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We recently highlighted 9 Restaurants the Food Network called out in programming for incredible tastes and patron loyalty. Today, let’s tour the state with some of the best bites around Arkansas that made Food Network’s lists and TV shows.
We are talking historic bites, new takes on old favorites, mind-blowing pastries and, quite literally, the very best food you’ll ever eat!
From every corner of the state, live show hosts and local writers snuck into the corners of ice cream shops, traditional eateries, and food festivals to find our state’s best foods!
Arkansas Food Items Featured on Food Network
- Local Lime | Little Rock, Rogers | 50 states, 50 tacos – the chorizo taco, filled with a chorizo meat mixture, charred pineapple and Jack cheese, is a small bite with a big flavor.
- Flyway Brewing | North Little Rock – Gina’s Gumbo Cheese fries were a big hit with Guy for their take on elevated pub grub. In the same episode, Guy visits La Terraza Rum & Lounge for authentic Valencia-style Spanish Paella loaded with seafood flavors.
- The Venesian Inn | Tontitown – Weeks after learning more about the Italians who founded Tontitown, it seems fitting to visit for a platter of the best pasta in America with a side of fried chicken!
- Brown Sugar Bake Shop | Little Rock – the fluffy texture and unique flavors, like a buttery bundt, Moscato, red velvet and maple bacon, drew this bakery to the list of best cakes in the country with their original recipes.
- @ the Corner | Little Rock | 50 best waffles in the country – a trendy weekend brunch option, the chicken and waffles caught the list here. A pile of buttermilk-soaked chicken tenders piles high over buttermilk waffles topped with fresh berries and housemade honey butter.
- @ the Corner | Little Rock | Best Breakfast Sandwich – the listing offers two options, whether you are experiencing brunch on a weekend or a weekday. It seems everyone likes to keep it old school on a school day with fried bologna, fried egg, and a slide of Gouda topped with bacon jam and lemon aioli. But the weekend is saved for the PBLT, a breakfast BLT loaded with a housemade pimento cheese spread. Home fries on the side are a must, no matter what sandwich you get!
- Le Pops | Little Rock has fun flavors with a serious focus on clean ingredients. These are the perfect addition to the top pops in 50 states!
- Julie’s Sweet Shop | Conway | Best Donuts in America – a simple doughnut that’s sure to please, mainly because everything is homemade and brings the perfect combination of sweetness to yeasty dough.
- Jimmy’s Serious Sandwiches | Little Rock | Best Sandwich in America – with a line-up of meat options toasted with melty cheese, this veggie delight aims to please. A spinach pate smashed between cheddar and provolone cheese with sunflower seeds and alfalfa sprouts. It might not be your dad’s first pick, but too many people are stopping for him not to try Arkansas’s most famous vegetarian sandwich!
- Loblolly Creamery | Little Rock – it wouldn’t be an ice cream list for Arkansas without including Loblolly! Food Network loves Arkansas Mud with a secret ingredient of marshmallow crème. Still, you would be hard-pressed to find a flavor you didn’t love, from Honey Lavender to Little-rocky Road, Salted Caramel Pinnacle Trail or Very Berry Sorbet.
- Old South Restaurant | Russellville – Among the foods Arkansas is most known for, Possum Pie tops the list, but that typically surprises newcomers to the state. No, there’s not a furry night varmint in the pie; it’s a fanny came given to 4-layer delight! And this 1940s chain does it best! Stoby’s also makes the list of best bakery treats for the same concoction.
- Alley Oops | Little Rock – known by most as a sandwich spot for lunch, the hidden gem is their chess pie, the best bite in Arkansas.
- The Big Orange | Little Rock & Rogers – the Velvet Orange, a signature house cocktail, is listed among the best-frozen drinks in America for the citrusy flavors and elderflower liquor that pairs nicely with their signature burgers.
- The Pancake Shop | Hot Springs | 50 states, 50 breakfast – while they highlight the banana pancake, a regular ole, bigger-than-plate house pancake will never disappoint. But what’s to miss? The recipe hasn’t changed in more than 80 years. The menu is full of little bits mixed into a pancake, and you can often see jockeys and regulars grabbing a bite to eat during the busy horse racing season.
- Vinos Brew Pub | Little Rock – a by-the-slice restaurant where a blend of Italian sausage and mushrooms draws a crowd.
Other Arkansas Appearances on Food Network
- World Championship Steak Cook-off | Magnolia – Eating America host Anthony Anderson tried his hand at the grilling games and tasted steaks from the 80 contestants.
- Fat Bottomed Girls Cupcakes deemed Cupcake Wars the “world series of our industry while participating in a bake-off episode!
- Bean Palace at War Eagle Mill | Rogers – “no better piece of cornbread” made from locally grown corn and milled onsite.
- HAM Market | Little Rock – A French delicacy of ham and butter makes its mark with locally sourced ingredients. It’s simple, but it’s rich and perfect!
- Two Arkansas favorites for fine dining topped the list of 50 best cocktails – The Hive at 21 C | Bentonville and The Capitol Hotel | Little Rock
- Bruno’s Little Italy brothers shared secret recipes with Guy Fieri on his Burgers to Italian episode, which also featured North Bar and their “Arkansas BBQ burger.“
And, to finish things off, what’s the most iconic recipe in Arkansas – Biscuits and Chocolate Gravy!
If your Arkansas Bucket list didn’t just expand, we’ve got to know…have you already tried these treats?
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