In the kitchen with: Vasili Konstantinidis

In the kitchen with: Vasili Konstantinidis

Bun’s owner proud of heritage, looks forward to future

By Glenn Battishill

Bun’s Restaurant is located in downtown Delaware and is easily identified by its sign posted over the street.

For central Ohio residents, the word Bun’s conjures the sights of an iconic downtown Delaware restaurant and the tastes of 150-year-old recipes for fudge cakes, chicken salads and hamloaf.

Opened in 1864, Bun’s Restaurant has been the meeting place for families, friends and politicians alike, and has a guest list that includes Eleanor Roosevelt and President George W. Bush, according to owner Vasili Konstantinidis.

“I’m extremely proud of Bun’s,” said Konstantinidis, who is originally from Greece. “There’s a lot of established clientele that come from all over the state and country because they have a lot of good memories here.”

Konstantinidis said he is essentially the head chef but has a number of other chefs that help him. Konstantinidis said they cut their own meat and make their own desserts to keep the meals affordable for customers.

Konstantinidis said Bun’s has at least six recipes that date to when the restaurant opened. Some of the most popular offerings are the chicken salad and the hamloaf.

Located in the middle of downtown Delaware, it has been celebrated by local organizations like Main Street Delaware and national magazines.

“It’s been called ‘The Jewel of Delaware’,” Konstantinidis said. “I treat it as a jewel. When I came here, I had no idea about Delaware, but I had done research and thought Bun’s could do great, and it has developed that way along with Delaware.”

“Bun’s is where Delaware’s movers and shakers gather at lunchtime,” said Delaware County Common Pleas Judge David Gormley. “The menu is varied, the seating is ample, and the parking is free. What’s not to like? The place is one of the city’s iconic meeting spots. Abraham Lincoln was in the White House when Bun’s opened. Few American restaurants can match that long record of success.”

Konstantinidis said the restaurant, which he bought in 1998, is popular because it has the size and staff to serve more than 100 people at once.

“One thing that I love about Bun’s is that I rarely make it to my table without seeing at least one person I know and haven’t seen in a while,” said Delaware City Schools Superintendent Paul Craft.

“When I have someone coming into town for lunch, I can say, ‘Let’s meet at Bun’s,’ and know that they will know how to find it. Bun’s is an institution — one more thing that makes this town the best place to live in Ohio.”

Konstantinidis said he added a patio a few years ago to attract a younger patronage and to have a space for kids to play. He said the renovation has been very successful.

“Bun’s is doing the best it’s done in 40 years,” Konstantinidis said. “If I lived forever, I would never sell it.”

Downtown Delaware continues to grow and now has more than a dozen restaurants.

“Bun’s is like ‘LeBron’ or ‘Urban,’ so famous and accomplished here and in Ohio, that only one name is needed,” said City of Delaware Public Information Officer Lee Yoakum.

Bun’s Restaurant

14 W. Winter St., Delaware

740-363-2867

11 a.m.-3 p.m. Mondays, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Fridays, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturdays

Salt Magazine




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