Because it isn’t right downtown alongside top Palo Alto restaurants like Ettan, Zola, and Ethel’s Fancy—or maybe because it’s in the Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley instead of standing on its own—seasonal Italian restaurant Quattro has been somewhat forgotten on the flourishing Peninsula food scene.
But with a completely refreshed menu by executive chef Jacques Swart and a polished redesign by HBA San Francisco, it won’t be anymore.
Now a softer, more elegant version of its former self, the glass-encased dining room, cozy lounge, and extensive outdoor patio are deliciously versatile options that go from happy hour drinks to intimate dinners to sun-soaked weekend brunches with ease—and I’m the lucky duck who gets to try all three.
Quattro just got a polished redesign by HBA San Francisco.(Courtesy of Quattro at Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley)
I shouldn’t be surprised by the exceptional warmth with which everyone from the host to the mixologist welcomes me—by name—for a drink at the bar before heading into the greenhouse-like space for our dinner reservation. It’s not just that they’re trying to impress a media visitor, either. Bespoke hospitality is the Four Seasons’ entire philosophical foundation.
Tucked into a high-backed leather stool, we peruse the signature cocktail menu, a mix of drinks that are elevated minus the intimidation. From hibiscus syrup and mango purée to coffee bitters and white chocolate foam, you’ll actually recognize all of the listed ingredients. My choice—the Fifth Season with vodka, ginger liqueur, lime, fresh basil, and jalapeño—is refreshing like a mule and kicks like a donkey.
There’s an assortment of bites to have here or snuggled into the banquettes in front of the fire in the adjacent lounge—shareables like charcuterie and cheese plates, handhelds like a short rib burger, and some choice options from the main menu like the strawberry bellini salad (strawberries, burrata, heirloom beets, arugula, peach vinaigrette). We move into the dining room instead, gliding past U-shaped tufted banquettes and two large communal tables to a quiet spot in the back corner next to Korean artist Lee Yong Deok’s illusionary Walking on the Street sculptures.
Greeted by our server (by name, of course), we settle in to study the dinner options. Like any good hotel restaurant, there is a wide range of options for a wide range of guests, including pizzas and fried chicken for the less adventurous. We start with the cuori di carciofo, a tasty passport to the Italian countryside made with artichoke hearts, mesclun salad, capers, lime aioli, and red pesto.
Taliatelle ai funghi at Quattro(Courtesy of Quattro at Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley)
The tagliatelle al funghi—made with wild mushrooms, tomato, garlic truffle oil, parmigiano reggiano, and optional Wagyu short ribs—is a fan favorite, we are told, and the earthy, meaty sauce does indeed stand up to its reputation. The light, flaky char-grilled branzino comes laid out on an unexpectedly delicious bed of beluga lentils; the risotto with shrimp and lobster is cooked in a rich tomato bisque.
We leave full enough that I’m grateful we’ve been given the opportunity to stay overnight in one of the suites instead of driving home. The very next day, Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley temporarily takes them out of rotation to renovate them in time for the 2026 Super Bowl at nearby Levi’s Stadium in early February.
Staying overnight also means we’re right upstairs when weekend brunch begins the next morning at 11am. This time, we’re seated in one of the booths at the restaurant’s front, a sunny space accompanied by a sunny music mix from the sound system. Rather than stick with a sensible, à la carte breakfast, we go for the full three-course Garden Brunch ($85) with bottomless Bloody Marys and mimosas ($65).
The confetti waffle at brunch(Courtesy of Quattro at Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley)
The sweet-but-not-too-sweet coconut chia seed pudding we choose for an appetizer is lovely—a layer of creamy “low and slow” bananas under a layer of silky chia pudding dressed with raspberry coulis, cacao nibs, and blackberries. On the savory side is a smoked salmon sesame bagel, an excellent version that stacks salmon rillette, cream cheese, pickled onion, arugula, tomatoes, and smoked fish on an authentic, chewy base.
Keeping with Quattro’s Italian theme, the entrées and handhelds lean Mediterranean, like a Benedict on focaccia with sun-dried tomato hollandaise and prosciutto, and a truffle mortadella sandwich made with brioche-style pretzel bread and burrata.
The real morning showstoppers, though, come in dessert form. The first is a no-brainer: Quattro’s cinnamon “roll of fame,” a gorgeous specimen with a soft bun that’s slightly undercooked and gooey at the center and dripping with cream cheese icing. The second, a recommendation from the chef, sounds a little mismatched—a chubby crêpe soufflé filled with Nutella and drizzled with passion fruit caramel—but somehow the sour and the sweet work perfectly together. We eat the entire thing without blinking and are sorry when it’s gone.
Afternoon tea is held on Saturdays and Sundays at the Four Seasons' [esc].(Courtesy of @fspaloalto)
The Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley has an elegant afternoon tea on the weekends from 1pm to 5pm at their coffee lounge [esc], with seasonal savory bites and delicate pastries—they’ll have a distinct holiday cheer about them in November and December to match the popular ski chalet-inspired Après Village winter wonderland on Quattro’s terrace—but we don’t stay. We can’t. We are at capacity.
But we’ll be back—because a meal at the Four Seasons never disappoints.
// Quattro at Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley is open Monday through Friday for breakfast from 6am to 11am, lunch from 11:30am to 2:30pm, and dinner from 5pm to 9:30pm; and Saturday and Sunday for breakfast from 6:30am to 10:30am, brunch from 11am to 2:30pm, and dinner from 5pm to 9:30pm. 2050 University Ave. (East Palo Alto), fourseasons.com/siliconvalley
