This post was originally posted last year on Durham Cool. Since original post time we have several updates on this story and a few other Durham Restaurant news items:

Please comment below with your memories of Spartacus Restaurant, opened in 1993.

Durham’s Spartacus restaurant to close June 26

Conveniently located in the South Square area of Durham, Spartacus has received local and national recognition for their excellent food, service, comfortable atmosphere and fair prices. Magellan Press “Where the Locals Eat”, Metro Magazine, New York Daily News, and the Herald Sun all agree that you can impress that special someone at Spartacus or bring the whole family. Over the past 10 years, Spartacus catering has become a triangle favorite. Besides the many successful residential functions, repeat clients include Glaxo-Smith Kline, UNC Medical & Professional facilities, Duke Medical & Professional facilities, and Johnson & Johnson. “You owe it to yourself” according to the Herald Sun.

Upon returning from World War II in 1949, Vassilios Makros opened a cafeteria in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Typical to his Greek heritage, dishes were carefully prepared and portions were plentiful. The family eventually migrated to New York, where his daughter Ralitsa and her husband, Kyriakos Kalfas, opened Spartacus Restaurant in Huntington, New York in 1978. The theme was “Customers are Family”. Still holding strong ties to North Carolina, the family opened Spartacus Restaurant of Durham in 1993. Today, we are proud to offer friendly service and fresh homemade meals. So enjoy your experience and welcome to our family!

Sincerely,
Spartacus Management

 

Diner update 

Pizzeria Torro has opened a new restaurant downtown on Parrish Street called, Littler (named for the small space this restaurant occupies).

View the menu here

 

 

 

The Durham Cool editorial staff have finally realized one of their chief goals for our fair city. The news just coming in from Bull City Rising!

A real diner is coming to Durham thanks to Pizzeria Toro!

Diners, Drive ins and Dives coming to Durham anytime soon? We have incredible restaurants, brew pubs, Barbeque Joints, Ice Cream parlours, Food Trucks, Cup cake shops, YES. Have you recently wandered the web and or the streets of Durham in search of a locally run Silver Stream Diner open early and closing late? Was this search in Vain? Yes we have Elmo’s Diner, but is this too big to count?

Many of you have complained about about this glaring oversight to Durham Cool’s editorial department (who sympathize) but have nothing more to do than type a diatribe like this one? Some have even told me that they looked into opening one of these restaurants in Durham. Where are you hiding?

Do we have a consensus on this one Durham? Is this an issue you would rise up in support of? Diner’s can be the great equalizer for communities like ours in transition. Those displaced by the gentrification may be welcomed back by a diner that caters to all of us, regardless of socioeconomic status. I have a dream, a dream that features a bright shiny silver stream diner on Broad Street. A diner where the mayor sits next to his plumber and the life science software developer shares a booth with his Yoga instructor and the guy who is responsible for keeping our city parks open and clean. We Merry few, Saint. Crispin’s day or a multitude of silent Nancys? I need to know by 2pm tomorrow. Durham needs a consensus. We who loved Durham before all the apartment towers starting rising, remember a Durham where we came together over important issues like this one.

Let’s start small and vote with your comments on this website in the reply box below and Facebook. This is not the time to be shy about it. Please show Durham you care about the culinary arts.