Pata Cafe Introduce
For New Yorkers who appreciate the genuine flavors of Thailand served in a cozy, neighborhood setting, Pata Cafe in Elmhurst, Queens, is a true local find. Praised by its patrons as an authentic "hole-in-the-wall Thai place," this cafe offers a warm, welcoming atmosphere paired with deeply flavorful, reasonably priced dishes that evoke the feeling of Thailand's street food scene. Specializing in traditional Thai cuisine, Pata Cafe is a mother/daughter-owned establishment that has quickly become a beloved spot for residents in the Elmhurst community and beyond, offering a comforting and delicious alternative to the high-tempo dining of Manhattan.
Pata Cafe is a celebration of simple, well-executed Thai cooking. The menu, while focused, delivers robust and authentic tastes across essential Thai categories. From sizzling appetizers like the Crispy Thai Spring Rolls to filling entrees like Pad Thai and Pad Se-ew, the kitchen prioritizes quality and authenticity. Diners can find classic comfort food and healthy options, all prepared with care. This dedication to authentic flavors and great hospitality, as noted by one customer who felt "very welcomed upon entering," is what makes Pata Cafe stand out in the bustling Queens dining landscape.
Pata Cafe is strategically located in the heart of Elmhurst, Queens, making it a convenient spot for local residents and those traveling through the borough. Its specific address is:
- Address: 56-14 Van Horn St, Elmhurst, NY 11373, USA
The location on Van Horn Street is noted for being "ideally situated next to L.I.E.," offering easy access for drivers and a convenient place to pause as traffic cools down. For public transit users, Elmhurst is a major hub served by multiple subway lines (E, F, M, R, 7) and numerous bus routes (Q53-SBS, Q58, Q59, Q60). The closest major subway stations, such as Elmhurst Av or 82 St-Jackson Hts, are a comfortable walk or short bus ride away, integrating the cafe seamlessly into the Queens transit network. Parking, a frequent challenge in NYC, is made easier for patrons with the availability of free street parking in the area. Furthermore, the cafe is highly accommodating, featuring a wheelchair accessible entrance to welcome all members of the community.
As a true neighborhood cafe, Pata Cafe provides essential services to meet the everyday dining needs of its New York clientele. The focus is on flexibility and ease of access to their delicious food:
- Dine-in: Enjoy the cozy, casual atmosphere with table service for brunch, lunch, and dinner. The cafe is ideal for groups and family-friendly outings.
- Takeout: Conveniently pick up your order to enjoy the authentic Thai flavors at home or on the go.
- Delivery: For residents within the service area, delivery is an option to bring their celebrated dishes right to your door.
- Reservations: Despite its small, intimate size—only accommodating up to 10 patrons indoors—the cafe accepts reservations, which is advisable for planning visits, especially for groups.
The highlights of Pata Cafe center on its authentic culinary quality, intimate atmosphere, and the excellent value it provides to the Elmhurst community:
- Authentic and High-Quality Food: The menu offers classic, authentic Thai preparations, with customer favorites including the "sizzling with flavor & crunch" Crispy Thai Spring Rolls and a highly-praised, sweet and creamy shrimp Tom Yum Noodles. The Papaya Salad with Preserved Crab and Pickled Fish offers a genuine, street-vendor-style Thai experience.
- Intimate, Cozy Atmosphere: The cafe's atmosphere is described as casual and cozy. Its small size, which can "only accommodate up to 10 patrons," contributes to an intimate and personal dining experience, further enhanced by 2 outdoor benches available for seating during nice weather.
- Exceptional Value: Prices are consistently noted as "very reasonable," with main dishes like Pad Thai available for just $10.00 and other complex noodle dishes priced around $14.00, providing excellent value for authentic New York City dining.
- Mother/Daughter Owned: This family-run ownership contributes to the welcoming hospitality, with service described as "warm and friendly" and "very attentive."
- Great Tea and Beverage Selection: The beverage menu includes a notable 'Great tea selection,' with the Thai iced coffee being a big hit among customers. The menu also offers various Coffee drinks.
- Diverse Dining Options: The cafe covers all primary dining periods, offering Brunch, Lunch, Dinner, and Dessert, and is popular for both solo dining and groups.
For inquiries, reservations, or to place an order, please use the following contact details:
- Address: 56-14 Van Horn St, Elmhurst, NY 11373, USA
- Phone: (347) 469-7142
- Mobile Phone: +1 347-469-7142
Pata Cafe is worth choosing for the New York diner who prioritizes authenticity, value, and a truly hospitable experience over high-end formality. It is the definitive 'hole-in-the-wall' jewel that New Yorkers love to discover and frequent. The commitment to traditional Thai street food flavors is clear, particularly in the Papaya Salad offerings and the unique noodle dishes, with one enthusiastic customer stating the food made them think of Thailand street vendors and featuring the "best drunken noodles I ever had in NY."
The menu provides satisfying portions of essential Thai comfort food, including hearty soups like the fiery Tom Yum Goong and the mild, clear-broth Tom Jued (a traditional Thai clear soup, often with vegetables and tofu, perfect for those seeking a non-spicy, soothing option). For just $5.00, these soups are a quick and flavorful pick-me-up. The main dishes, consistently priced around $10–$14, offer incredible affordability, ensuring that a quick bite or a full meal is accessible and satisfying.
While the intimate space means a reservation is a good idea, the cozy and casual atmosphere provides a much-needed retreat from the city's pace, and the warm, family-friendly service ensures every guest feels at home. For authentic Thai cuisine, excellent value, and a genuine, friendly welcome in the heart of Queens, Pata Cafe is a highly recommended destination.
Pata Cafe Menu
Appetizers
- Thai Spring Roll $5.00
Vegetable and taro with sweet chili sauce
- Crispy Shrimp Roll $5.00
Marinated shrimp wrapped in rice paper with sweet chili sauce
Salad
- Papaya Salad $10.00
Shredded green a papaya, long bean, tomato, peanut, chili and lime juice. Spicy. Choose a spice level: Mild, Medium, Spicy
- Papaya Salad with Preserved Crab and Pickled Fish $12.00
Shredded green papaya, long bean, tomato, chili and lime juice. Spicy. Choose a spice level: Mild, Medium, Spicy
Noodle
- Pad Thai $10.00
Choice of meat with thin rice noodle, peanut, bean sprout, scallion and egg. Choose a protein: Chicken, Beef, Shrimp, Tofu, Vegetable
- Pad Se-ew $10.00
Choice of meat with rice vermicelli, Chinese broccoli, egg and black sweet soy sauce. Choose a protein: Chicken, Beef, Shrimp, Tofu, Vegetable
Soup
- Tom Yum Goong $5.00
Lemongrass, tamarind tendril, shrimp and mushroom. Spicy. Choose a spice level: Mild, Medium, Spicy
- Tom Jued $5.00
Clear soup with mix vegetable
Fried Rice
- Thai Fried Rice $10.00
Choice of meat with Chinese broccoli, egg, onion, tomato and scallion. Choose a protein: Chicken, Beef, Shrimp, Tofu, Vegetable
- Basil Fried Rice $10.00
Choice of meat with string bean, broccoli, basil, bell pepper and egg. Spicy. Choose a spice level: Mild, Medium, Spicy. Choose a protein: Chicken, Beef, Shrimp, Tofu, Vegetable
Pata Cafe Details
Service options
- Delivery
- Takeout
- Dine-in
Highlights
- Great tea selection
Popular for
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Solo dining
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible entrance
Offerings
- Coffee
- Comfort food
- Healthy options
- Quick bite
- Small plates
Dining options
- Brunch
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Dessert
- Table service
Amenities
- Restroom
Atmosphere
- Casual
- Cozy
Crowd
- Family-friendly
- Groups
Planning
- Accepts reservations
Payments
- Credit cards
Children
- Good for kids
Parking
- Free street parking
- Parking
Pata Cafe Photos










Pata Cafe Location
Pata Cafe Reviews
pricethai ice teabubble teacashspicydrunken noodlesvenmomichelincoffeepad thai
★ 5★ 4★ 3★ 2★ 1Was looking for a cafe to relax while traffic cools down at 5 pm. Found Pata Cafe ideally situated next to L.I.ENice cozy Thai cafe serving up good food & hospitality. Felt very welcomed upon entering.Crispy Thai Spring Rolls came out sizzling with flavor & crunch. Much better than I expected. Thai iced coffee was a big hit also. 🥇🥇Really nice ambiance but the cafe can only accommodate up to 10 patrons. 2 outdoor bench available to sit during a cool summer breeze.Prices are reasonable and food is authentic 👍
June 28 · Frugal CyclistI’m usually very reluctant to give a 5/5 for food but this place is a jewel. Mother/Daughter owned authentic hole-in-the-wall Thai place. Their salads made me think of the Thailand street vendors—I’m obsessed with the glass noodle one… shrimp tom yum noodles has a sweetness from coconut milk ,& the best drunken noodles I ever had in NY. Prices are very reasonable $14 a dish. Service was warm and friendly. Cash or Venmo only
September 15 · Sophie HThe establishment is a very small mom and pop shop with a few tables for indoor dining. They also even sell lottery tickets! You can peer into their “kitchen” which I’m pretty sure is a portable stovetop. The inside has very cute décor. The staff were extremely friendly. They accept cash or venmo only!We started with a mango slushie (a little watered down and icy) and a Thai iced tea (delicious and creamy).Pata Yum Gai Zabb (3/5): Sadly, the dish was salty beyond belief! Luckily, mouthfuls of the plain white rice helped to balance the flavor. It was otherwise, also very bland in taste. It just tasted like soy sauce. I was expecting more for a dish considered in the “Michelin Bib Gourmand” recommendation.Pad Kee Mao (3/5): The noodles were not fully cooked and therefore hard/chewy for most of the dish. I similarly did not think that there was much flavor to it. Beef was not that tender.
September 17 · Steph WOur big group walked in, and they found us tables right away with friendly service throughout. Notably warm, accommodating, thorough. Prices reflect fair value throughout. This restaurant serves truly delicious meals. Pata Cafe represents a real discovery.
September 09 · Judith VasquezThe food was delicious and spicy and I got medium spicy. The good kind of spicy! Truly authentic tasting and not watered down Thai food. My husband and I split three dishes. The AC wasn’t working so well when we came but the owner had just come back from vacation. She cooked everything so fresh and yummy.
July 15 · Sharon Cooper
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