Coliseum Steak & Pizza marks 50 years in Edmonton's Parkdale neighbourhood

Coliseum Steak & Pizza in Edmonton's Parkdale neighbourhood is celebrating 50 years in business — a milestone made more striking as several restaurants across the city have closed in recent months citing construction woes and reduced foot traffic.

The restaurant opened in 1976, just two years after Northlands Coliseum opened. Co-owner Diana Varvis started working there when she was 13 and has been there for 30 years. "This is my second home. Sometimes it's my first home," Varvis said, laughing. "Sometimes I spend more time here than I do with my own family."

Bill Varvis, Diana's father and one of five original owners, is 94 and still around the restaurant. He witnessed five Stanley Cup wins during the Oilers' dominant era. "I have a picture of me drinking out of the Stanley Cup. It's pretty cool," he said.

The co-owners credit their longevity to hard work, commitment, and serving high-quality food at reasonable prices. "This is a story of immigrants coming from, in our case, Greece with nothing and having the fortitude and handwork ethic to build a small empire, but it's a pretty cool empire," Bill Varvis said.

Bruce Perry, a loyal customer of more than 40 years, described the restaurant's appeal. "It's the kind of place when they get to know you, you become part of the family," Perry said. "It's like you're going to your best friend's for dinner. There's very few restaurants that you know every single time you go, it's gonna be good."

Diana Varvis is already thinking ahead. "I see myself like my dad who's still here kicking, watching everyone, and hopefully seeing my girls just like I am," she said.