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Arkansas Side Dish
Iconic Dining - Unique Restaurants in Arkansas
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PJ's Lodge, Norfork
Lots of people enjoy finding the local hang-outs and restaurants when they're traveling. Being friendly southerners, we're happy to tell you the best places to eat in Arkansas if you stop and ask us. Every town has a well-known restaurant, but some are also known throughout the entire state. Here are a few unique restaurants in Arkansas with a wide-ranging reputation for good eats. But you don't have to take our word for it, just look at all the cars in the parking lot.
McClard's Bar-B-Q in Hot Springs
This legendary Arkansas barbecue restaurant offers meats pit smoked daily on the premises. They're also known for their sauce, cole slaw, beans and hot tamales, all made from scratch from old family recipes. They have been family owned and operated for over 75 years. Famous for the "hot tamale spread," the restaurant has been featured in Southern Living and Gourmet Magazines and on "The Best of..." television show on Food Network. It's also an old hang out of former President Bill Clinton.
Doe's Eat Place in Little Rock
This Little Rock landmark is known for huge steaks and homemade tamales. It gained national renown during the 1992 presidential election campaign. Clinton staffers made it their hangout and it was the setting for then-candidate Clinton's interview by Rolling Stone magazine.
Feltner's Whatta Burger in Russellville
Not part of the big chain of the same name, this is the place to go for custom-made hamburgers, French fries, malts, milkshakes, and cones.
Mary Maestri's and Venesian Inn in Tontitown
Tontitown is probably best known for its grapes and the Tontitown Grape Festival, which includes a made-from-scratch spaghetti dinner. But Tontitown also has two venerable locales for soaking up the food heritage of this place that was founded by Italian immigrants at the end of the 19th century. Mary Maestri's is a legendary Arkansas restaurant established in 1922 serving homemade pastas, breads and desserts, prime steaks and seafood. The Venesian Inn is an Arkansas tradition featuring authentic Italian cuisine, handmade pasta and rolls and excellent fried chicken.
AQ Chicken House in Springdale
AQ Chicken House has been an Arkansas tradition for more than 50 years. It's known for its secret-recipe chicken and casual family dining. The pan fried chicken is the house specialty.
Couch's Corner Bar-B-Que in Jonesboro
Couch's is now the oldest restaurant in Jonesboro, opening on Oct. 1, 1970. The restaurant has won numerous awards including Best Restaurant in the Arkansas Times Readers' Choice Awards and the Gourmet Society of North America Golden Fork Award.
Weinkeller Restaurant in Wiederkehr Village
The Weinkeller Restaurant at Wiederkehr Wine Cellars serves Swiss and other European specialties in charming, candlelit surroundings. The original wine cellar, hand-dug by Johann Andreas Wiederkehr in 1880, was converted to house the Weinkeller in 1967. The restaurant is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and for years has been voted "Most Romantic" and "Best Ethnic" by the readers of Arkansas Times magazine. The Weinkeller's menu offers delicacies from the German, French, and Italian regions of Switzerland, as well as specialties from central Europe and America.
In addition to these legendary restaurants, Arkansas has some unique dining venues as well. You can eat inside of an old railroad car, a plane, river boats, old mills and more. Click here to see them all: http://arkansas.com/uniquely-arkansas/dining/
You can also enjoy some old-fashioned refreshments at a soda fountain.
Arkansas Soda Fountains
The history of soda fountains in Arkansas runs deep. Young and old alike enjoy sitting down to an old-fashioned soda fountain for a taste of ice cream and soda. A few soda fountains can still be found in The Natural State.
Charlotte's Eats & Sweets in Keo
Located in a historic pharmacy building, it has an old walnut soda fountain and serves sandwiches, salads, burgers, shakes, sundaes, malts, homemade pies and cakes.
Cherry's Olde-Tyme Soda Fountain in Hope
Menu includes soups, specialty sandwiches, and quiche
Dixie Café found statewide
All in-state locations of this Arkansas-based chain feature soda fountains; features home-style cooking, burgers, salads
Family Shoe & Dry Goods in Calico Rock
A step back in time, this venue is a lunch counter with an old-time soda fountain as well as shoes, clothing and unusual gifts.
Fort Smith Museum of History in Fort Smith
Enjoy a refreshment from the old-time soda fountain, and then explore artifacts that depict the history and culture of the Fort Smith area from Native Americans to the present.
Jones Drug Store in Lepanto
Features an original soda fountain from days of the past.
Kelley's Drug and Selections in McGehee
A home-owned drug store with an old-fashioned soda fountain and deli sandwiches.
Ozark Café in Jasper
The history of this soda fountain in Arkansas goes back 100 years. The century-old café features burgers, steaks and seafood in addition to its soda fountain offerings.
Palace Drug Store& Soda Fountain in Mammoth Spring
Along with the soda fountain, this lunch counter serves soups, sandwiches, salads and desserts, and has a selection of gifts.
Purple Cow in Little Rock
Two locations serve up premium, hand-dipped shakes from the soda fountain; also offers gourmet burgers and diner specialties
Sodie's Fountain & Grill in Flippin
Located in a historic railroad depot, Sodie's serves breakfast, lunch and old-fashioned soda fountain treats.
Woods Pharmacy & Old-Fashioned Soda Fountain in Mountain View
Soda fountain menu includes ice cream sodas, cones, phosphates, shakes, malts, sundaes, banana splits; food menu includes sandwiches, salads.