Pizza Haven: The Cypriot migrant story behind one of SA’s iconic fast food outlets

·

In a special series, The Advertiser is taking a look back at some of the state’s most iconic fast food outlets and Pizza Haven has featured.

Pizza Haven was established in 1984, when the sons of Cypriot migrants, Evan, Louis, Bill and Gabriel Christou, found an empty shop in the South Australian suburb of Glenelg and took out a $24,000 mortgage on their parents’ house.

Less than a year later, they had gained popularity and introduced home delivery, something that was still a novelty at the time.

“From the very outset, we opened the restaurant with a view to expanding. It was never our intention to open just one restaurant,” Evan Christou said in a book.

Louis and Bill Christou after securing rights to sell pizzas at Football Park in July, 2000.

By 1985, the second restaurant opened in Christie Downs and by 1986 they’d opened their seventh restaurant at Enfield. In the following years, the restaurant would expand to Sydney and Melbourne and New Zealand.

Eventually the pizza chain was taken over by Dominos in 2005 and more recently Pizza Hut in 2016.

Pizza Haven had a turnover of $25 million and was the only wholly-Australian owned company in the top 10 list of fast food operators.

Source: The Advertiser

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

Floreat Athena FC unveils major changeroom and clubroom redevelopment

A multi-million-dollar transformation is complete at Floreat Athena Football Club, with the unveiling of brand-new changerooms and clubrooms.

Chanel Contos calls for ‘porn literacy’ in Australian schools

Greek Australian activist Chanel Contos is now campaigning to introduce “porn literacy” into schools. More details here.

Aussie golfer Stephanie Kyriacou caught in ‘unreal’ hole-in-one at Women’s Open

Stephanie Kyriacou made headlines at the 2025 AIG Women’s Open not only for her strong performance but for her role in a truly surreal moment.

St George Saints create history in club first

Basketball NSW’s Waratah League regular season is coming to an end with the playoffs rapidly approaching. Read more here.

Novak Djokovic moves Belgrade Open to Athens

In a surprising shift on the ATP calendar, the 2025 Belgrade Open will no longer be held in Serbia but will relocate to Athens, Greece.

You May Also Like

New tourist tragedy in Greece sparks urgent concerns

The body of a 55-year-old American tourist, missing since last Tuesday on the Ionian island of Corfu, was discovered on Saturday.

Police fire tear gas to break up banned gatherings in Greece

Left-wing opposition parties decried the ban as unconstitutional, although the country’s highest administrative court, the Council of State, ruled otherwise.

Greeks in fancy dress attend Apokries celebrations across Sydney

Apokries celebrations came to an end this weekend with a number of Greek associations in Sydney holding festivities.