Opening alert: State of Mind Public House and Pizzeria in Los Altos | Peninsula Foodist | Elena Kadvany | Almanac Online |

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Opening alert: State of Mind Public House and Pizzeria in Los Altos

Uploaded: Jan 11, 2018
Pizza, craft beer and arcade games are on tap at State of Mind Public House and Pizzeria, which soft opened in Los Altos on Wednesday, Jan. 10.

The 101 Plaza North restaurant, inspired by the Golden State, pays homage to California beer and ingredients.

State of Mind has local roots. Palo Alto native Lars Smith, co-owner of The Tap Room in Palo Alto, along with his brother, Andrew, also a Tap Room co-owner, and Amy Betz, a former Tap Room manager, teamed up to open the restaurant. The Smiths grew up in and around the food industry, with family members owning restaurants and their mother, a catering business. 

An opening menu features pizza, small bites, wings, salads, sandwiches and desserts. The pizza is made from slow-proofed dough that is hand-stretched into 14-inch pies.

Try State of Mind's "What the duck" pizza, which took home first place in the non-traditional division at the International Pizza Challenge last year. It comes with a foie gras and black garlic cream sauce, mozzarella, Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co. toma cheese, a sour cherry relish, duck, frisée, mustard vinaigrette and pickled cherry ($24).


The aforementioned "What the duck pizza," pictured at the International Pizza Challenge in 2016. Photo courtesy Lars Smith.

For traditionalists, State of Mind also serves a "plain ol' cheese" pizza and pies with typical toppings such as pepperoni, mushrooms, sausage and pepper.

Other bar-friendly dishes include a local sausage plate, cheese fries, double-fried wings and a fried chicken sandwich.

State of Mind serves a rotating list of California craft beers and wine from independent wineries throughout the state.

Customers can enjoy a slice of 'za in the brewcade, a section of the restaurant devoted to 90's arcade and pinball machines.

State of Mind's soft opening hours are noon to 9 p.m. daily.
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Comments

Posted by Cash guy, a resident of another community,
on Jan 12, 2018 at 11:54 am

My favorite coffee place, Cafe Venetia on University in Palo Alto has decided to reject cash as a payment option. The Tap Room also doesn't accept cash, and in addition doesn't pour pitchers. I won't be going back to either place because of their payment policies.

I know many places in Sweden reject cash now, but is this becoming an unfortunate trend here?


Posted by Gary's Old Town Tavern, a resident of another community,
on Jan 12, 2018 at 12:16 pm

Looks interesting. You don't see many new restaurants opening with a built in arcade. Throwback!


Posted by Max Hauser, a resident of Old Mountain View,
on Jan 12, 2018 at 2:39 pm

Max Hauser is a registered user.

To "cash guy:" Yes cash-free eateries seem to be a minor trend (the Sweetgreens chain all operate that way, for instance). My impression is that, although it takes getting used to, this attracts more customers than it deters. You can always use a credit card, which most people have (and often use to settle restaurant checks anyway), and there are smartphone payment "apps."

I wondered at first about this, in the context of the longtime "legal tender for all purposes" principle (printed on US paper money since when paper circulated along with gold and silver currencies, which historically some people would prefer). But checking into it, compulsory acceptance of paper money arises only once a debt is actually incurred. When a business declares up front that it accepts only other payment forms, then that practice is generally unexceptionable and legal.

Employees I asked at one such restaurant said they much preferred not handling money, for various reasons including that it keeps their hands (literally) cleaner.


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