Big Banjo Pizza: A slice of history in Pine Bluff

It is not often that a restaurant endures for 50 years, unless there is something magical about the place. Such is the case with Big Banjo Pizza of Pine

Bluff.

Located on 28th Avenue, it is in the original location and has been family owned and operated since the beginning. Pine Bluff natives and brothers Richard “Dickie” Ratliff and Russell Lee Ratliff started their family business by taking out a small loan, using their status as U.S. Army veterans to gain the trust of a local banker. According to family, another brother, Joe Ratliff, was also involved in the restaurant. The brothers developed the Big Banjo recipes for the dough, sauce and other components that are still used today.

“The restaurant is near and dear to my heart, as it was opened years before I was born,” said family member Brandy Ratliff, the current owner of the legendary establishment. “When my father, Dickie, unexpectedly passed away, I was so moved by the respect shown for him and Big Banjo by the community. Many of our employees are like family and have worked here for more than 20 years. We work to keep the restaurant going and thriving to honor my dad.”

For 45 years, Dickie worked tirelessly to hold the high standards of the restaurant while giving back to the community, especially to local schools by donating to scholarship funds and sponsoring many pizza parties throughout the years, Brandy said.

Amy Parker, business manager for the restaurant and a member of C & L Electric Cooperative and First Electric Cooperative, has worked at the Pine Bluff

institution for 10 years. She was an outstanding host during my visit.

Parker said the famous dough is made fresh daily, and the toppings consist of the freshest ingredients available. The pizza spices are proprietary, as they are a Big Banjo secret.

Big Banjo Pizza’s extremely popular lunch buffet is available seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. There is also a dinner buffet served Sunday through Wednesday from 5 to 8 p.m. The customer-oriented team ensures piping-hot varieties of pizza are available during the buffet hours. During my visit, I sampled a few made-to-order items, but I must admit the buffet was very tempting.

The Cheese Sticks were fabulous. The thick crust was covered with a blend of cheeses and sprinkled with house-prepared seasoning that delivered a unique flavor. The sticks were served with homemade marinara sauce.

Big Banjo’s signature pizza is the Taco Pizza, a work of culinary art due to a secret spice. This creation featured a thin, crispy crust, taco-seasoned ground beef, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, chopped onions, shredded cheddar cheese and black olives. The presentation included individual packets of taco sauce under each slice. The unique taste is a favorite of adults who recall birthday parties, special dinners and other events at Big Banjo.

Pizza-oven-baked sandwiches are also a favorite. The Ham and Cheese Sandwich, featuring melted mozzarella was a nice option with great flavor; oven toasting made the sandwich surprisingly different.

The dessert pizzas are also a favorite of new and longtime fans. I sampled the Strawberry Pizza and highly recommend it along with the Chocolate Chip and Snickerdoodle.