Sparta Classic Diner reopens

Dimitri Kontolios, owner of the Sparta Classic Diner, got a call in the middle of the night July 22, 2022, that his restaurant was on fire.

As he drove the hour it took to get there, he told his son, Mike,, that he expected to find a small kitchen fire that would close the restaurant for a couple of weeks.

What he discovered when he arrived was far worse than he ever imagined. An electrical fire rendered the diner’s kitchen irreparable and caused extensive smoke damage to the front dining area.

The diner, 80 Woodport Road, was closed for 11 months.

After repairs and renovations, the Sparta Classic Diner quietly reopened Saturday, June 24. A soft opening, with only take-out and delivery offered for two days, was planned before it opened to sit-down customers.

“Our point was we wanted to make sure the kitchen was ready. Next step was wait staff,” said Mike Kontolios.

The people who drove by had a different plan. As customers came to the door hoping to be seated, “We let some people sit down as long as we could handle it,” he said.

The owners also used the opportunity to train their new staff.

Getting the restaurant ready to reopen was a challenge on many fronts. While the kitchen staff remains largely the same from a year ago, much of the wait staff had to be replaced.

Fully staffing the front was touch and go for a while.

“We were scared up until almost like a few days before we were set to open,” said Mike Kontolios. Everything came together just in time.

As opening day approached, people started contacting the diner looking for work. “I guess word of mouth started. OK we’re opening, we’re opening,” he said.

The father-son duo decided not to change things that were working so visitors to the Sparta Classic Diner will find it similar to what they remember from a year ago.

Asked what has changed, Dimitri Kontolios said, “Just the look; the food is the same.” That includes the diner’s famous Crazy Shakes that it has become known for, even in neighboring towns.

The Kontolioses used the remodeling to make some enhancements to the diner, including an upgraded kitchen and a specified Barista Station, where Illy espresso and coffee is prepared.

After a week back in business, the feedback on the reopening is largely positive, the owners said.

“They’re happy to see us back, and we’re happy to see our customers back,” said Dimitri Kontolios.

He has more than 30 years of experience operating diners and owns three other Classic Diners in Tenafly, Northvale and Orangeburg.

This opening was much different from opening a new restaurant, he noted. This time, “everybody knows each other.”