{"id":818268,"date":"2026-07-22T09:10:40","date_gmt":"2026-07-22T09:10:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/818268\/"},"modified":"2026-07-22T09:10:40","modified_gmt":"2026-07-22T09:10:40","slug":"edmonton-restaurant-celebrates-50-years-in-business","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/818268\/","title":{"rendered":"Edmonton restaurant celebrates 50 years in business"},"content":{"rendered":"

At a time when several restaurants in the city are closing<\/a> \u2013 citing construction woes and reduced foot traffic \u2013 a success story in the heart of Edmonton is worth celebrating.<\/p>\n

Coliseum Steak & Pizza in Edmonton\u2019s Parkdale neighbourhood has been in business, and a staple of the community, for 50 years.<\/p>\n

Co-owner Diana Varvis started working at the restaurant when she was only 13 years old.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is my second home. Sometimes it\u2019s my first home,\u201d said Varvis, laughing. \u201cSometimes I spend more time here than I do with my own family.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been here 30 years now, which feels like a lifetime.\u201d<\/p>\n

Coliseum Steak & Pizza has been serving Edmontonians since 1976, just two years after the former home of the Oilers with the same name \u2014 Northlands Coliseum \u2013 opened. The restaurant witnessed five Stanley Cup wins, leading to great memories for co-owner Bill Varvis. <\/p>\n

Bill Varvis, who is Diana\u2019s father, was one of the five original owners, and at 94 years old, he\u2019s still around.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have a picture of me drinking out of the Stanley Cup. It\u2019s pretty cool,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Coliseum Steak & Pizza co-owner Bill Varvis drinking out of the Stanley Cup in this undated photo. (Submitted b: Bill Varvis)<\/p>\n

Aware many restaurants in the city are struggling, the co-owners tell CityNews the key to success is hard work, commitment, and serving high-quality food at a reasonable price.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis 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\u2019s a pretty cool empire,\u201d Bill Varvis said.<\/p>\n

Varvis thanked longtime customers for getting the restaurant to this latest milestone.<\/p>\n

\"\"Three generations of the Varvis family reminisce at Coliseum Steak & Pizza on July 21, 2026. (Hiba Kamal-Choufi, CityNews)<\/p>\n

Among those loyal customers is Bruce Perry, who\u2019s been eating there for more than 40 years.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the kind of place when they get to know you, you become part of the family,\u201d Perry said. \u201cIt\u2019s like you\u2019re going to your best friend\u2019s for dinner. There\u2019s very few restaurants that you know every single time you go, it\u2019s gonna be good.\u201d<\/p>\n

Coliseum Steak & Pizza is already eyeing the next 50 years in the community.<\/p>\n

\u201cI see myself like my dad who\u2019s still here kicking, watching everyone, and hopefully seeing my girls just like I am,\u201d said Diana Varvis.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\tKeep it Factual<\/p>\n

Add CityNews Edmonton as a trusted source on Google to see more local stories from us.<\/p>\n

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