Well-loved Mark’s Cafe in south Tempe permanently closes after 16 years

Mark’s Cafe, one of Tempe’s most beloved small restaurants, has closed permanently after 16 years.

Owner and chef  Mark Vojtek and his wife, Karen, made the announcement on social media:

The restaurant, which began life in 2003 as Culinary Solutions Cafe, flirted with closing for years.

In 2011, it made headlines when diehard customers stepped up and donated money, time, and expertise to renovate and rebrand the restaurant as Mark’s Cafe.

The restaurant had to close for several months in 2016 after Vojtek suffered a heart attack.

While walking a financial tightrope for years, though, the Vojteks hosted a seemingly endless series of benefits for employees and community members facing a crisis.

Fittingly, Mark’s Cafe spent what turned out to be its final days in business handing out free meals to those in need.