Arkansas Food Hall of Fame honors inductees
Arkansas’ people and its top food experts have named the 2024 class of the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame. Nominations from all 75 counties were taken by the Division of Arkansas Heritage in the spring of this year, and on Sept. 30, this year’s inductees were announced.
This year’s three inductees as Arkansas Food Hall of Fame Restaurants were:
Herman’s Ribhouse
2901 N. College Ave., Fayetteville
(479) 442-9671, hermansribhouse.com
This Fayetteville eatery, originally opened by Herman Tuck in 1964, has become the place for the city to celebrate victories — personal victories such as business deals, engagements and reunions and public victories like Razorback football, basketball and baseball wins. Current owner, Dominique Wright, worked his way up from dishwasher to manager to owner through dedication of keeping the restaurant’s best dishes, simply adding to the flavor to keep folks coming back in the door.
The Faded Rose
1619 Rebsamen Park Road, Little Rock
(501) 663-9734, thefadedrose.com
Ed and Laurie David decided back in 1981 to bring New Orleans flavors to Little Rock. After renovating a building in Little Rock’s Rebsamen Park neighborhood, the couple opened the doors the next year. Over time, it became a staple in an ever-changing food scene — its owners and staff dedicated to high-quality steaks and seafood and keeping the eatery a welcoming spot for regulars and newcomers alike.
Doe’s Eat Place
1023 W. Markham St., Little Rock
(501) 376-1195, doeseatplacelr.com
The Little Rock outlet, the first franchised from the original in Greenville, Mississippi, took on a life of its own under proprietors George Eldridge and his daughter, Katherine. Opened in 1988, the downtown edifice was already a hotspot known for its massive steaks and irresistible tamales before becoming the famed haunt where members of Bill Clinton’s campaign staff would gather during the 1992 presidential election. Its interior’s veritable wallpapering of photos of famous and notorious folks is the perfect setting for deal-making in a ravenous city.
Proprietor of the Year
Chef Rob Nelson
Tusk and Trotter American Brasserie
(479) 268-4494, tuskandtrotter.com
Arkansas-raised, French-trained chef Nelson’s High South cuisine, through restaurants beginning with Bentonville’s Tusk and Trotter in 2011, has helped shape the new generation of culinary development within our state. His dedication to connecting to local farmers and producers has become a blueprint for upcoming chefs hoping to promote Arkansas’ food identity and showcase the treasures we have in our state. Nelson’s mentorship is well-known, and he continues to open more outlets for his culinary creativity with a new Tusk and Trotter in Rogers and a concept he’s just premiered, a barbecue destination called Brothers Meet House in Bentonville.
Food-Themed Event of the Year
Mount Nebo Chicken Fry
For more than seven decades, the Mount Nebo Chicken Fry has been a celebration of chicken, which drives much of the industry in Yell County. The event includes a feast of chicken, baked beans, cumin rice and potato salad held atop Mount Nebo; a 10K race from town up the mountain; a chicken scat bingo; one of the world’s largest chicken dances; and many more activities each August.
Gone But Not Forgotten
Juanita’s Mexican Cantina
Little Rock
This year’s Arkansas Food Hall of Fame ceremony also celebrated the memory of a classic Arkansas restaurant with its Gone But Not Forgotten award: Juanita’s Mexican Cantina. Half Mexican restaurant, half concert venue, the longstanding downtown destination was just as well-known for its cheese dip and beverages as it was for the musical acts it brought to its stage.
People’s Choice
Beech Street Bistro
(870) 304-2183, facebook.com/beechstbistro
Each year, the general public gets to vote on the state’s favorite restaurant, and this year, the people chose Beech Street Bistro in Crossett. Chester and Laura Huntsman took an old house and turned it into the heart of the community, bringing a bright and colorful Cajun/Creole eatery into a town that needed a place to celebrate. Within its brightly colored and decorated walls, the couple has conjured delightful dishes — often accompanied by Chester’s narration, musical instrument playing and antics. Though the Huntsmans have had to step away due to Chester’s health, the restaurant they established has quickly earned its spot as a permanent and beloved part of a hungry town.
Author Kat Robinson is a member of the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame Committee.