeting its side of the lease. As of that September report, the case was contested and no ruling had been reported.
Both are places you drop into without planning a visit, and their status is where the center has changed least predictably.
Cedar & Sage, still waiting on the late-night slot
The one planned opening that would have added a late, casual evening option is still listed as coming. Cedar & Sage Bistro & Lounge was first announced in a Palo Alto Online story in July 2025. The plan was tapas-style dishes, a large wine list, live music and late-night dining, with an opening projected for early November 2025. In The Almanac's year-end roundup, owner JC Clow moved the target to late spring 2026. The restaurant's own website now reads "Coming Soon 2026." Simon still shows the same label, with store hours also marked "Coming Soon." The space is next to Anthropologie & Co., across from Bloomingdale's. For now, if you want a late dinner after the stores close, your options here are the same as they were a year ago.
The holiday calendar, starting tomorrow
Simon has posted three Santa dates at the Center Pavilion, and they're the fixed points on the center's calendar between now and Christmas Eve.
- Santa Photos, Friday, November 6 through December 24. Opening day runs 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and hours change through the season. Christmas Eve is 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Simon recommends booking ahead.
- Pet Photos with Santa, Sunday, November 22, 6:30 to 8 p.m. No reservation required.
- Caring Santa, Sunday, December 6, 9 to 10:30 a.m. This is a private, sensory-friendly visit for children with special needs and their families. Reservations are required.
If a December visit includes the year's additions, Jones Road is on the main level by Anthropologie & Co., and Kappo is next to Dumpling Time.
Tom keeps track of how Stanford Shopping Center changes, along with the streets around it. If you live nearby and want to know what your own home would bring in today's market, Tom Correia will put together a free home valuation built on the same block-by-block knowledge.
