Maybe you’re tired of the same old tech campus cafeterias, or maybe you just realized life’s too short for mediocre burritos. It doesn’t matter. You should be able to find exceptional food in Mountain View without needing a venture capitalist’s budget. So here are the places where you can savor remarkable meals without emptying your wallet. Unless you’re a self-driving car, in which case your wallet is just lines of code anyway.
Lee’s Sandwiches
$ | (408) 446-5030 | WEBSITE
Lee’s Sandwiches is better than a fast-food joint – but, at the same time, they make banh mi, egg rolls, and Vietnamese iced coffee. So maybe we’ll just call this place a nice Mountain View quick-stop. They do a great grilled pork banh mi, their spring rolls are reliable, and the chicken combo on their menu is unexpectedly filling. Will it be the best food you’ve ever had? No, dummy – check out our 13 Best Restaurants list for that. This is just an easy, no-stress lunch option in the area.
Paper Platez
$ | (650) 439-8898 | WEBSITE
Paper Platez was essentially built for quick, relatively casual dining. So it’s ideal for a lunch break when you want to grab a few tacos without much fuss. That’s what they serve here, and you can get them in orders of two to four. Consider this place a more affordable alternative to Mexican cuisine, and stop by for some surf and turf wrapped in tortillas after you get out of work in Mountain View (or a surrounding area).
Taco Bell
$ | (650) 428-0570 | WEBSITE
If you’re looking for a fast-food spot where you can order something other than a standard taco and have no regrets, Taco Bell is a good option. Stop by on a weeknight and have some crispy + soft crust pancake, vegetarian options, or maybe even a classic taco if you’ve come to terms with being the sort of person who orders this.
Taco Bell is also cleaner than your average fast-food joint, and they have at least 10 different types of bright, shiny touch buttons to stare at while you swipe your card.
La Fontaine Mountain View
$$ | (650) 968-2300 | WEBSITE
If you’re looking for a place to enjoy a meal in Mountain View, you should be heading to La Fontaine. They serve fantastic food in a cozy and warm ambiance that makes it consistently impressive for diners, and most of their popular dishes are under $25. You can also get a variety of appetizers here, which is pretty much just a nice selection of items like bruschetta, calamari, and salads.
There’s also plenty of seating indoors and outdoors, and you can always sit at the bar and enjoy outstanding cocktails if it’s a special occasion and you want to relax with friends.
El Califas Tacos
$ | (925) 719-8562 | WEBSITE
El Califas Tacos is a Mexican food truck in Mountain View where you can grab some authentic tacos or try their signature melted cheese creations. But if it’s a quick lunch, you probably aren’t going to do anything too elaborate. You’ll probably just get a couple of their Al pastor or asada tacos, maybe a quesadilla, or one of their tasty veggie options.
You can’t go wrong with any of these choices, none of them will cost you too much, and there’s even some refreshing agua de jamaica to wash it all down.
Shoreline Lake American Bistro
$ | (650) 965-1745 | WEBSITE
You can just call this place Diet Shoreline. Not because it’s fancy, but because they serve the exact same quality food as the pricier lakeside spots in a more relaxed setting that doesn’t get quite as packed. Sure, weekends get busy – but if you swing by on a weekday afternoon, you should be able to snag a picnic table and a $14 chicken sandwich with homemade chips no problem.
Papa Johns Pizza
$ | (650) 969-7272 | WEBSITE
Papa John’s Pizza specializes in quick takeout pizza (which they track through text updates), but we especially like the Papa Pairings deal here. It offers items like medium cheese pizza with mushrooms, boneless parmesan chicken bites, or garlic knots with marinara sauce – and you can get them in a few different combinations, depending on how hungry, frugal, or indecisive you are.
Verde Tea Cafe
$ | (650) 210-9986 | WEBSITE
Verde Tea Cafe is a counter-service spot where you can get a large milk tea with boba and a side of popcorn chicken, or maybe some other fried snacks. There are also plenty of tea options like honey milk tea, Thai tea, taro milk tea, and sesame milk tea, and you’ll find it difficult to spend more than $15 on a meal here. There’s one location in downtown Mountain View, and it makes for an excellent backup plan when you can’t or won’t make your own food.
Panda Express
$ | (650) 691-9061 | WEBSITE
There are plenty of Panda Express locations in Mountain View, and they’re perfect for a quick meal that’s more satisfying than whatever burger you were thinking about grabbing elsewhere. The menu here is American Chinese, and it includes stuff like orange chicken, some very fresh and tasty dishes, and a lot of different combo options. If you go to fast food spots too often, this place is a great alternative, and they also serve consistently reliable food if you need something quick and decent.
The staff like Thao and Jordan provide friendly and efficient service when they’re on, making visits more enjoyable, though sometimes the service can be slow and employees seem grumpy when it’s busy. The restaurant is generally clean and organized, but the customer experience can be affected by occasional noise issues from staff or music, which can detract from the overall atmosphere.
Despite the good food, there have been reports of not receiving all items like sauces and fortune cookies, which you might have to request separately.
Mountain Mike’s Pizza
$ | (650) 988-9090 | WEBSITE
During the day, Mountain Mike’s Pizza is a family-friendly spot where you can grab a slice or a whole pie, and in the evening it transforms into a lively gathering place for groups and sports fans. They offer a variety of pizzas with plenty of toppings, from classic sausage to the vegetarian Himalayan with tandoori sauce. These pizzas range from about eighteen to thirty dollars for a large, so you can share one with friends or go for a personal size.
The handsome interior isn’t overly spacious, but there are booths and tables where you can sit if you’re with family, and you’ll likely wind up chatting with the friendly staff like Komal while they handle your order. The old recipe crust is superbly cooked, and the sauce is delicious, though some options like the pineapple or barbecue can get a bit soggy.
While the limited drink selection with only soda is a downside, the accommodating delivery service and excellent customer service make it worth a visit, even if the prices feel a bit high for the quality at times.
Eureka! Mountain View
$$ | (650) 426-0582 | WEBSITE
There are any number of ways you could go about a casual dinner at Eureka! Mountain View, and one of them involves a dish called the crispy kidney bean and beet vegetarian burger. If you don’t want a plant-based patty, however, you can get some Chinese chicken salad, fish tacos, or other vegetarian choices. Everything at this Mountain View spot is reasonably priced, and the atmosphere is consistently vibrant.
There isn’t anything too fancy about the well-designed interior, but the attentive service and kid-friendly amenities are perfect for a weeknight with friends and family.
Zareen’s
$ | (650) 600-7846 | WEBSITE
For a quick lunch, a reliable takeout order, or a flavorful meal on a busy day, Zareen’s will always be a solid choice. There’s a popular location in Mountain View, it has the same sort-of-delicious Indian food, and the whole place feels more or less like something you’d find near an office park where you could plausibly grab a satisfying bite between meetings.
Red Rock Coffee
$ | (650) 967-4473 | WEBSITE
Red Rock Coffee is good for a lot. You can work remotely here, or you can have a meeting. You can also bring a laptop, or you can come here with friends (or by yourself). You can also grab a table and spend $15 on coffee and a pastry, or you can just have a Gibraltar and get out for less than 6 bucks. The atmosphere here is artsy and relaxed, and the coffee is consistently divine. Plus, milk alternatives start at no extra charge.