Best Thai place around Santa Cruz. We had a dinner out with my wife and we ordered Curry and Pad Thai. The food was great, but given that my wife is pregnant, she found Pad Thai a little spicy for her. We let the waiter know and they made for us Spring Rolls with side of prawns instead. All food was amazing: Pad Thai, Spring Rolls, Curry. But the most amazing thing was the warm care from the stuff and healthy, authentic food experience. Thank you so much. Customers for life. read more

We had a late lunch here after hiking at Nicene-Marks. Super close to the park and location is nice historic location with available parking. Inside of restaurant is nicely decorated and clean. Service was fast and friendly 1. Tom kom soup - 2/5 lots of broth with only chicken and onions which was not as great as what we've had at other Thai places 2. Basil chicken 5/5 delicious would definitely order again 3. Curry 3/5 was bland compared to other places 4. Pad Thai 3/5 lightly seasoned and not as good as other places we have tried Since it was our 1st time visiting and I always think that maybe it was just an "off day" we will probably visit again and try other dishes since the basil chicken was so good. read more

Green Papaya - Thai Near Me - Aptos, California

Just a heads-up, I tend to be pretty particular when it comes to Pad Thai and yellow curry, as those are usually my go-to dishes (along with tom yum and papaya salad) whenever I try a Thai restaurant. With that in mind, the yellow curry here leaned more on the subtle side and felt a bit under-seasoned for my personal taste. While it wasn't bad, it didn't quite stand out enough for me to order again. As for the Pad Thai, it wasn't quite what I typically look for. I found it to be a bit more sour than expected (even without adding lime), and overall it felt like it could have used a bit more depth of flavor. On a more positive note, the Thai tea was excellent and I really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend giving it a try! I opted for regular milk, but I imagine the coconut milk option would be just as delicious. The service was wonderful and everyone was kind, attentive, and accommodating. The ambiance was also beautiful and made for a really pleasant dining experience overall. read more

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Came here during the weekend early afternoon and it was such a calm dining experience, great ambiance. The service was great and the food was tasty, fresh, and delicious. It was made quickly which was so nice because we were pretty hungry! Will definitely be back again to try more items on their menu. Would appreciate some clarity on their spice levels available on the menu. We had the seafood pad Thai and the pad see ew with chicken and shrimp and both were very very good! read more

Green Papaya - Pad see ew, extra peanuts. - Thai Near Me - Aptos, California

We came here for a weekday dinner. I was so excited to see a new restaurant in this location. It was relatively quiet with just a few other tables occupied. We ordered prosecco, which came in individual bottles. We had 3 entrees to share: mixed vegetables with tofu, ginger chicken with a soup broth, and pad Thai with chicken. All were delicious. Flavorful and fresh. The tofu was a bit over cooked but otherwise it was good. The ginger chicken was a bit difficult to share but the flavors were good. Glad we came and will plan to come back when we're in town again. read more

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This place is legit. A rare diamond. We came for a late lunch on a Saturday. We ordered the Larb Salad with chicken -- phenomenal flavors and quite large -- as an appetizer to split. For mains: PANANG curry and the PAD KRA PAO MOO GROB. Decent size servings, fresh, fresh, fresh, and the perfect amount of kick. We also ordered a brown rice, which is more like a multigrain rice ($4), and a fried egg side ($4). Friendly service and lots of love went into the food. Clean; simple decor. We will be back. read more

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solid thai food with lots of flavor. I thoroughly enjoyed everything we ordered and want to try more. Highlights for me were the duck curry, crab rangoons, and curry puffs. Of course the pad Thai and iced tea were good as well. Staff was very nice. What an amazing addition to the area! read more

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Amazing food, fresh and delicious! Kind and attentive service. Ambiance is cozy and friendly. They were able to accommodate my gluten-free dietary restriction. Highly recommend for a fresh and delicious meal and a way to support an awesome new local business. read more

Green Papaya has to be one of the best places for Thai cuisine in all of Santa Cruz County. The $15 lunch menu is outstanding, generous portions, you choose your protein to top the delicious veggies, and wonderful complex flavor profiles. I had two appetizers, Spring Rolls and Chicken Satay both of which were flavorful and beautifully prepared. I took half home for dinner, unusual for an appetizer. Our server was helpful and not fazed by a group ordering many dishes . He even arranged the bill so we could easily figure out who owed what. A great find for casual delicious Thai food! Will definitely be back. read more

Green Papaya Authentic Thai Aptos CA Mon 2/17/25 Did you know that not all Thai spots are created equal? © This one shines like a rare star! You'll be welcomed with an ear to ear smile! You will leave with a happy tummy! Jirapha Nordgren is seating us in! I walk in and first thing I notice is the guy eating his dinner & reading the Palo Alto Daily! But we're 50 miles over the Summit in Aptos! Whadda ya know? Incidental encounter! I ask him this very question, and we chat for awhile about high tech & the SF Bay Area. Meanwhile, my party is waiting for me, to get our dinner started! Green Papaya is located in Aptos Village & it's more than just a place to eat, it adds so much to the entire community by offering authentic Thai dishes blended with warm atmosphere and local vibe! Every dish that we ordered burst with flavor and freshness! What a find! Couple of orders of Crab Rangoons that here are called Crab Lagoon! Delightful, delicate taste, atypical & unique! Order these & you'll thank me later, I guarantee you this! CRAB LAGOON Fried wonton stuffed with cream cheese, served with sweet & sour sauce. 12 One simply can't omit Tom Kha the Thai Coconut Soup when enjoying a meal here! Thai Coconut Soup! Large! TOM KHA COCONUT SOUP A delightful creamy soup with coconut milk and mushrooms, intensely flavored with galangal, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves, garnished with cilantro. Yummy! Large Peanut Sauce! Goes with everything! Someone in my party loves Thai Iced tea! My favorite dish I search for on a menu at any Thai establishment, is BBQ Chicken. And trust me, this dish is not created equal at any Thai spot there's out there! You've got to be careful with this particular dish, because it comes out completely different depending on their adaptation! I've had my share of finds & my disappointments! Green Papaya? They know how to make it right! Extraordinary! Don't forget to dip a piece of perfectly grilled glazed chicken thigh in the Tamarind sauce! A notch above the rest! THAI BBQ CHICKEN Grilled marinated chicken with Thai herbs, served with Tamarind sauce and seasonal vegetables! KHAO SOI CRISPY PORK Flavorful of Northern Thai curry egg noodles in coconut milk curry broth, with slow cooked crispy pork (+$3), topped with crispy egg noodles, sliced shallots, pickled mustard, and lime! Everyone loved it & so did I! -:) We've got to give a try to at least one Duck dish, let's go with roasted duck in a curry! ROASTED DUCK CURRY Roasted duck simmered in red curry paste with coconut milk, pineapples, tomatoes, bell pepper, and basil. So flavorful! It's a full bouquet of tastes & aromas! My taste buds sing! Delizioso! SWEET SOUR FISH Crispy deep-fried cod fish topped with pineapples, cucumber, tomatoes, onions, and bell peppers in a sweet & sour sauce. Very bright, veggie infused sorta speak, made colorful by red & yellow bell peppers, yellow onions & green onions (the trick is not to overcook them), pineapple that brings an extra level of sour sweetness, and the glaze of sauces, simmered together to perfection! Next time, I know the 2 highlights of the evening: the Crab Lagoon & the Thai BBQ Chicken! Amazing! Thank you to the owners Kae Bailes, Jirapha Nordgren, and Chef Boonrat Nantakarn! *It's red, it's white, or sometimes pink, A perfect drink, it makes me think! With every pour, my spirits climb, Cheers to life with a glass of wine! [ Review #831 w 7 pic Mar 4, 2025 ] CRAB LAGOON~Fried Wontons stuffed w Cream Cheese! Sweet & Sour Sauce! 12 TOM KHA Thai COCONUT SOUP! Creamy! Coconut~Mushrooms~Galangal~Lemongrass~Kaffir lime leaves~Cilantro! 16 KHAO SOI CRISPY PORK! Northern Thai curry crispy egg noodles~Sliced Shallots~Pickled Mustard~Lime! 19+3 ROASTED DUCK RED CURRY~Coconut Milk~Pineapples~Tomatoes~Bells~Basil! 24 THAI BBQ CHICKEN! Grilled! Marinated! Thai Herbs! Tamarind Sauce! Seasonal Veggies! 23 SWEET SOUR FISH~Crispy deep-fried Cod~Pineapples~Cucumber~Tomatoes~Onions~Bells! 23 Large Peanut Sauce! 6 2x Steamed Rice 6 Thai Iced Tea 5 @Green Papaya Authentic Thai Aptos CA Mon 2/17/25 read more

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I had heard good things about Green Papaya and was excited to try it for dinner. It turned out my partner went to high school with the owner, which made the experience feel even more promising--comp us a beer or appetizer at least. we thought it might add a personal touch to the evening. Before ordering, we let the owner (who also took our order) know that I cannot eat spicy food. We started with the coconut shrimp appetizer, but unfortunately, we were never given plates, utensils, or napkins--we had to get up and take them from another table ourselves. The appetizer included only four shrimp for $15, and they were overcooked, with the coconut coating hard and unpleasant. When our entrées arrived, I took a bite and realized my dish was spicy, despite clearly communicating my dietary restriction. I chose not to say anything, given the personal connection, but it was disappointing. Throughout the meal, no one checked on us, and we weren't offered dessert. After our plates were cleared, we were simply presented with a $95 bill. My partner reminded the Owner of my preference not to eat spicy food. His response was oh, I should have said something I forgot. While I understand that dining out can easily cost around $100 these days, I do expect attentive service--especially when it comes to honoring dietary requests and checking in with guests. Overall, the experience fell short, and unfortunately, I won't be returning. read more

I was looking for a new Thai spot after hiking in Nisene Marks, and I found this spot. The service was not great, I don't think they ever came near my table other than when I ordered or when I asked for my bill, even though I was one a few people dining. The space is clean and looks new. As for the food, it was pretty great. The noodles were the perfect texture, and the sauce was on point. But-- the broccoli had not been stir fried with the noodles so it was lacking flavor. I will definitely try again, as I really wanted to like this place! read more

Such good food. Fresh Ingredients! Friendly staff. So happy they opened here in Aptos. read more

I went here for lunch with my mother because I was told it was so close to actual Thai food in Thailand. I didn't find that to be even remotely true, but the food was tasty enough. We had green curry, tom kha kai, tom yum and pad see ew. The green curry had a good dose of coconut milk and was nice. But it was regular eggplant, not Thai eggplant. And that's a quite different flavor. No complexity to the curry and I'd be very, very surprised if they aren't using a canned curry paste. The noodles were low on noodles actually. But perfectly fine. Both the soups were decent. The service was a little weird to be honest. Aggressively and sort of fake friendly, then a request for a second napkin got them thrown at us. As did the request for chili. We're polite customers so it was quite odd. Perfectly fine at a hole in the wall in Bangkok--but a little off-putting sitting in the former space of Cafe Sparrow in one of the most expensive zip codes in the country. Look--it's perfectly decent Americanized Thai and their lunch specials are a good value for this area. But Thailand-like Thai food? I REALLY don't think so. Was there anything I couldn't easily have made at home after a shop at a decent Thai grocery? Well yes--the sticky rice was good. Maybe if my expectations hadn't been raised so high? But this is just ordinary Thai restaurant food that you could get most places. Absolutely nothing unusually authentic or interesting frankly. And certainly doesn't justify the prices on the dinner menu. read more

We arrived in the restaurant and were immediately greeted and seated. They have a well rounded menu with curries, noodles, salads, etc. The two of us shared the spring rolls with rice paper, tofu, lettuce, cucumber and carrots. It came with a peanut sauce and a vinegar type sauce which we mixed together. These were very fresh and tasty and good with the dip. We also loved the sautéd egg plant and asked for the tofu to be fried and chicken teriyaki with veggies and sesame seeds. On top of some brown rice this made for the perfect bite. Definitely worth a visit! read more

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Growing up I frequented Cafe Sparrow for special occasions. So my first time stepping through the threshold to the Green Papaya presnted a strange feeling. Although sparrow will always hold a special place in my heart I am not at all hating on its new host, the Green Papaya. The food was fresh and crisp presented with precision. My only regret was not taking more photos to share for your eyeballs to drool over. The coconut shrimp was fire. The green curry with chicken was one of the best I've ever had. We also ordered some Thai fried rice and spicy wide noodles with crispy pork. All good. Thai iced tea was also on point. read more

Green Papaya - COCONUT SHRIMP - Thai Near Me - Aptos, California

My favorite Thai restaurant! I go there all the time. Love the spacious and airy vibe, delicious and clean food, and the staff are always super friendly. read more

Green Papaya - Thai Near Me - Aptos, California

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Great food! Very fresh and seasoned perfectly as well as great presentation! The service was outstanding. We will definitely be back.

Best Thai food I have had in a long time! They had pumpkin soup as a special tonight ad it was amazing! Good service and nice ambience! We will definitely be back! read more

Green Papaya - Special menu - Thai Near Me - Aptos, California

The place is clean and cute, but the food was not good and the prices were high. I try to support local businesses as much as I can, but get so frustrated when I feel like I wasted my money and time. read more

The Green Papaya in Aptos Village dazzles the taste buds with exceptional food. The food is simply beautiful!  You can taste the quality and freshness.  Nothing standard here, these are true food artists.  Very accommodating with special requests. Relaxing lovely ambiance with comfortable seating gives Green Papaya a cool vibe. The location is across from the Historical Bayview Hotel  Aptos Village which was built in 1878. It's perfect for casual dining or a romantic date night.  Excellent service from Jacob & crew.  My highest recommendation Thai Yellow Curry with Sticky rice Pineapple Fried rice Coconut Shrimp w/ sweet & sour sauce Tom KHA (Coconut soup) Tom YUM SOUP Roti Egg rolls Pot stickers read more

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The atmosphere is pleasant. Wait staff has been very nice. There is a woman, possibly manager/owner, who lurks about expressionless. This is about our 3rd our or 4th visit. The menu presents some interesting departures from standard Thai fare. Elevated Thai, if you will. However, i always go back to standard offerings: pot stickers, tom kha soup with noodles or tofu, spicy green beans. All of these on lunch menu are pedestrian. Fried pot stickers, tasty but quite small. I like the Tom Kha but this time i had vegetable and rice noodle soup with pork. The broth was undeveloped and bland. Very few vegetables, plenty of noodles and pork. My wife's spicy green beans were big on rice and light on green beans, again kind of boring. I really need to break out and try some more interesting entrees on their Menu. Hope spring eternal. read more

Meh. This is white pipo fast casual Thai. I thought this service was slow, scattered and inefficient. Soup was okay. They were out of spring rolls. They somehow missed two of the dishes that we ordered and offered to bring them 20 minutes after we finished all the other food. We'd been waiting for the bill for a while And then finally our whole table turned our bodies and waved our arms in the air like we were at a '90s r&b concert to get the attention of anyone that worked there. I won't go back. Sawasdee is just so much better and only a short mile down the road. read more

Literally a 10/10 experience. We went on Christmas Eve, with a party of 6. Coconut milk Thai tea, Pad-see-yew noodles, pad Thai noodles, chicken satay, Tom kha soup, fresh spring rolls and potstickers. Fresh interior with a quaint design and a home cooked vibe. All the staff were so kind and made us feel so comfortable. Green Papaya is a great addition to the Aptos Village and I hope they stay in that spot for years to come. read more

Green Papaya - Pad-see-ew, chicken satay and potstickers - Thai Near Me - Aptos, California

Tried last night and enjoyed! After driving by this place several times for the last few months I decided to try it. Started with spring rolls. They were on the smaller side and only 4, but very tasty. They were vegetarian and filled with tofu, lettuce, rice, noodles, and the usual. It was served with a nice peanut sauce and I also use the chili sauce that also came with my to go order. Also ordered the red curry with chicken. It was very soupy as opposed to being more saucy, but the flavor was good. It didn't totally knock my socks off, but it was decently flavored with what appeared to be chicken breast although I'm not entirely sure if it was previously frozen chicken because it just didn't quite have the consistency of I cooked chicken breast that was then chopped it had uniform pieces. I am having a hard time describing, but it was white meat and not grizzly. Last, but not least I can't remember the exact name of the dish, but it was eggplant with vegetables and that was very good and vegetables were cooked nicely and fresh. Both entrées were placed over white rice, which I ordered separately because neither dish comes with it. Overall, it was quite tasty and I will try more things soon. When I picked up the go order after placing it online, I told the cashier that it was my first time trying it, and he assured me that I would be very happy with everything. After living here for more than a year and a half, I have not yet found any kind of Asian food that is decent and this was. I will say that it was on the expensive side meaning the appetizer, two dishes along with a side of steamed rice came to about $60 pretty steep. read more

Horrible service. The server is clueless. The closing time is 9pm. But when we were there at 8 pm, they were pressuring us to finish our dinner. I will never go there again. As for the food, it was below average. Very sweet when I asked 'Thai spicy'. The smell of toxic detergent by their staff scrubbing the floor while we were trying to enjoy our dinner is not pleasant. I asked the server for a bottle of wine for my wife and I. A few moments later, she asked my wife what she wanted. She goes back to the staff, talks to them, another server came to me and asked what wine we wanted!!!! Back to the food, it is tasteless. It is not pleasant when you are rushed out while their staff is mopping the floor with toxic detergents and too eager to get you out. read more

This is some of the best Thai food I have ever had. The restaurant staff is very friendly and the service was great. Can't wait to come back and try more of what is on the menu. read more

Green Papaya - Inside - Thai Near Me - Aptos, California

Come check out the green papaya! Food is delicious and fresh. The food and the restaurant is clean and amazing. Kae the owner is so sweet and the service is super friendly and attentive. Leaving full and feeling good (: Thank you! I'll be back again soon to try the rest of the menu! Thank you Kae & chef Ray! read more

The food was delicious and the hostess/server was very pleasant. Cute place overall.

My wife and I had dinner here this last Saturday. I had the Panang Salmon.Tom Kai soup and spring rolls. The flavors were delicate and incredible. My wife had the garlic prawns which she thoroughly enjoyed. The peanut sauce for the spring rolls was amazing We will definitely be back. read more

The food was very authentic and flavorful. The service was satisfying very kind waiters. The place was very clean. We would definitely recommend the yellow curry! We will definitely be back in the future ! read more

Great Thai place I love the level of spice of their papaya salad is amazing and Definitely Delicious! Will recommend to check it out.

Green Papaya is delish! The staff are very nice. I'll be returning here often. They do to go orders. Quite a few to go orders were being picked up as I dined in read more

Green Papaya - Rd curry with steak and sticky rice - Thai Near Me - Aptos, California

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The Chef's soup is too sweet. But everything else was good. They didn't rush us out after we paid for the dinner and stayed to talk and enjoy our visit. read more

Their tom yum is my favorite- so flavorful and tons of veggies. I've been here a lot since they've opened. All the noodle dishes are great. Both the chicken entrees too (one fried chicken, the other steamed chicken. I've gotten the fried chicken twice and each time it had different breading. I preferred it the way I had it the first time which was like a rice flour coating. The second time it was thicker and not the same. Love it here for dine in and take out. read more

Loved the Hainan chicken. It was cooked perfectly. Great service was prompt and friendly

Tried for the first time tonight and kinda of a bummer. Was so excited to have Thai food close by we ordered pickup and they did not pack spring rolls, though charged us for them, flavors were decent, however way overpriced priced, tofu veggie curry was basically just potatoes and tofu. Back to sawadees for sure much better value taste and portions read more

Great Thai food and friendly service. The staff went out of their way to make sure we knew what we'd be getting in our order and that we were okay with the level of spicyness. read more

a pleasant remake of the interior of the vaulted Cafe Sparrow did not make up for mediocre food and very weak service...over cooked noodles are easily avoided but this place seemingly did not care Not likely to return (parking is difficult) read more

The food here?!?! Amazing. I always get it to go so I can't speak on the service or ambiance but WOW is the food good. Literally the best Thai food I've ever had in CA. read more