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Best Restaurant and Food in Santa Cruz - Laili, Santa Cruz, CA

Laili

4.7
4.7
2885 Reviews
$30 and under
Mediterranean

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm
Booked 13 times today
Experiences are available.
  • Good for special occasions
  • Neighbourhood gem
  • Charming
Laili is our expression of love through food and service. We offer a unique menu made up of fusion Afghani Mediterranean items that include kabobs, wraps, flatbreads, pastas, and spiced lamb and chicken dishes as well as delicious vegetarian options.

Laili Restaurant "BEST MIDDLE EASTERN RESTAURANT", Good Times 2023, Voted #1

Rich Mediterranean Flavors with a Unique Afghan Twist in the Heart of Downtown Santa Cruz.
Currently taking reservations for lunch and dinner, walk-ins welcome too.

Dine in our elegant, secluded, off street patio. Visit our website for event information.

Order delivery or takeout

Private dining

Private dining

Book your next event with us

View details

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Mediterranean, Afghan
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Tue–Sat 12:00 pm–2:30 pm Dinner Tue–Thu 5:00 pm–8:30 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (831) 423-4545
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Catering
    Get Laili’s Food at your location! Call or email us for prices and availability. Parties 50-500
  • Private party facilities
    Whether celebrating a special occasion with family and friends or hosting a corporate gathering, Laili Restaurant can accommodate all your special event needs.
  • Private party contact
    Xander Nicolai: (831) 423-4545
  • Area
    Santa Cruz
  • Cross Street
    Pacific Avenue
  • Parking details
    Take advantage of free parking located on River Street at Front Street. In addition to metered street parking, there is also a parking lot at Front Street and Soquel and also at Locust Street and Pacific Avenue.
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeaway, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

  • Lunchtime Oasis

    Multiple dates available
    Come experience lunch time at Laili, the hidden gem of Downtown Santa Cruz! Sit and relax on our gorgeous patio and enjoy the sunshine, the beautiful vines and flowers all around that envelop you with the feel of a secret garden, and of course, our delicious, fresh food! We offer special lunch time combos, an amazing wine list and delicious and refreshing non-alcoholic options like our fresh Ginger Lime Soda. Take some time to slow down and treat yourself.
    Lunchtime Oasis photo

What 2,885 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.5Ambience
  • 4.3Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos

    Best Overall

  • Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos

    Best Food

  • Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos

    Best Service

  • Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos

    Best Value

  • Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos

    Innovative

  • Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos

    Healthy

  • Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos

    Neighbourhood gem

  • Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos

    Good for special occasions

  • Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Laili offers a delightful dining experience with "excellent food" and a "beautiful outdoor patio." Guests rave about the "delicious Mediterranean cuisine" and "unique flavors." The service is often praised as "attentive and friendly," enhancing the charming ambience. While prices may be high, the "creative menu" and inviting atmosphere make it a must-visit in Santa Cruz.

2,885 Reviews
  1. Troy

    Cincinnati19 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our server Dylan was friendly and had some great recommendations for us. Food was fantastic. Quick and the right portion size. Really enjoyed the evening. Cheers

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  2. Marjorie

    San Francisco13 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    As good as it gets. Service perfect. Combination main course with sides, elegant wonderful.

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  3. Anahita

    San Francisco1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 2 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Nice atmosphere & delicious food! Always happy with our choices.
    LailiResponded 6 days ago
    Hi Anahita, Happy to hear you had a wonderful experience at Laili! We look forward to seeing you again soon! Sincerely, Xander N. GM Laili Restaurant

    Is this helpful?

  4. James

    San Francisco18 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 28 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Second time we've gone during Burger Week. Laili only have two offerings, but both are great.
    LailiResponded 6 days ago
    Hi James, Great to hear our burgers having you coming back for seconds! Burger Week is always a wonderful time to experience specialty burgers! We are glad you have loved both of ours! Come on back for thirds as Burger Week is almost over! Sincerely, Xander N. GM Laili Restaurant

    Is this helpful?

  5. Amanda

    San Francisco1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 23 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Loved our time there for dinner! Appreciate our time there.
    LailiResponded on 23 February 2025
    Thank you for dining with us! We're so glad you enjoyed your time at Laili and appreciate your kind words. We look forward to welcoming you back again soon! Sincerely, Xander N. GM Laili Restaurant

    Is this helpful?

  6. Sara

    San Francisco1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 22 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We celebrated my daughter’s birthday and the entire staff was incredibly professional and attentive. The food was excellent and timely. The outdoor patio was gorgeous!
    LailiResponded on 23 February 2025
    Thank you for celebrating your daughter’s special day with us! We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed the food, service, and beautiful outdoor patio. It was our pleasure to make the occasion memorable for you. We hope to welcome you back for many more celebrations in the future! Sincerely, Xander N. GM Laili Restaurant

    Is this helpful?

  7. Lisa

    Sacramento11 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on 20 February 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Another exotic and tasty meal at Laili’s. The flavors, textures, service and ambience never let me down. I will be back.
    LailiResponded on 23 February 2025
    Thank you for your wonderful review! We're thrilled that you continue to enjoy the exotic flavors, textures, service, and ambiance at Laili. It means so much to us that we can provide a consistently great experience. We look forward to welcoming you back again soon! Sincerely, Xander N. GM Laili Restaurant

    Is this helpful?

  8. bob VIP

    New York City126 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on 20 February 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Lovely meal. Chose restaurant because they had trout on the menu. Eggplant in a pomegranate sauce was tasty. Choice selection was varied but I would have liked to have seen more fish on the menu. Missed my espresso after dinner but their French press was good. Pleasant and attentive service. A bit too noisy.
    LailiResponded on 23 February 2025
    Thank you for dining with us and for sharing your thoughtful feedback! We're glad you enjoyed the trout, eggplant with pomegranate sauce, and our French press coffee. We appreciate your input on adding more fish options and will keep it in mind for future menu updates. We also understand that noise levels can vary, and we’ll continue striving to create a comfortable dining experience for all our guests. We hope to welcome you back to Laili soon! Sincerely, Xander N. GM Laili Restaurant

    Is this helpful?

  9. Nancy

    San Francisco1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 19 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Food is good, fresh, and well prepared. As everywhere right now prices are high so it is not often we will be able to return.Love the environment and lighting!
    LailiResponded on 23 February 2025
    Thank you for your kind words! We're delighted that you enjoyed the fresh, well-prepared food and the ambiance at Laili. We understand that dining out is a special occasion, and we truly appreciate you choosing to spend your time with us. We hope to welcome you back whenever you’re able to visit again! Sincerely, Xander N. GM Laili Restaurant

    Is this helpful?

  10. David VIP

    Chicago52 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 19 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We enjoyed a creative menu with exotic flavors combined with excellent service in a beautiful setting.
    LailiResponded on 23 February 2025
    Thank you for your kind words! We're delighted that you enjoyed our creative menu, exotic flavors, and excellent service. It’s wonderful to hear that our setting added to your experience as well. We look forward to welcoming you back to Laili Restaurant soon! Xander N. GM Laili Restaurant

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Laili offers delivery in partnership with Uber Eats. Laili also offers takeaway which you can order by calling the restaurant at (831) 423-4545.

Laili is rated 4.7 stars by 2885 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
7:00 pm
Booked 13 times today
Experiences are available.

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Laili

101B Cooper St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    Pacific Avenue
  • Area
    Santa Cruz
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Tue–Sat 12:00 pm–2:30 pm Dinner Tue–Thu 5:00 pm–8:30 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Mediterranean, Afghan
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Take advantage of free parking located on River Street at Front Street. In addition to metered street parking, there is also a parking lot at Front Street and Soquel and also at Locust Street and Pacific Avenue.
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeaway, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
    (831) 423-4545
  • Catering
    Get Laili’s Food at your location! Call or email us for prices and availability. Parties 50-500
  • Private party facilities
    Whether celebrating a special occasion with family and friends or hosting a corporate gathering, Laili Restaurant can accommodate all your special event needs.
  • Private party contact
    Xander Nicolai: (831) 423-4545
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms of Use
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  • Cookie Preferences
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