Anatolia Opens on Oracle Road: A Turkish Kitchen in the Old Chef Alisah's Space
TUCSON, AZ — The old Chef Alisah's space on North Oracle Road has a new tenant and a new menu. Anatolia, a Turkish restaurant from the family behind Turkish Kebab House near the University of Arizona, set its grand opening for Friday, Oct. 30, putting pide, lahmacun, kebab and mezze on the northwest side, along with a new kitchen and dining room that need a crew.
A from-scratch Turkish kitchen, about 1,800 square feet and 50-plus seats, open seven days a week at 5931 N. Oracle Rd.
In a hurry? Skip straight to the job links and begin searching now →
📍 Anatolia at a Glance
| Business | Anatolia |
|---|---|
| Address | 5931 N. Oracle Rd., Tucson (former Chef Alisah's Restaurant) |
| Size | About 1,800 square feet, seating for more than 50 |
| Opening | Grand opening set for Friday, Oct. 30, 2026 |
| Hours | 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily |
| Concept | Turkish: pide, lahmacun, kebab and mezze, made from scratch |
| Owners | Engin Saglam, co-owner of Turkish Kebab House |
| New jobs | No postings or headcount announced |
| Industry | Restaurant and food service |
A New Turkish Restaurant in a Familiar Oracle Road Spot
For 17 years, 5931 N. Oracle Rd. was Chef Alisah's Restaurant. When it closed for good, the space didn't sit long. Construction on Anatolia started at the beginning of August, according to Tucson Foodie, and the restaurant planned a three-day opening run from Oct. 30 through Nov. 1 with 15% off the whole menu.
Co-owner Engin Saglam already knows the Tucson lunch crowd. He and his cousin, Abdi Iric, run Turkish Kebab House near the UA, and Anatolia is the pair's move up to the northwest side. Anatolia is the old name for the peninsula that makes up most of Turkey, and Saglam told Tucson Foodie he sees it carrying the kind of weight a name like Rome does.
What's on the Menu, and Why It Matters for the Kitchen
Anatolia's menu leans on dishes that take real hands in the kitchen. Pide and lahmacun are Turkish flatbreads, so dough gets made, stretched and baked daily. The mezze come with fresh-baked bread. Grill plates run $18.99 to $26.99 and come with rice, side salad and cacik, and there's seafood, a vegan section, a kids' menu, and desserts like baklava and sutlac.
The restaurant is cooking with a gas oven at launch, and a wood-fired oven is planned for later. That's worth noting if you've worked a pizza or bread oven: it's a skill most Tucson kitchens don't ask for.
Vegan and gluten-free options are on the menu too, which means a kitchen that has to keep allergens and prep stations straight. Cooks who've handled that before tend to stand out.
What It Means for Tucson Job Seekers
Anatolia hasn't announced hiring or posted a headcount, and we won't guess at one. A 50-seat dining room open 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. every day still has to be staffed from lunch through dinner, seven days a week, and small, family-run restaurants often fill jobs by word of mouth and walk-in applications before anything shows up online. These are the jobs a restaurant like this runs on:
- Line and grill cooks for kebab and grill plates. See the line cook career guide and search line cook jobs.
- Prep cooks for mezze, salads and sauces made in-house. See the prep cook career guide and search prep cook jobs.
- Bakers and dough-savvy cooks for pide, lahmacun and fresh bread. See the baker career guide and search baker jobs.
- Servers and hosts for a full-service dining room. See the server and host career guides.
- Dishwashers, the job every kitchen needs on day one. See the dishwasher career guide.
Pay hasn't been published. Whether the city or state minimum wage applies to any Tucson-area job depends on whether the work address sits inside Tucson city limits, and both floors rise January 1. Our 2027 minimum wage guide explains the line.
The practical move: stop in during a slow afternoon, ask for a manager, and bring a short resume. Then set an alert so you see any posting the moment it goes up.
More New Restaurants Hiring Around Tucson
Anatolia is one of several kitchens opening this fall. In the Catalina Foothills, Frida American Brasserie is hiring at La Encantada, and Joesler Kitchen is staffing up on River Road. In midtown, Howdy Diner is coming to the Sunshine Mile. For the bigger picture, see Tucson's fall restaurant hiring window.
🔎 Search Jobs Now
- Anatolia jobs in Tucson
- Turkish Kebab House jobs in Tucson
- Line cook jobs in Tucson
- Prep cook jobs in Tucson
- Baker jobs in Tucson
- Server jobs in Tucson
- Dishwasher jobs in Tucson
- All restaurant jobs in Tucson
Browse every kitchen and dining room role in our restaurant and food service career hub.
Want the next posting in your inbox? Create a free TucsonHIRED account and set an alert for cook, server and restaurant jobs on the northwest side.
📢 Employers: Opening a Restaurant in Tucson?
New kitchens need a crew before the first ticket prints. Post your jobs on TucsonHIRED and reach cooks, servers and dishwashers who already live in Tucson.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Anatolia in Tucson?
Anatolia is at 5931 N. Oracle Rd. on Tucson's northwest side, in the space that was Chef Alisah's Restaurant for 17 years.
When did Anatolia open?
Anatolia set its grand opening for Friday, Oct. 30, 2026, with 15% off all menu items from Oct. 30 through Nov. 1, according to Tucson Foodie.
What are Anatolia's hours?
Anatolia is open daily from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Who owns Anatolia?
Co-owner Engin Saglam also co-owns Turkish Kebab House near the University of Arizona with his cousin, Abdi Iric.
Is Anatolia hiring?
Anatolia has not announced openings or a headcount. Ask a manager in person, and set a TucsonHIRED job alert for restaurant jobs to catch any posting.
What kind of food does Anatolia serve?
Anatolia serves Turkish food made from scratch: pide, lahmacun, kebab and grill plates, mezze with fresh-baked bread, seafood, vegan dishes and desserts like baklava.
Oracle Road just picked up a new place for kebab and fresh bread. Keep your resume handy, because the northwest side's newest kitchen will need hands.
