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    Green Papaya

    4.1 (62 reviews)
    Closed 12:00 pm - 3:00 PM, 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
    Updated 1 month ago

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    Pad see ew, extra peanuts.
    Sandi S.

    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!

    Ginger chicken with broth
    Leanne G.

    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.

    Menu
    Sarah L.

    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.

    Thai iced tea
    Sarah I.

    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!

    KHAO SOI CRISPY PORK! Northern Thai curry crispy egg noodles~Sliced Shallots~Pickled Mustard~Lime! 19+3@Green Papaya Aptos CA Mon 2/17/25
    Grey R.

    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

    Menu
    Julie L.

    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!

    COCONUT SHRIMP
    Jordan B.

    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.

    Rain b.

    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.

    Special menu

    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!

    Tom Yum soup

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    6 months ago

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

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    Jirapha N.

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    10 months ago

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

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    1 year ago

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

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    1 year ago

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

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Green Papaya

    Do they take reservations?

    Absolutely, we accept bookings for groups of 4 or more, although walk-ins are welcome for smaller groups.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    I Really Love Thai Food and have eaten at most of the Thai restaurants in and around the Santa Cruz…read morearea and that's why I say that Thai Basil (in Capitola) is by far the Best Thai restaurant I've ever eaten at and is probably one of the Best restaurants in Santa Cruz, period! Sure there are good Thai restaurants in Santa Cruz but they are what you would expect at any decent Thai eatery...But Thai Basil Is So Much Better than those other Thai restaurants! Rather small and unassuming, Thai Basil takes the normal Thai dishes and bumps them up several notches, serving you cuisine that is different from what you've gotten used to, from other Thai places! All of their dishes are unique, as they are so delicious and fresh, tasting like you're eating at a Thai home, rather than a restaurant! And in a way, you are. Thai Basil is a Family Run business that serves family recipes, as opposed to traditional restaurant dishes. Each dish looks and tastes different from what you might expect. The sauces explode with flavors of fresh herbs, spices and freshness that only comes from a family's favorite home recipes, cooked and prepared traditionally! Thai Basil is so definitely a "family affair"! Mom & Dad prepare the meals, (from their own recipes) while their daughter and son wait on tables. The more I went to this cafe, it became obvious that this was becoming a Capitola favorite too! You will see many locals eating here, store owners, city workers and law enforcement officers, filling up on the amazing Thai family food! So, my recommendation is that you get over to Thai Basil and eat like you're part of the family!

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    Thai Basil - Ambience

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    Green Papaya - thai - Updated May 2026

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