Friar Tuck’s Celebrates 50 Years in Nevada City
Friar Tuck’s Restaurant and Bar is located within the Historic District of Downtown Nevada City, a 16-acre area listed in the National Register of Historic Places in the United States.
Greg and Rona Cook’s Legacy
Greg Cook was just 24 years old in 1973 when he brought his dream, Friar Tuck’s Restaurant and Bar, to Nevada City, California. Wooden stars with small lights served as chandeliers. Service was on torch-burnt plywood tables and rolled-out burlap served as a soft ceiling. ‘Old-timers’ consider these fun times as the ‘burlap days.’ Greg and his staff dressed in handmade friar robes with belts that were embellished with a wine glass to make the look complete.
Friar Tuck’s was created from two passions: wine and music. It was one of the first wine bars in Northern California. Fondue was offered and this elevated Friar Tuck’s to a novelty in the community. Live local music has always been a foundation of the Tuck’s experience seven days a week since the 1970s.It is an honor to have received the Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator magazine for the past 19 years.
In 1982, Greg and Rona were married. Together they continued to elevate the dream. The restaurant doubled in size with a full liquor license, steak, fresh seafood, and more. A full menu was born.
The 2002 Fire in Nevada City
At 4:20 am on March 20, 2002, a massive fire gutted the entire building including Friar Tuck’s Restaurant, the Herb Shop Boutique next door, Off Broad Street Theater, and the Probation Department upstairs. It took 100 firefighters, 25 fire agencies, and 17 hours to extinguish the fire. News helicopters flew overhead all day.
The fire ignited a flame in the heart of the community as expressed by the local news. An outpouring of love by the community created unity; the building area was covered in handprints and the “Hands and Hearts” of Nevada City grew. Gary Tintle and Ken Baker engineered the rebuild project that took nearly 14 months to complete. The beautiful restaurant we see today is due to Greg and Rona and their dream to rebuild from the ashes. Together they brought to life a full-size commercial kitchen as well as a gorgeous solid mahogany bar custom made in Arcadia, California, by Wallace and Hinzs craftsmen. The brick you see today dates back to 1860. There are two wine cellars with hundreds of selections; one cellar can be seen at the far end of the bar.
Unique to Friar Tuck’s is a Sherwood Forest Room, with its mystical tree and trellis, built here by clever local artists and completely lit with fiber optics.
The founder, Greg Cook, passed away on December 30, 2016. Rona and their daughter Carissa continued to operate Friar Tuck’s, carrying on Greg’s legacy. Carissa spent 14 years working in various aspects of the hospitality industry. She studied and became a sommelier, becoming the director of operations. The Cook family has created part of history in Nevada City.
50th Anniversary Events
On April 11, 2019, the Paige family became the proprietors of Friar Tuck’s. The Cook family created dreams, vision, passion, and community. The Paiges saw the value in carrying out what has made Friar Tuck’s an institution for decades. Their faith in God moved their hearts to take this step to continue to serve and bless the community.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Friar Tuck’s! We’re proud to present a four-part documentary on Friar Tuck’s, hosted on the Friar Tuck’s YouTube channel.
We are also hosting a weeklong celebration from June 11-17. Each night we will feature two musicians along with discounted food and drinks. On Wednesday June 14, there will be a street party featuring the band Dyn Breed from 4:00 to 10:00 pm. The Paige family graciously welcomes you all to come and celebrate together as a community. It was your hearts that brought us back to life. Let’s continue to celebrate life together.