Alesta, a new Mediterranean restaurant from a team that honed its skills on the street food circuit, has quietly set up shop on the edge of downtown Sebastopol. The restaurant has moved into the former Piala space in a low-key strip mall at 7233 Healdsburg Ave., where a compact dining room backs a tight, meze-forward menu with a strong Turkish and Eastern Mediterranean focus.
As reported by Sonoma Magazine, Alesta is led by co-owners Ugur and Arriana Akkaya, along with chef and co-owner Kadir Senel, and the kitchen turns out Turkish, Greek, Lebanese, and Eastern European dishes filtered through French technique. Ugur told the magazine that "alesta" means "keep going to what is beyond" and said the phrase captures a quest for perfection, or, as he put it, "to infinity and beyond."
Menu To Know
The menu leans into meze and shareable plates, with a handful of larger entrées for those who want to commit to a full plate. Sonoma Magazine highlights offerings and prices that include an Anatolian salad ($12), assorted meze ($12 single | $27 plate), saganaki ($19), karides ($19), manti ($29), a mixed skewer plate ($31), moussaka ($32) and branzino ($34). Drinks run to Turkish and California wines, beer and soft drinks, and the restaurant pours complimentary cups of Turkish black tea.
Practical Details
Alesta lists its address as 7233 Healdsburg Ave., Sebastopol, and posts hours of Tuesday–Sunday, 11 AM to 9 PM; the phone number is (707) 519-4565. Reservations for dinner are handled through OpenTable, where evening slots are available, while the bar keeps a few seats for walk-ins. According to the site, the restaurant also offers pickup and delivery through third-party platforms.
From Truck To Table
Business filings show that Alesta LLC was formed in November 2025 and list Kadir Senel and Ugur Akkaya as principals, according to Bizprofile. The team also carries a clear street food pedigree, with a DoorDash listing for "Alesta Mediterranean Street Food" indicating that the brand previously worked the North Bay circuit before landing in a permanent kitchen.
Where It Fits In Sonoma
Alesta's debut slots into a broader run of spring and summer openings across Sonoma County, part of a wave of new spots noted in local rundowns from Excellerate Real Estate. Those guides say the 2026 uptick reflects more chefs and pop-up operators graduating from trucks and short-run projects into permanent storefronts.
Early reactions have been warm. Alesta shows a 5.0-star aggregate and several enthusiastic customer notes, and evening reservations are already filling up. For the most reliable booking options, check the restaurant's site or its OpenTable page.
