Tootsie's at the Cantor Arts Center: Premier Cafe with Authentic Italian Flavors & Scenic Stanford Setting

Honestly, this place deserves more than 4.1 stars compared to the other options on campus. Great espresso, delicious tiramisù, and some authentic Italian dishes. The atmosphere is very nice, with a beautiful garden that’s perfect for hanging out. Highly recommended for a quick coffee or lunch!

My first impression was of a performance stage perched high above us, with lunch service and a gentle soundtrack accompanying our meal. The outdoor area delighted with its murmur of conversations as we dined after an intense writing workshop on a Saturday afternoon. I would have loved to see a live jazz band with a vocalist singing about peace, love, and understanding on the very day I visited—when we had attacked Iran and hardly took notice of the weight of that moment.

The food is always good here, well-prepared, tasty, and nutritious. The coffee is excellent and the service is friendly. I especially love that we can eat on the patio, away from the music, so we can hear each other, and overlooking lawn, trees, and Rodin.

Best cafe not only in Stanford but the larger Palo Alto area - lovely light healthy food, excellent espresso drinks, and uniquely beautiful shaded grassy setting next to Cantor Arts Center and Stanford’s arts and art history building, which itself includes a publicly accessible rooftop terrace with sweeping views of campus and the adjacent hills and mountains. Ignore the low-starred reviews from tourists looking for McDonald’s and come enjoy this hidden gem!

09.17.25 2pm Had just an Americano and a canned flavored Pellegrino. The gentleman who helped me made the espresso an Americano for daddy so it wouldn't be too strong. He was so lovely, thank you to him! The cafe is bright, clean, well maintained, has lots of indoor and outdoor seating with patio umbrella shades, uses real silverware and offers raw cane sugar for your coffee and has plenty of outlets for your devices on the counter seating area though you must bring your own USB/USC converters. Daddy said coffee was very good. Cafe kept seeing an influx of customers. The salads and soup looked delicious so will try them next time we're visiting the Cantor Art Museum.

Tootsies at the Museum is the definition of a hidden gem. Tucked inside the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford, it’s the last place you’d expect to find a charming, sun-drenched café that feels like a slice of Italy—but here it is, doing the most. The vibe is European and effortlessly chic. Think white tile, natural light, and a pastry case that makes you stop in your tracks. Their biscotti are crisp and fragrant, the kind you want to dip in a proper cappuccino and stretch out your morning with. The pastry selection? Next-level. Flaky, buttery, thoughtfully curated. And then there’s the surprise—an actually excellent beer selection and some swoon-worthy desserts. Every item feels chosen with care, nothing phoned in. For a museum café, this place wildly overdelivers. It’s the kind of spot that makes you want to linger after a stroll through the galleries. Tootsies is officially my new favorite excuse to come back to Stanford - aside from the amazing new voyager cafe.