Some of the superheroes who put on the Gourmet Vegetarian Dinners (2003)

Our primary activity is putting on a Gourmet Vegetarian Dinner every Monday night in Palo Alto, at the First Baptist Church, 305 North California Avenue at Bryant, 1/4 mile East of Alma. This is a full vegan dinner which includes soup, grain, beans or bean products, vegetables, dessert, and beverage, prepared by expert natural foods Chef Gary Alinder, our Chef since our inception in 1987. Dinner price is $15, reservations requested by Monday, 9:30 AM, 650 599-3320. If you can't dine with us, you can order a takeout!

Frequently Asked Questions

This section is for the benefit of those new to the Gourmet Vegetarian Dinners, served Mondays in Palo Alto. Click on a question to view (and to close) the answer.

I'm interested in your Dinners, but I'm not sure about coming because I'm single and I won't know anyone there.
Please come! Our Dinner Manager will help integrate you into our group. Seating is communal, with 8-10 people at a table. All are friendly; our regular diners often spontaneously introduce themselves to newcomers. If you like, we can put you to work serving Dinner!

Do I need to make a reservation for the Dinner at 6:30 PM?
So our chefs can purchase appropriate quantities of food, reservations are requested by Monday morning at 9:30 AM.

To reserve, call 650 599-3320 to hear our recorded message and record your reservation. For our special dinners which may sell out, such as the Anniversary in May or Thanksgiving Theme Dinner in November, early reservations (days in advance) are advised.

If before 9:30 AM, leaving a message is sufficient to make a reservation. You can leave a call back number, but we will call you back only if there is a problem.

If after 9:30 AM and you are still interested in Dinner, leave a message with a callback number. If we can accomodate you, we will call you back. (This is a new policy beginning 2006.)

Can I make Dinner reservations by email or through your website?
Yes, click here to view the RSVP form. Or you can make reservations by telephone, call 650 599-3320.

I'm interested in your Dinners, but I'm not sure about coming because I'm single and I won't know anyone there.
Please come! Our Dinner Manager will help integrate you into our group. Seating is communal, with 8-10 people at a table. All are friendly; our regular diners often spontaneously introduce themselves to newcomers. If you like, we can put you to work serving Dinner!

Or if you prefer, you can get a takeout dinner to enjoy at home.

Do you accept credit cards or checks?
No. We do not accept credit cards or checks--bad checks have been a problem for us. Please pay with cash.

If I cannot honor a Dinner reservation that I've made, should I let you know?
Yes. Please call 650 599-3320 to let us know as soon as possible, so we can transfer your reservation to another interested party. Reservations that are not honored increase our costs.

Do I need to make a reservation for the lecture at 8:00 PM, on evenings featuring a lecture?
It is not necessary to make a reservation for the lecture.

Note that we have a pass-the-hat policy for our After-Dinner Events; we suggest a donation of $5-10. All money collected goes to the speaker.

Also note that the suggested donation is separate from the Dinner price. If attending both dinner and lecture, total cost will be $15 (dinner) + $5-10 (suggested donation) = $20-25.

Where will the Dinner and Lecture take place? Can you provide a map?
The First Baptist Church, 305 North California Avenue at Bryant (click for map), 1/4 mile east of Alma, Palo Alto, CA. There are two buildings on the church grounds, the main church and a smaller building (Fellowship Hall) next to it. We meet in Fellowship Hall.

Where do I park?
There is ample street parking available. The church is in a quiet residential neighborhood; please be considerate of the neighbors and do not block driveways.

The church requests that you do not park in a church parking space alongside Fellowship Hall, even if open spaces are available.