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

Laili

4.7 (2890)
$30 and under
Mediterranean
101B Cooper St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Make a reservation

2 people
7:30 PM
Booked 31 times today
Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

  • Great for outdoor dining
  • Good for special occasions
  • 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.

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
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Catering
    No large catering available for the 2025.
  • 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
  • Neighborhood
    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, Takeout, 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

Private dining

What 2,890 people are saying

Laili reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

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
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.4Value

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 Ambiance

  • Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos

    Best Value

  • Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos

    Good for groups

  • Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos

    Healthy

  • Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos

    Great for outdoor dining

  • Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos

    Romantic

  • 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 "great food" and "excellent service." Guests praise the "beautiful patio atmosphere" and "savory Silk Road spices." Highlights include lamb kebobs, apricot chicken flatbread, and a "lovely garden setting." Despite occasional service hiccups, most diners find it "highly recommended" and a favorite Santa Cruz spot.
2,890 Reviews
  1. Julie

    San Francisco Bay Area1 review

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Outdoor patio beautifully landscaped, extremely friendly staff, superb service, consistently excellent food. Low sound level. Conveniently located in center of down town with easy garage parking only a block away.

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  2. Monique

    San Francisco Bay Area2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    A consistently enjoyable restaurant. Everything was well presented and delicious.

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  3. Chris

    San Francisco Bay Area12 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 15, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This was our first time at Laili and, wow, were we impressed! It's a beautiful place, very spacious, and they have a lovely patio area. The food from start to finish was excellent, as was the service. We started with the Mediterranean Plate and the Apricot Chicken Flatbread and had the Anar Chicken and Filet Mignon Kebab for dinner -- so, so good!! Highly recommend and will be back.
    LailiResponded on June 21, 2025
    Thank you so much for the wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear that your first visit to Laili made such a great impression. It means a lot to know you enjoyed the ambiance, service, and especially the dishes—from the Mediterranean Plate to the Filet Mignon Kebab. We can’t wait to welcome you back for another memorable experience on the patio or inside. See you again soon! Sincerely, Xander N. GM Laili Restaurant

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  4. Gene

    San Francisco Bay Area4 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on June 15, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    Quite busy. Waitress did not bring salad or naan bread as requested.
    LailiResponded on June 21, 2025
    Thank you for dining with us and for taking the time to share your feedback. We're truly sorry to hear that your salad and naan were missed during your visit. That’s not the level of service we strive to provide, especially when things get busy. We’d appreciate the opportunity to learn more about your experience—if you're willing, please email us with the date and time of your visit. We hope to welcome you back soon and provide the full experience you deserve. Sincerely, Xander N. GM Laili Restaurant

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  5. Thomas

    San Francisco Bay Area6 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 5, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had great food, an excellent waitress and a heat lamp so we could sit in the courtyard comfortably. We had a great dinner!
    LailiResponded on June 7, 2025
    Happy to hear you had a wonderful experience! Talulah is one of our best servers and we are happy to know she represented Laili's dedication to excellent customer service very well during your visit with us! We hope to see you again soon! Sincerely, Xander N. GM Laili Restaurant

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  6. alan

    Seattle / Eastern Washington1 review

    4.0

    Dined on June 3, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    dined in the outdoor courtyard for a lunch with special folks and the slow food, lovely gardens were just perfect.
    LailiResponded on June 7, 2025
    Hi Alan, Great to hear you loved the ambience! If you have some time, we would love to hear back on how we could have hit a full 5 star review from your visit! Please give us a call at 8314234545 anytime during regular business hours. We hope to see you again soon! Sincerely, Xander N. GM Laili Restaurant

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  7. Cary

    San Francisco Bay Area4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 1, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Food, options, service were all outstanding. The one downside was the level of noise in the restaurant. We will definitely return. Would definitely recommend Laili.
    LailiResponded on June 4, 2025
    Thank you for your thoughtful feedback! We're so glad you enjoyed the food, service, and overall experience. We appreciate you mentioning the noise level—it’s something we continue to work on improving. We look forward to welcoming you back soon and truly value your recommendation! Sincerely, Xander N. GM Laili Restaurant

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  8. Fred

    San Francisco Bay Area2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 31, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food and service. Love everything on the menu!
    LailiResponded on June 4, 2025
    Thank you for the lovely review! We’re so glad to hear you’ve enjoyed both the food and service. It means a lot to know you love everything on the menu—our team puts great care into each dish. We can’t wait to welcome you back soon! Sincerely, Xander N. GM Laili Restaurant

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  9. Nikki

    San Francisco Bay Area2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 30, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Laili is wonderful in every way. High quality food. Excellent staff. Beautiful patio atmosphere. Love this restaurant. Great for the whole family. Our go to spot for special occasions.
    LailiResponded on June 4, 2025
    Thank you for the heartfelt review! We're so grateful to be your go-to spot for special occasions—and for family meals, too. It’s always our goal to provide exceptional food, warm service, and a beautiful setting, so hearing this truly means a lot. We look forward to celebrating many more memorable moments with you! Sincerely, Xander N. GM Laili Restaurant

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  10. Lisa

    Sacramento / Sacramento Valley12 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 28, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I have nothing but praise for Laili. I've eaten here for many years and have always been delighted by my meal, the service, and the ambience.
    LailiResponded on June 4, 2025
    Thank you so much for your kind words and continued support over the years! We're truly honored to be a place you return to time and again. It means the world to us to know you've consistently enjoyed the food, service, and ambiance. We look forward to welcoming you back for many more wonderful meals! Sincerely, Xander N. GM Laili Restaurant

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FAQs

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

Laili is rated 4.7 stars by 2890 OpenTable diners.

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

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. San Francisco Bay Area
  4. Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos
  5. Santa Cruz

Make a reservation

2 people
7:30 PM
Booked 31 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Laili

101B Cooper St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Pacific Avenue
  • Neighborhood
    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, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
  • Catering
    No large catering available for the 2025.
  • 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
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