Laili Restaurant

What Laili Restaurant does

Laili Restaurant is a privately held, single-location fine dining establishment operating at 101 B. Cooper St. in downtown Santa Cruz, California, founded in 2010 by Wafi Amin, an Afghan immigrant. The restaurant serves Mediterranean cuisine with Afghan-inspired dishes — kabob entrees, lamb and chicken preparations, Afghani dumplings, and vegetarian/vegan options — alongside a curated wine list and local craft beers. Service is offered Tuesday through Saturday, with lunch (11:30 AM - 2:30 PM) and dinner (5:00 PM - 8:30 PM, extended to 9:00 PM on weekends); the venue is closed Sunday and Monday.

The business operates an open kitchen concept with an enclosed garden patio and marbled bar top, and runs a multi-channel distribution model covering dine-in reservations via OpenTable, takeout ordering via ToastTab (including gift cards), delivery via DoorDash, and direct-booked private events for parties of 15+ guests (capacity up to 60). Marketing channels include Instagram, Facebook, and Yelp listings. The restaurant was named Best Mediterranean Restaurant by Santa Cruz Good Times in 2024 and is an OpenTable Diners' Choice award recipient for the Santa Cruz/Capitola/Aptos region.

Laili has 13 employees and operates with no institutional investment, parent company, or disclosed subsidiaries. Revenue is generated entirely through restaurant operations (dine-in, takeout, delivery, and private events); no financial figures are publicly disclosed, and the company shows no AI/ML capabilities, no proprietary technology beyond standard restaurant SaaS integrations, and no expansion beyond its single Santa Cruz location.

Name

Laili Restaurant

Legal name

Laili Restaurant

Website

https://lailirestaurant.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Laili Restaurant is a privately held, single-location Mediterranean fine dining restaurant in downtown Santa Cruz, California, founded in 2010 by Wafi Amin. It serves Afghan-inspired cuisine to local diners, tourists, and private event guests via dine-in, takeout, delivery, and event hosting.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fine Dining Restaurants

NAICS

Full-Service Restaurants (722511)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Casual Dining Restaurants (THAFACAB)

Keywords

• Mediterranean fine dining
• Afghan-inspired cuisine
• Private event catering
• Restaurant dining service
• Wine and craft beer

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Cruz

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Dine-in Restaurant Sales: Revenue from lunch and dinner service featuring Mediterranean cuisine including kabob entrees, Afghani dumplings, lamb and chicken dishes, vegetarian and vegan options, paired with selected wines and local craft beers.
2. Private Events and Catering: Revenue from hosting private events for parties of 15+ guests, with dedicated event coordination, special menus, and venue rental including indoor and garden patio spaces with capacity up to 60 guests. Requires $500 non-refundable deposit.
3. Takeout and Delivery: Revenue from takeout orders via ToastTab platform and delivery via DoorDash marketplace.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Laili Restaurant is a single-location Mediterranean fine dining establishment in downtown Santa Cruz serving Afghan-inspired cuisine. It operates lunch (11:30 AM–2:30 PM) and dinner (5:00 PM–8:30 PM, 9:00 PM weekends) Tuesday through Saturday, offering a seasonally rotating menu of kebabs, lamb and chicken dishes, Afghani dumplings, and vegetarian/vegan options paired with curated wines and local craft beers. Additional offerings include takeout via ToastTab, delivery via DoorDash, and private event hosting for up to 60 guests in indoor and garden patio spaces.

Product overview

Laili Restaurant is a single-location Mediterranean fine dining establishment offering a unified dining experience. The core offering is its seasonally rotating menu of Afghan-inspired Mediterranean cuisine featuring kebabs, lamb dishes, Afghani dumplings, and vegetarian/vegan options. Service is available through lunch (11:30 AM - 2:30 PM) and dinner (5:00 PM - 9:00 PM) Tuesday through Saturday. Additional services include INDULGE desserts, wine and craft beer menus, takeout via Toast Tab, delivery via DoorDash, and private event hosting for up to 60 guests.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fine Dining Restaurant Service Core fine dining Mediterranean restaurant experience blending ancient Silk Road flavors with contemporary culinary techniques, featuring a seasonal menu of kebabs, lamb and chicken dishes, Afghani dumplings, and vegetarian/vegan options, served Tuesday through Saturday with lunch (11:30 AM–2:30 PM) and dinner (5:00 PM–8:30 PM, 9:00 PM on weekends).
• Lunch Service Midday dining service available Tuesday through Saturday, 11:30 AM – 2:30 PM, featuring Mediterranean kabobs, Afghan-inspired dishes, and vegetarian options.
• Dinner Service Evening dining service Tuesday through Saturday, 5:00 PM – 8:30 PM (9:00 PM on weekends), featuring kebab entrees, lamb and chicken dishes, Afghani dumplings, and vegan-friendly options.
• INDULGE Desserts
• Wine & Beverage Service
• Takeout Service
• Delivery Service
• Private Events & Large Parties
• Gift Cards

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• OpenTablecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOpenTable serves as the restaurant's primary reservation platform, allowing customers to book tables directly through the OpenTable website or app. The partnership enables online reservation management and customer reviews integration.
• DoorDashcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDoorDash provides delivery services for Laili Restaurant, enabling customers to order food for delivery through the DoorDash platform. The restaurant maintains an active delivery listing on DoorDash.
• ToastTabcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorToastTab serves as the online ordering and point-of-sale platform for Laili Restaurant, handling takeout orders and gift card sales through their digital storefront.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Souvla: San Francisco-based small-chain Mediterranean restaurant offering a focused menu in a casual-upscale setting. Comparable in its California fine-casual positioning, Mediterranean focus, and small-footprint multi-unit operation.
• dishoom: London-based fine dining restaurant group serving Irani/Indian-inspired cuisine with rich cultural storytelling and historical narrative. Highly comparable given its emphasis on heritage-brand fine dining, weekday-focused service, and culture-driven menu.
• Taim: Mediterranean and Middle Eastern restaurant chain known for falafel and similar Levantine cuisine. Comparable in its Middle Eastern/Mediterranean menu positioning and small-footprint urban footprint.
• Yalla Mediterranean: Fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant chain with a similar California footprint. Comparable in its Middle Eastern/Mediterranean menu fusion, though operating at a faster, lower price point than Laili.
• The Halal Guys: Multi-unit Middle Eastern restaurant brand that built a national following around gyros, platters, and sauces. Comparable as a Middle Eastern cuisine brand that scaled from a single location to a chain, contrasting with Laili's single-location fine dining approach.

Emerging players

• Bolay: Emerging fast-casual chain offering build-your-own Mediterranean bowls with a focus on healthy, fresh ingredients. Comparable as an emerging Mediterranean player with a modern, dietary-inclusive approach.

Broad incumbents

• Zoës Kitchen: Multi-unit Mediterranean fast-casual chain offering fresh, healthy Mediterranean meals. Comparable in Mediterranean menu positioning; operates at a broader scale than Laili.
• Roti Modern Mediterranean: Multi-unit fast-casual Mediterranean chain serving bowls, wraps, and salads. Comparable in Mediterranean category positioning but more scalable and less fine dining than Laili.
• Cava: Public Mediterranean fast-casual chain offering customizable bowls and dips at scale. Comparable as a broad Mediterranean category leader, though operating in a faster, more scalable format than Laili's fine dining model.

Regional players

• Pita Mediterranean Street Food: Multi-unit Mediterranean fast-casual chain primarily operating in the Midwest and Southeast US. Comparable in Mediterranean positioning though geographically distinct from Laili's California focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/140217796032740
• Instagraminstagram.com/laili.restaurant
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/laili-restaurant

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Laili Restaurant