If ever a restaurant concept was ahead of its time, look no further than The Good Earth. Located at the now razed El Mercado shopping center at Broadway Boulevard and Wilmot Road, the restaurant was a long time favorite for many Tucsonans.
Closed over a trademark dispute between owner Norm Land and the Good Earth Corporation in 1997, the restaurant was, according to Nation’s Restaurant News, “probably the most prominent chain example of a health-food concept.”
The Good Earth menu included uncommon language for a restaurant at the time: “We bring you an old-fashioned breakfast that helps you maintain a higher energy peak throughout your day. Only pure, wholesome, natural ingredients go into a Good Earth breakfast. We avoid using chemically treated foods that contain artificial coloring or flavoring. Eat hearty and have a nice day.”
Business disputes aside, we got our hands on one of the original menus from 1993.
The enormous menu was awe-inspiring for a restaurant of its time, including lines such as, “We bring you an old-fashioned breakfast that helps you maintain a higher energy peak throughout your day. Only pure, wholesome, natural ingredients go into a Good Earth breakfast. We avoid using chemically treated foods that contain artificial coloring or flavoring. Eat hearty and have a nice day.”
Some standouts from the menu include:
Nogales Omelet – Green chili peppers, jack and cheddar cheese, whole wheat chapati, Spanish Basque sauce
Ten Grain Sourdough Cakes – Super sourdough starter with all natural grains
The Tuckson Sandwich – Open face on 10 grain, avocado, tomato, mayo, slivered almonds, Meunster, aged cheddar, and choice of meat
The Earth Burger – Veggie burger made with nuts, grains, adzuki beans, mushrooms, and “exotic” spices
Malaysian Cashew Beef – Sirloin, pea pods, Chinese greens, mushrooms, onions, celery, water chestnuts, brown rice pilaf
Far East Curried Vegetables – fresh vegetables simmered in tomato based curry with green onions, mushroom, served with coconut, raisins, chutney, and nuts
