Evans Fine Foods. Source: Google Street View.

A local institution that’s been serving the Druid Hills and Emory area for nearly 70 years will close its doors for good.

An employee of Evans Fine Foods has confirmed on Monday morning that the North Decatur Road restaurant will be shutting down. The employee did not know when Evans’ last day would be and asked a reporter to call back when the restaurant is less busy.

The restaurant is adjacent to the Publix at Emory Commons.

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According to an archived version of the company’s website, the restaurant was opened by three brothers – John, Tom and Herb Evans – in the summer of 1946. They sold the diner in 1982 to “two hard-working Greek men”  Spyros Kontoes and Pete Costarides. They retained the original menu and expanded it a bit.

In 1993, the restaurant was taken over by Pete and Mike Kontoes, according to the website. They also brought in a third partner, Nehemiah Carzell

“In 1978, Evans Fine Foods was one of the first places to serve a chicken filet sandwich,” the website says. “We went one step further, smothering the filet with chicken gravy and called it the Smothered Chicken. The restaurant serves fresh vegetables, homemade desserts, and for breakfast serves the world’s best pancakes that you can eat without syrup.”

This story will be updated when more information becomes available.

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