The Patio at Calave on a Night the Mezcal Talks

Calave at 299 California Avenue brings something Palo Alto needs -- a mezcal-forward bar with serious drinks, a covered patio strung with lights, and an atmosphere that acknowledges Silicon Valley works hard and deserves to drink well. The mezcal selection is deep: smoky espadin, floral tobala, wild-harvested tepextate -- each one a different argument about what agave can do when roasted in a pit and distilled by someone who learned the process from their grandparents.

The cocktails use the mezcal as a foundation rather than a gimmick -- the Oaxacan Old Fashioned balances smoke and sweetness with precision. The food leans upscale Mexican -- tacos with Niman Ranch pork, ceviche with local halibut -- and the kitchen runs late enough that the after-dinner crowd can eat again without shame.

The patio is where the evening lives. California Avenue is quieter than University Avenue -- more neighborhood, less venture capital -- and the outdoor tables catch the evening breeze from the foothills.

Insider tip: Ask for the mezcal flight. Three pours, three regions, three production methods. The bartender will walk you through the differences, and by the third glass you will understand why mezcal people are evangelical about the spirit.