Our History 

After purchasing a small place called New York Pizza, Jon and Bill began to carry out the plans of turning the pizzeria into a Greek eatery (say that five times fast). While waiting for the equipment to make gyros and baklava, the previous owner taught them how to make pizza so they could start serving hungry customers immediately.

Bill and Jon had the perfect name for their pizza-for-now-but-really-Greek-restaurant: “Dionysus”, after the Greek god of the grape harvest and wine. But when it came to making the sign, they balked at the price. Inflation had skyrocketed since ancient Greek times. They asked the sign maker what they could do to make their sign less expensive. He laughed and replied, “Well, you could knock off a few letters.” And that’s just what Jon and Bill did. From that moment on, their restaurant became known as Dion’s®.

In 2022, the Dion’s team opened a sister restaurant called Tula’s Kitchen. 

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Jon Patten and Bill Scott came to Albuquerque from Michigan in 1978, with dreams of opening a Greek restaurant fit for the gods.

Dion’s was founded by Jon Patten and Bill Scott
Dion’s was founded by Jon Patten and Bill Scott
The second Dion’s location opened at Academy & Wyoming
The second Dion’s location opened at Academy & Wyoming
Locations at Morris & Montgomery and Central & Monroe were purchased (former Mazzios) and had to learn how to use a drive-thru pick up window
Locations at Morris & Montgomery and Central & Monroe were purchased (former Mazzios) and had to learn how to use a drive-thru pick up window
Credit card and ATM card payments were taken for the first time
Credit card and ATM card payments were taken for the first time
Dion’s designed and built their first store from the ground up
Dion’s designed and built their first store from the ground up
Dressing by the bottle became available for purchase
Dressing by the bottle became available for purchase
Dion’s designed and built their first store from the ground up
Dion’s designed and built their first store from the ground up
The Dion’s Home Office was built
The Dion’s Home Office was built
The Dion’s stand at Isotopes stadium opened
The Dion’s stand at Isotopes stadium opened
The first Texas location opened in Lubbock
The first Texas location opened in Lubbock
Online ordering was added as an option for customers
Online ordering was added as an option for customers
The first Colorado location opened in Colorado Springs
The first Colorado location opened in Colorado Springs
Green Chile Ranch launched!
Green Chile Ranch launched!
Dion’s added a Catering Team to meet the needs of hungry groups
Dion’s added a Catering Team to meet the needs of hungry groups
Dion’s opened a sister restaurant called Tula’s Kitchen
Dion’s opened a sister restaurant called Tula’s Kitchen
Dion’s expanded to a new 53,000 sq ft Commissary
Dion’s expanded to a new 53,000 sq ft Commissary

Our History 

After purchasing a small place called New York Pizza, Jon and Bill began to carry out the plans of turning the pizzeria into a Greek eatery (say that five times fast). While waiting for the equipment to make gyros and baklava, the previous owner taught them how to make pizza so they could start serving hungry customers immediately.

Bill and Jon had the perfect name for their pizza-for-now-but-really-Greek-restaurant: “Dionysus”, after the Greek god of the grape harvest and wine. But when it came to making the sign, they balked at the price. Inflation had skyrocketed since ancient Greek times. They asked the sign maker what they could do to make their sign less expensive. He laughed and replied, “Well, you could knock off a few letters.” And that’s just what Jon and Bill did. From that moment on, their restaurant became known as Dion’s®.

Image

Jon Patten and Bill Scott came to Albuquerque from Michigan in 1978, with dreams of opening a Greek restaurant fit for the gods.