Cork & Pig Tavern in Abilene--a chef-inspired place in a popular location

 The Cork & Pig Tavern is an upscale chef-driven casual dining spot that is a creation of Felipe Armenta who grew up in San Angelo, Texas. San Angelo is about 90 miles away from Abilene and I have visited the city many times and had some great meals there. The first time I ever went to the Cork & Pig Tavern was in San Angelo several years ago. Until another one opened in Abilene, I was not aware that there were other locations around the state outside of San Angelo. There are restaurants in the DFW metroplex (2), one in Midland, and one in Odessa as well. 

In addition to having a catchy name, there are several options on the menu including traditional entrees, salads, sandwiches, and pizzas, and a full bar with specialty cocktails.

Crispy Chicken Sandwich with fries

I have eaten at the Abilene Cork & Pig Tavern three times in the last 8 months or so. I decided to wait until my third visit to review them because my first visit was not impressive. My first meal there was in the winter and they had only been open a few months. My last two visits have been within the last month and were a vast improvement over the first visit.

The first meal I ate at this location was the fish and chips. I found the fish to be too heavily breaded, skimpy, lacking in seasoning. The fries/chips were shoestring fries that could only be classified as limp. The tarter sauce, however, was delicious but that is not much of a recommendation for a meal that costs $21. Also, at that time the price of the meal on the ticket did not match the price on the menu for both my meal and my companion's salad, with the ticket price being higher. This was disappointing and the server seemed annoyed that we pointed out the discrepancy. After that, I decided to give the place some time to work out any "newbie" issues before returning and reviewing them.

My second visit, I was eating with some work colleagues. This time I ordered with the crispy chicken sandwich ($15). It was topped with a bacon vinaigrette cole slaw, cheddar cheese, and pickles and came with either homemade chips or peanut cole slaw. I decided to ask for fries instead since chips did not appeal and there was cole slaw on the sandwich. The fries were still not very crisped up but at least they were not "wilted". I recommend if you want fries with more of a bite to them, ask that they make them extra crispy.

Ultimate Pepperoni Pizza

The fires notwithstanding, the chicken sandwich was FANTASTIC. I loved the flavorful slaw on top. The chicken was breaded just right and it was juicy and crispy. The bun was nice and fresh. I think this sandwich will be my "go to" in the future when I eat here. My lunch companions got the ahi tuna salad ($22), the steak salad (as quoted), and a wood-fired pepperoni pizza ($19). The ingredients were fresh and great quality, as you would expect.

The service was good but not overbearing. A very pleasant lunch was had by all. Giving the restaurant time to refine everything paid off.

Zuni chicken salad

My third time to eat there was a trip to Cork & Pig for a 4th of July lunch with the girls. We ordered the spinach and artichoke dip for an appetizer ($14) which came with tortilla chips and a small side of smokey salsa. The dip was a cream-based sauce rather than a cheese-based sauce but the flavor was nice. This time around I had the pepperoni pizza as my entree even though I was very tempted to get the chicken sandwich again. The pizza could have used a bit more sauce and cheese on it but the slices of pepperoni were big and tasted delicious. The crust was done around the outside but softer in the middle. I found this to be typical in many wood fired pizzas. I took home three pieces of pizza as leftovers. This meal could easily be split between two people. My friends got the crispy chicken sandwich, the ahi tuna salad, and the Zuni chicken salad without the blue cheese ($17). The veggies on the salads were nice and fresh and the dressings were delicious. We left satisfied and I know it was the only meal I had for the day. Everyone really enjoyed their lunch.

Ahi Tuna Ponzu salad

Service was efficient and handled well, especially considering it was a holiday.

Overall, the Cork & Pig Tavern knows how to provide quality meals but you do have to realize that the prices reflect that and that portion sizes are "normal". The most inexpensive entree on the menu at the moment is $15 and there are several items that say AQ which means you have to ask the current price, including the steaks and the fish of the day. There is also a black truffle pizza option which is pretty special for this area...and, yes, a cheeseburger too.

Appetizers range from $9-$16. There are deviled eggs and calamari on the appetizer menu if those appeal to your taste buds. There are a few desserts as well, including beignets. The Cork & Pig serves brunch on Saturdays and Sundays.

As with most restaurants in the Allen Ridge area, they do have outdoor seating. Also, parking can be a crush so you may want to park in the overflow parking across the street. 

Cheesburger

I do recommend reservations as it is not a large space and most of the tables are set up for 2-4 people. There is also seating at the bar top. This is perfect for date night. You can stroll the path around the pond after dinner. Unfortunately, the noise from the interstate and Ambler Ave takes away a bit from the ambiance when you are outside.

Cork & Pig Tavern (Allen Ridge Shopping Center)

2467 N Judge Ely Blvd, Abilene, TX 79601

325-289-4749

Hours:

Monday-Thursday    11 AM–10 PM

Friday        11 AM–11 PM
Saturday     10 AM–11 PM
Sunday       10 AM–9 PM