Restaurant review: Na Na Thai, Buellton

After celebrating its first birthday, Na Na Thai is still surrounded by buzz that’s as strong as when it first opened. What started out as a successful series of pop-ups at Bar Le Côte in Los Olivos has evolved into a wildly popular restaurant in Buellton.

Husband-and-wife team Nik and Ashley Ramirez own the colorful strip mall spot along with Greg and Daisy Ryan, who helm Bell’s in Los Alamos and the Companion Hospitality group. Restaurant vets Nik and Ashley lived for four years on a street known as Soi Na Na in Bangkok, where they became infatuated with the intense flavors of the city’s street food. 

Now their casual restaurant sees a lively mix of locals, foodies who hop off US Highway 101, and Santa Ynez Valley wine industry folks.

While turning out high-caliber food with a spotlight on ingredients from local farms and ranches, Nik is careful to respect Thai tradition. His dishes are authentically spiced; our server noted that some of the dishes “intentionally carry a lot of heat.”