LAKEVIEW — An Anatolian tapas restaurant has opened in Lakeview, bringing a taste of Turkey and the Middle East to Chicago.

Avaspi opened Tuesday at 1258 W. Belmont Ave. It serves Turkish, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine with a focus on mezze platters, which are shareable appetizers like tapas. It takes the place of Pescadero, a seafood and oyster bar that closed in January 2023.

Owner Mehmet Duzgun’s new restaurant is inspired by the food and flavors of Anatolia, or the portion of modern-day Turkey that resides on the Asian continent.