Avaspi Menu (Update 2025)
Welcome to Avaspi, a charming Mediterranean escape located at 1258 W Belmont Ave in Chicago. This vibrant cocktail bar and salad haven delights diners with an enticing menu that artfully fuses traditional Anatolian flavors with contemporary flair.
Start your culinary journey with cold tapas like the rich Mixed Meze, featuring ezme, hummus, baba ganoush, haydari, and muhammara. Each dish bursts with flavor; the muhammara is a standout, blending sweet and savory notes harmoniously.
For the main course, the Avaspi Mixed Plate for two is not to be missed. It showcases juicy chicken kababs, tender lamb chunks, and flavorful meatballs, accompanied by haydari and a vibrant side salad.
Don’t forget to finish with the delectable kunafa for a sweet note! Avaspi’s ambiance and attentive service complete a remarkable dining experience, making it a must-visit in Chicago.
Cold Tapas
Ezme
This flavorful dip, originating in Antep, is made from chopped tomatoes, onions, peppers, parsley and walnuts*, dressed with olive oil, pomegranate molasses and lemon
Muhammara
Originating in Hatay cuisine, this is finely chopped grilled red bell peppers mixed with galeta flour, tomato paste, red pepper paste, walnuts, olive oil and pomegranate molasses
Babaganoush
This beloved dish starts with finely chopped grilled eggplant, which is mixed with tahini, olive oil, lemon and spices
Haydari
A thick, strained-yogurt* dip associated with southeastern Anatolia, our haydari recipe includes labne cheese, mint, dill, olive oil and garlic
Hummus
A dip of chickpeas blended with tahini, olive oil, lemon and spices
Stuffed Eggplant
Long strips of grilled eggplant rolled with a scoop of haydari* and homemade tomato sauce
Beets Meze
Roasted beets served over haydari*
Stuffed Dates
Stuffed with feta cheese*, yogurt*, herbs and walnut*. Served over smoky roasted bell pepper sauce.
Mixed Meze
Combination of ezme, humus, baba ganoush, haydari* and muhammara*
Mediterranean Meze
Finely chopped parsley, dill, scallion, beets, green and black olives, walnuts, raisins, olive oil, lemon, pomegranate molasses and spices. Served with garlic bread.
Grilled Halloumi Meze
Pan-fried slices of savory halloumi cheese served with chopped green olives and garlic bread*
Sarma
Homemade grape leaves stuffed with aromatic rice and herbs, served over haydari*
Shrimp Guvec
Sauteed shrimp with mushrooms, herbs and tomato sauce.
Calamari Meze
Grilled baby calamari tossed with sauteed garlic, herbs and spices, then served with chopped green olives, fresh parsley, dill, olive oil
Stuffed Mushrooms
Oven-broiled mushroom caps filled with kashar cheese*, garlic, herbs served with homemade tomato sauce
Mushroom Tava
Baby mushrooms sauteed with onions, garlic and herbs, then served over haydari*
Goat Cheese Tomato Dip
Homemade tomato sauce mixed with herb and spices, topped with goat cheese* and garlic bread*
Hot Tapas
Main Dishes
Chicken Kebab
Grilled chunk of chicken breast served with a side salad and choice of rice * or bulgur*
Beef Delight
Grilled tenderloin served with a side salad choice of rice * or bulgur*
Lamb Delight
Grilled tenderloin served with a side salad choice of rice* or bulgur*
Lamb Chops
Served with salad and potato puree
Avaspi Mixed Plate For 2
Chicken kabab, beef, lamb chunks, lamb chops and meatballs. Served with a side salad, haydari*, ezme*, fries and rice*
Avaspi Mixed Plate For 4
Chicken kabab, beef, lamb chunks, lamb chops and meatballs. Served with a side salad, haydari*, ezme*, fries and rice*
Avaspi Tava
Sauteed beef with red bell peppers, tomatoes, onions and garlic, choice of rice* or bulgur*
Hunkar
Sauteed beef with tomato sauce and spices served over creamy eggplant.
Orange Salmon
Pan roasted salmon served with potato puree and asparagus
Green Beans Stew
It is a classic Anatolian recipe made with fresh green beans, olive oil, tomatoes, onions, and garlic. Served with choice of rice or bulgur.
Mardin Salad
Mixed greens and fresh parsley tossed with tomatoes, onions, red bell peppers, raisins, walnuts* and feta cheese* dressed with olive oil, lemon.
Green Olive Salad
Arugula, green olives, fresh parsley, dill and mint, tossed with dressing of olive oil, pomegranate molasses and lemon.
Chef's Salad
Baby arugula tossed with tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, carrots, red cabbage and served with Avaspi dressing
Halloumi Salad
Grilled slices of halloumi cheese in a bed of mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, red bell peppers and sesame seeds, dressed with olive oil, lemon and pomegranate molasses.
Avaspi Potato Salad
A family specialty from Mardin! Sliced boiled potatoes are prepared with finely chopped green onions, parsley and dill, dressed with a blend of tomato paste, olive oil, lemon and herbs
Salads
Sides
Garlic Bread
Seasoned Fries
Rice
Potato Puree
Grilled Asparagus
Chicken
Beef Or Lamb
Baklava
Anatolian Baklava enriched with pistachios or walnuts*, layered with thin filo pastry*, butter, and lightly sweetened with sugar syrup on top.
Kunefe
Enriched with pistachios, butter and cheese * between thin layers of shredded pastry* and lightly sweetened sugar syrup
Katmer
Katmer is a mixture of thin layers of phyllo dough*, enriched with pistachios, butter and clotted cream and topped with a light sweetened sugar syrup
Desserts
Hot Beverages
Kurdish Coffee
Turkish Coffee
House Black Coffee
House Black Tea
Menemen
Sauteed peppers, tomatoes and eggs.
Menemen With Soujouk
Sauteed peppers, tomatoes and eggs with soujouk.
Scramble Eggs With Beef
Sauteed beef with mushroom, broccoli and tomatoes.
Scramble Eggs With Lamb
Sauteed lamb with mushroom broccoli and tomatoes.
Anatolian Breakfast For Two
Breakfast For One
Mediterranean Breakfast
Combination of honey and buttered toast, olives, halloumi cheese, mixed veggies, homemade fries and choice of scrambled eggs or sunny side up eggs.
Middle Eastern Breakfast
Combination of grape molasses and tahini toast, feta cheese, green and black olive, mixed veggies, with soujouk scrambled eggs and house fries.
Vegetarian Omelet
Spinach, tomatoes and onions.
Soujouk Omelet
Sauteed soujouk with mushroom and tomatoes.
Beef Omelet
Sauteed beef with mushroom, broccoli and tomatoes.
Lamb Omelet
Sauteed lamb with mushroom broccoli and tomatoes.