Hidden behind the facades of fancy restaurants on Palo Alto’s California Ave. is Backyard Brew, a charming and intimate café. After walking through a narrow alleyway of intricate murals, customers will stumble into a cozy backyard filled with an old Volkswagen van bus and a coffee bar. Customers sip on their coffee while enjoying a varied selection of tunes and soaking up the fresh Peninsula sunshine.
Owner Ryan Khalil founded Backyard Brew in 2016 when he discovered a vacant space across from his parents’ restaurant, Mediterranean Wraps. The patio had nothing but junk and leftover restaurant equipment, but Khalil promised the landlord he could “turn it into a viable space.”
Before Backyard Brew, Khalil had several unsuccessful business ventures, and those around him were doubtful that his new café idea would be any different. “Everyone thinks you’re crazy and nobody believes in you,” Khalil said.
Today, however, the café is booming with business. Customers are drawn to the cozy outdoor setup, which mimics the homey, relaxing feeling of being in your backyard.
The café offers a variety of seating options, including tables and lounge chairs. To order food and beverages, customers head to the counter, where friendly staff members assist them with their diverse menu.
When entering the narrow alleyway decorated with a cartoon-like collage, there is an immediate peaceful aura—as if you’re no longer on the busy main street—mixed with liveliness and chatter. Dispersed throughout the café are customers working silently along with groups talking among friends and colleagues. “You see so many people. You see people working, but also people talking,” Bhardwa said. Khalil described the environment as “Human. Not just lively, it’s human.”
The café’s interior is filled with vintage furniture and artistic touches. At the center, a blue vintage car serves as a main attraction, while a retro radio with figurines decorates the counter, along with other vintage pieces that are dispersed throughout the café. On the walls are doodles and notes written by customers. “I encourage people to just make their mark, and add value to the space,” Khalil said.
In addition to their unique outdoor environment, Backyard Brew also differs from other coffee shops with its innovative menu. “It has character and it’s not just plain-Jane. I think everything about this café is not conventional,” customer Tanvi Bhardwa said.
The wide variety of creative drinks ranges from classic brew flavors to uniquely crafted beverages. Some fan favorites include the Banana Bread Latte, Nutella Mocha, and Desert Rose Latte. The Banana Bread Latte, in particular, stands out with its subtle banana flavor mixed with cinnamon.
Khalil strives to serve an array of diverse flavors of food and beverages. Some of his coffee blends are inspired by various different countries including Turkey, Ethiopia, India and Brazil. In addition to drinks, Backyard Brew offers a selection of pastries and comfort food, featuring dishes like Asian potstickers and teriyaki mixes, as well as a variety of Mexican tacos.
Khalil refers to himself as the “Tailor of Flavor” because he is constantly innovating new ways to make coffee, tea, and food. He focuses on using real and natural ingredients, unlike other companies in the industry that “use pumps and synthetic flavors.”
Moreover, Backyard Brew lets customers swap out drinks for free––a unique, lesser-known service compared to other conventional cafés. “If you don’t like something, you just let us know and we’ll gladly swap it out. The most I’ve done was 15 drinks with one person,” he said.
In the eight years since Backyard Brew opened, a lot has changed, whether that be the menu, interior design or technological payment option. Despite all of these changes, Khalil’s central goal remains the same. “My favorite thing is just making people happy and helping them discover new things. If I can affect one person in a positive direction, it’s amazing. I want to add value into this world in the best way possible,” Khalil said.
“When you make decisions based on your gut feeling and align your internal to your external, life tends to be a lot more beautiful than making decisions based off of the spreadsheet,” Khalil said about what he’s learned from creating Backyard Brew. “Life’s not necessarily a cookie cutter.”
Find more information about Backyard Brew here. It is located at 444 California Ave., Palo Alto.
