Uptown's Papaya Thai is perfect Asian-Fusion fine dining

By Hannah Morris | One of Beaufort’s best kept secrets is the readily-available wide selection of culturally diverse food for both Beaufort locals and visitors to indulge in on a daily basis. Among these diverse locations resides Papaya Thai Cuisine, nestled in Beaufort’s Uptown neighborhood on Boundary Street in Newcastle Square. Papaya is definitely in the running as one of the most spectacular, palette pleasing, Asian-Fusion restaurants the area has ever seen.

Walk in and almost instantly you are greeted by members of the friendly staff who give you the option of eating at the sushi bar, inside the neatly decorated dining room, or outdoors on the patio if you are in the mood to enjoy the weather and watch the bustle of Boundary Street.

It was hard not to order the entire menu (though we most certainly attempted) sampling various bites of spring rolls, coconut soup (Tom Kah), a fresh avocado and lobster salad, three different fresh plated sushi rolls, and of course, a pad thai dish that is simply out of this world. During our dining, our friendly server Bri was eager to please, bringing our food at a perfect pace and boxing up our ample amounts of leftovers (which tasted equally as delicious reheated!)

After our award winning lunch we had the pleasure of speaking with the owner, Tee Dillon, a Beaufort transplant who was raised in Laos. When asked what she hoped to achieve with the menu, Tee replied, “We do a little bit of everything, an Asian blend. You get a little Japanese flavor with the sushi, we carry a lot of Thai dishes, and we also incorporate fresh caught fish from the area into signature one of a kind specials. If you aren’t into Asian food, I guarantee there is something on the menu for you still. We try to keep it new and fresh, and able to please a large audience.”

The food, service, and atmosphere are simply unparalleled – and with the option of lunch or dinner, a visit to Papaya fits into even the busiest of schedules. With a consistent Top 5 rating on Trip Advisor holding 4.5 stars, it’s very easy to see what the buzz is all about.

So if it’s been a while since you’ve let yourself dive into a pile of spectacularly seasoned noodles or artfully decorated sushi, or if you’re simply in the mood to have a local catch cooked to perfection, get together your friends and family and head down to Papaya today.