Columbia Restaurants Celebrates 20 Years of Catering Success in Cyprus

20th Mar 2018

Starting off in 1998, Columbia Restaurants Company Ltd set off to be one of the leading chains dominating the food industry on this iconic island. Fast forward 20 years, the unstoppable company is continuing to expand with 9 businesses under the belt, 11 stores and over 350 employees proudly working for the organisation.

But how did one restaurant turn into a nationwide sensation? To celebrate this milestone, we’ll start from the beginning; taking you on a journey of how Columbia became a staple in Cyprus’s catering industry.

In 1998, Schoeller Holdings established this restaurant division with the exclusive franchise to operate the well-known Italian restaurant PizzaExpress. With a passion for quality food and the creativity to produce captivating dishes, came the birth of another niche concept, Marzano, offering a unique twist on Italian cuisine.

Following from the famous pasta, pizza and grill chain, the ever-growing business decided to expand its wings in 2008 and dive into a multipurpose centre that is ideal for any celebration – the unique Columbia Plaza Centre.

This extravagant centre located in the old town of Limassol caters to all your needs. If you’re in need of a coffee fix, the Plaza Café will curb your caffeine withdrawals whilst you enjoy the very finest Illy products in a peaceful and cosmopolitan outdoor courtyard.

Come the afternoon, if you fancy grabbing a quick and freshly made lunch (and we really mean quick), you can visit La Boca, which delivers quality meals in less than 15 minutes from the time of ordering.

Alternatively, you can wine and dine in the award-winning Columbia Steak House and treat yourself to premium cuts of beef that will melt in your mouth. Once you’ve tickled your taste buds, you can head to the sophisticated 7 Seas bar to dance the night away with the very best DJs in town.

If on the other hand, you want to hold a private event – we’ve got you covered with our sleek venue centre. It’s a popular choice for weddings, christenings, parties and training days (being certified by the Human Resource Development Authority of Cyprus).

If you want a real taste of the Greek cuisine, just doors away from the Plaza sits the very authentic Avli Tou Vasilea with it’s charming and breath-taking courtyard. This restaurant will truly take you back to your roots with unique twists on the most popular meze’s, and live music (on Wednesday’s, Friday’s and Saturday’s) for a true Greek experience.

In the spring of 2017, Columbia expanded it’s footprint and opened the charismatic Columbia Beach. This trendy restaurant by day, bar by night is located on the stunning seafront of Limassol. It boasts special grass areas with sandpits and exclusive sunbeds on the beach. This unique concept can be enjoyed by people of all ages throughout the year, with mouth-watering brunches and delicious dinners.

As a group, we work hard to make sure that we cater to all our customer’s needs. We don’t stop delivering quality food at just our restaurants, with the development of the centralised kitchen and warehouse facilities the company has the capabilities to supply to many other establishments across the island.

We source the very best ingredients for all our businesses and train our staff to ensure they deliver only the very best service. Each concept is designed with the customer in mind and is inspired with real enthusiasm and passion for the food and catering industry.

Having achieved so much in 20 years, it’s unimaginable what is yet to come for the Columbia Restaurants group. One thing’s for sure- we will always continue to strive for full customer satisfaction.