KOSTA'S DINER

​If you’re looking for homemade comfort food in Courtice, Kosta’s has you covered.

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Kosta’s Diner is now open at 1405 King St. E. in Courtice, serving a comforting mix of fresh, homemade foods that reflect owner Arjan ‘Kosta’ Arizaj’s background in Mediterranean, Canadian and American cooking.

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“I lived in Greece for 10 years and that’s where I learned to cook Mediterranean food,” said Arizaj, who is originally from Albania and moved to Canada in 1995.

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When he arrived, he worked at his uncle’s car wash during the week and on weekends would explore his talent for cooking at a local Greek restaurant. After a while, his uncle thought his talents deserved a chance to shine and they opened a restaurant together that became a community destination.

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Upon selling the restaurant in 2023, Arizaj retired but quickly found he missed cooking and the restaurant atmosphere.

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“I love to be in the kitchen with my staff, I love to cook the food and I’m happy to service clients,” he recalls. “Before we sold, I was getting kind of tired, we had gone through COVID, so those years were hard, but during my time off I looked back and I missed it.”

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He originally considered opening a small takeout restaurant, but when an opportunity to return to his former location under a new name came up, he jumped at the chance, reassembling most of the team and opening up with old menu favourites.

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“It’s the same menu but it’s upgraded, we’ve added some new items, but all the old ones are still there,” he said.

Favourite items include the full breakfast menu, Arizaj’s homemade Russian vegetable soup, cheesecake made from scratch and the roast beef and corn beef made in house.

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“We don’t buy anything pre-cooked,” Arizaj said. “People are looking for quality, healthy food and that’s what I’m focusing on. It’s about good quality and moderate prices. We focus on good value for a good price.”

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That recipe seems to be a winning combination, with plenty of residents taking to social media to welcome Arizaj back. For Arizaj, the warm reception was unexpected, but definitely welcome.

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“I knew it was going to be busy when we opened but by the second day we had a lineup so that really boosted me up and gave me a lot of confidence,” Arizaj said. “People have really made me feel special and I want to say a huge thank you to them for supporting me and my employees. They’ve all come up to chat about the restaurant and tell me they’re happy to see me, and I’m happy to see them.”

Kosta’s Diner is now open daily.