Zeus Serves as Sustainable Sanctuary

Temple of Zeus café, located in Goldwin Smith Hall, cultivates a loyal customer base through emphasis on vegetarian foods and a friendly atmosphere.

The origins of Temple of Zeus, an independently run eatery affiliated with the College of Arts and Sciences, can be traced back roughly 45 years to its first location in what is now Kaufmann Auditorium. Zeus, named for the statues of the West Pediment of the Temple of Zeus in Greece that shared the space in Kaufmann, “grew up from an empty room in a basement,” said Thomas Walls, manager of the eatery. Zeus “was nothing more than some tables, chairs and coffee.” That was the way the café ran for 30 years until the College of Arts and Sciences hired Walls 13 years ago in an attempt to turn Zeus into a viable business.