Jonathan Landeen made a promise back in 1994 when he bought The Tucson Cork from philanthropist Bill Hillenbrand.
βHe said please donβt ever give it back to me,β Landeen recalled this week. βAnd I never did.β
On Saturday, March 25, Landeen will preside one last time over the dining room of Jonathanβs Cork steakhouse, a throwback to Tucsonβs fine dining heydays that included cowboy steakhouses alongside the white-tablecloth ambiance of The Tack Room.
On Monday, March 27, Glenn and Sally Murphy will take over the historic restaurant that has been operating at 6320 E. Tanque Verde Road since 1966, when a Phoenix restaurateur brought the Cork & Cleaver to Tucsonβs then remote east side. A few years later, the restaurant became a national chain.
The Murphys will be only the fourth owners of the restaurant, which despite name changes has always been fondly referred to by regulars as The Cork.
βThe Cork is a tradition that is pretty special to the east side,β said the 73-year-old Landeen. βThe Cork isnβt me, even though it is. Itβs the people who dine here. It was that way when I bought it.β
That sentiment resonates with the Murphys, who said they plan to keep the restaurant pretty much as is, from the staff to the menu staples. The name will change; the couple is going through the cityβs sign permitting process to rechristen it The Cork Tucson. Possibly by fall they will add a few more sides to the menu and prop up the salad offerings.
But Glenn Murphy, who operated the Backstage next door to the restaurant in the early 2000s and has owned and run dozens of restaurants and bars in the U.S. and his native Perth, Australia, said he also will bring the restaurant into the 21st century with more computer enhanced operations that will include taking orders on digital devices instead of handwriting them as they have done since the beginning.
βWeβre taking on a legacy restaurant and people get scared that weβre going to change everything. But one of the reasons we bought this place is itβs good. Weβre not going to change anything,β said Murphy, who trained as a chef with the Hilton Hotel culinary program when he was a teen and has spent years as a restaurant consultant.
Landeen has been flirting with retiring for several years. During the pandemic, he said, he cut back his role in the restaurant and spent some time traveling and taking care of his wife, Colette. At one time, he considered selling the restaurant to his staff, although that plan never materialized.
Murphy said he and his wife, a native of Bisbee and former KVOA TV anchor who went by her maiden name Sally Shamrell, had wanted to get back into Tucsonβs restaurant business when they moved back to town from Los Angeles at the beginning of the pandemic. The couple, who owned the short-lived Aussie Cantina at 1118 E. Sixth St. near the University of Arizona in 2013-14, set their sights on a legacy restaurant, a place that was well-established with deep culinary and community roots. When they heard last October that Landeen was interested in selling, Murphy said he felt like he had stumbled onto the perfect situation.
βI looked at this and I thought this is exactly what Iβm looking for,β said Murphy.
The restaurant is open from 3 to 9 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays and until 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; itβs closed on Sundays.
New restaurants and bars that have opened in the Tucson area in 2023
Jewel Cafe
UpdatedThe Jewel Cafe & Juice BarΒ officially opened Jan. 30 serving up aΒ farm-to-table concept with a menu consisting of omelets, pastries, sandwiches, burritos andΒ pressed juices.
Where:Β 431 N. Fourth Ave.
Hours:Β 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday through SaturdayΒ
Website:Β The Jewel Cafe on Facebook
Miss Dessert
UpdatedMiss Dessert is a small chain from Phoenix that has made its debut in Tucson. Find Hong Kong-style desserts, like snow with sticky rice, and lots of drinks.
Where:Β 1800 E Fort Lowell Rd #140
Website:Β Miss Dessert
Pasta La Vista
UpdatedPasta La Vista advertises itself as to-go, but they do have a dining room. Their menu rotates around pasta, pizza and subs β all of which are customizable.
Where:Β 2425 N. Tucson Blvd
Website: Pasta La Vista
Just Churros
UpdatedJust Churros makes Spanish-style churros using beloved Mexican toppings like cinnamon sugar, chocolate and cajeta.
Where:Β 4280 N. Oracle Road
Website:Β Just Churros
Agave House
UpdatedAgave House is a sit-down Mexican restaurant with "a modern flair.β
Where:Β 943 E. University Blvd
Website:Β Agave House
Better Bevs
UpdatedBetter BevsΒ combines techniques of boba tea shops with Mexican flavors and aguas frescas, as seen in their chamoy mango shave ice and cucumber lemonade with spicy chile popping boba.Β
Where:Β 210 N. Fourth Ave.
Website:Β Instagram
Sumaj
UpdatedSumajΒ is a mother-daughter-run food truck that serves up Bolivian street food.
Where:Β 403 N. Sixth Ave.
Website:Β Sumaj
Sumaj is a new food truck slinging Bolivian street food near downtown Tucson. It's the only place that makes Bolivian food in Tucson, and they make it all from scratch.
Chick-in Waffle
UpdatedChick-in Waffle is the first chicken and waffles restaurant in Tucson since Mayβs Counter Chicken & Waffles on East SpeedwayΒ closed in 2018. Several Tucson restaurants, includingΒ The Drunken ChickenΒ on North Fourth Ave., serve chicken and waffles, but none of them focuses on it exclusively.
Where:Β 5524 E. Grant Road
Phone:Β 816-800-4041
Website: Chick-in Waffle
For Star subscribers:Β A Kansas City, Missouri, restaurant has opened its first location outside its homebase in Tucson, with two locations coming soon to Phoenix.Β
BrillΓ© Mead Company
UpdatedMead is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented honey and in Ethiopia, a version of mead called teβj is a familiar household drink, consumed out of long-necked vessels called bereles. BrillΓ© Mead Company's David Woods is bringing teβj to Tucson.
Where:Β 3895 N Oracle Rd
Phone: (520) 207-2312
Website:Β BrillΓ© Mead Company
BrillΓ© Mead Company is a new place to find mead in Tucson. The mead is inspired by Ethiopian te'j, from owner David Woods' home country.
Doughbird
UpdatedRotisserie chicken and pizza is the premise of Sam Fox's six-year-old concept Doughbird, which opened its first Tucson location on May 31.
Where:Β 2960 N. Campbell Ave.
Website:Β Doughbird
For Star subscribers: Doughbird, a rotisserie chicken and pizza restaurant, is opening next door to another new Fox eatery, Flower Child.Β
Mr. Patron
UpdatedWhile there are lots of Mexican sushi food trucks in Tucson, Mr. Patron is the first sit-down restaurant slinging the deep-fried rolls. It even has a patio.
Where:Β 5754 E. 22nd St.
Phone:Β (520) 372 2346
Website:Β Mr. Patron
11 new restaurants have recently opened in Tucson. Find a second location of Indian Twist, a new pupuseria in a food truck park and a Japanese-style sandwich spot at American Eat Co.
Hideout Steakhouse & BBQ
UpdatedThis small chain, started in Myton, Utah, has one restaurant in Casa Grande and opened its third location in Tucson on April 3.Β They offer steak cooked on a hot stone right at your table along with other steakhouse classics.
Where:Β 5475 S. Calle Santa Cruz
Phone:Β (520) 702-2227
Website:Β Hideout Steakhouse
For Star subscribers: The Hideout Steakhouse and BBQ will open next year on Tucson's south side, creating about 50 new jobs.
Gyro Shack
UpdatedIdaho-based Gyro Shack, serves up Greek staples in a "fast-causal" setting.
Where:Β 5775 E. Broadway Blvd
Phone:Β (208) 853-5840
Website:Β Gyro Shack
The new Greek-inspired joint will host its soft opening on April 14 across from Park Place Mall.
The Backyard Food Truck Park
UpdatedThe Backyard has a rotating roster of 20 trucks, though a core few will be posted up 20 days of each month and 7-8 are featured at a time. The park is open daily, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Where:Β 890 W. Grant Road
Phone:Β (520) 668-0074
Website:Β The Backyard
The Backyard, located on Grant Road, is Tucson's newest food truck hub. With a roster of 7-8 food trucks at a time, you'll find Mexican sushi to Persian-inspired coffee.
Zyka Twist
UpdatedWhere:Β 621 N 4th Ave
Phone:Β (602) 544-6766
Website:Β Zyka Twist
Tucson's Indian Twist just opened a second location, this time on 4th Ave. Zyka Twist serves a curated selection of items you love from Indian Twist's midtown location.
Flower Child
UpdatedFlower Child features aΒ menuΒ of salads and bowls, many of them vegetarian and vegan.
Where:Β 2960 N Campbell Ave. #110
Phone: (520) 276-4550
Website:Β Flower Child
Kava Den
UpdatedKava Den is a new extension of the Kava Bar, which offers Kava drinks and products.Β
Where:Β 67 E. Pennington St.
Phone:Β 520-323-1832
Website: Kava Den
Uptown Burger
UpdatedUptown Burger is a counter-service, fast-food restaurant that serves a half-dozen eclectic burgers, salads, fries and gelato.
Where:Β 6370 N. Campbell Ave. suite 160
Phone: (520)Β 638-6182
Website:Β Uptown Burger
For Star subscribers: The scion of Tucson's famous Italian restaurant family has dove into his passion for burgers.Β
Yellow Brick Coffee
UpdatedYellow Brick Coffee is at a new location offeringΒ hand- and batch-brewed coffees, espresso-based beverages and pastries made in-house.
Where:Β 800 N. Country Club Road
Phone: (520) 226-4068
Website: Yellow Brick Coffee
For Star subscribers:Β A Tucson-based coffee roaster is opening its flagship location at the iconic Benedictine Monastery in midtown.Β
Comida Park
UpdatedA new food truck park opened in February at theΒ Tanque Verde Swap Meet.
Where:Β 4100 S. Palo Verde Road
Phone: (866) 440-2810
Website:Β Comida Park
Blue Front
UpdatedBlue Front, home to American comfort foods, opened in January.
Where:Β 110 E. Congress St.
Phone: (520) 849-7964
Website: Blue Front
Daveβs Hot Chicken
UpdatedWhere: 5615 E. Broadway Blvd.
Phone: (520) 613-2420
Website:Β Daveβs Hot Chicken
Portillo's
UpdatedThis popular chain that specializes in Chicago-style hot dogs opened in February where Claim Jumper once stood at the El Con Center.
Where: 3761 E Broadway Blvd
Phone: 520-246-2300
Website: Portillo'sΒ
Main Event
UpdatedMain Event is a family-friendly bowling, arcade and entertainment venue that opened its first Tucson location in March.
Where: 4700 S Landing Way
Phone: (520) 503-3301
Website:Β Main EventΒ