This study examines the relationships among environmental awareness, value alignment, green claim skepticism, and sustainable food choice behavior in restaurant consumption contexts. Drawing on Value-Belief-Norm (VBN) Theory and green marketing literature, the study investigates how consumers’ environmental concerns and personal value congruence influence sustainable behavioral outcomes, both directly and indirectly through skepticism toward green claims. Data were collected from 800 adult consumers using a cross-sectional survey design, and the proposed relationships were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings indicate that environmental awareness and value alignment significantly reduce skepticism toward green claims, while skepticism negatively affects sustainable food choice behavior. In addition, both environmental awareness and value alignment positively influence behavioral outcomes. The mediation analysis further demonstrates that reduced skepticism strengthens the positive relationship between pro-environmental orientations and sustainable food choices. The study contributes to sustainable consumption and green marketing research by highlighting the critical role of consumer trust and skepticism in environmentally oriented food decisions. Practical implications are offered for restaurant managers and sustainability marketers seeking to enhance the credibility and effectiveness of green communication strategies.