After thousands of submissions covering every county in Arkansas, the Arkansas Department of Heritage announced the finalists for the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame today.
The finalists are broken into five categories. Food Hall of Fame, featuring iconic locations that have been in business for 25 years or longer. Proprietor the year, for top restaurateurs and restaurant groups in the state. Food Themed event covering the top food related events and festivals around the state. Gone But not Forgotten that looks at restaurants which have closed regardless of reason and not likely to reopen. Finally, the People’s Choice, which is really a free for all with no rules about what restaurant or food truck will win so long as they are local and not a national chain.
Winners will be announced at on February 7th at Central Arkansas Library System’s Ron Robinson Theater.
The finalists this year are:
Arkansas Food Hall of Fame
Colonial Steak House of Pine Bluff (Jefferson County)
Dairy King of Portia (Lawrence County)
Dixie Pig of Blytheville (Mississippi County)
Herman’s Ribhouse of Fayetteville (Washington County)
K Hall & Sons Produce of Little Rock (Pulaski County)
Kream Kastle of Blytheville (Mississippi County)
Neal’s Café of Springdale (Washington County)
Ohio Club of Hot Springs (Garland County)
The Faded Rose of Little Rock (Pulaski County)
Bulldog Restaurant of Bald Knob (White County)
Lindsey’s Bar-B-Q & Hospitality House of North Little Rock (Pulaski County)
Bailey’s Dairy Treat of Hot Springs (Garland County)
Stoby’s Restaurant Conway (Faulkner County)
Bruno’s Little Italy of Little Rock (Pulaski County)
Daisy Queen of Marshall (Searcy County)
Proprietor of the Year
Jim Keet, JTJ Restaurants of Little Rock (Pulaski County)
Jamie McAfee, Pine Bluff Country Club of Pine Bluff (Jefferson County)
Rob Nelson, Tusk and Trotter of Bentonville (Benton County)
Capi Peck, Trio’s Restaurant of Little Rock (Pulaski County)
David Stobaugh, Stoby’s Restaurant of Conway (Faulkner County)
James Woods, Woods Place of Camden (Ouachita County)
Food-Themed Events
Mt. Nebo Chicken Fry (Yell County)
Magnolia Blossom Festival & World Championship Steak Cook-Off (Columbia County)
World Championship Duck Gumbo Cookoff (Arkansas County)
Gone But Not Forgotten
Coy’s Steak House (Garland County)
Cajun’s Wharf (Pulaski County)
Mrs. Miller’s Chicken & Steak House (Garland County)
The Villa Italian Restaurant (Pulaski County)
James At The Mill (Washington County)
