Sheridan Plaza

Sheridan Plaza - Rear View - 200 Sheridan Avenue, Palo Alto [California Avenue] 1994

This charming POPOS known as Sheridan Plaza offers a refreshing respite from the increasingly dense California Avenue neighborhood. The entrance (and the map link) will lead you to a lovely restaurant - Caffe Riace - that occupies the entire courtyard. Despite signage to the contrary, this is one of Palo Alto’s POPOS - negotiated as part of the apartment complex at 200 Sheridan Avenue in 1994.

Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, this plaza features a central fountain with a sculpture of a woman holding a washing machine and several larger-than-life sculptures of nude warriors wearing helmets, holding shields and spears and other “equipment”. There are tables throughout the public plaza that are owned by the restaurant. Official public seating is limited to the “bench” that encircles the fountain.

You are welcome to enter at any time and enjoy the space as long as you don’t “interfere” with the owner. I am not sure what that means but assume you need to be polite as you exercise your rights as a member of the Public. If the restaurant is open, I suggest that you introduce yourself as a member of the Public there to enjoy your Public Benefit and sit at one of the tables not currently occupied by a paying restaurant customer. Those are the only places to sit, really, as it’s hard to have a conversation or sit comfortably for long at the edge of the fountain.

You might also want to take advantage of what the restaurant has to offer - or you can bring your own food and beverages from home or another establishment if you prefer.