While we at Rock City Eats tend to focus on the food scene here in central Arkansas, we’ve discovered plenty of great eats all around the state, too. Arkansas’ highways, byways, and small towns are ripe with numerous excellent restaurants, dairy bars, drive-ins, and bakeries of all sort. In this regular feature, we explore some of these places and encourage you to pull over and sample some of the greatest food from “Around Arkansas.” Next up, Mud Street Café in Eureka Springs.
Where: 22 G South Main Street Eureka Springs, AR
The Restaurant: If you’re unfamiliar with Mud Street Café, I think the description on the website says it best, “Just fifty feet from the auditorium in ‘Unique, Underground Eureka Springs’ Mud Street Cafe is famous for our award winning coffee, espresso drinks, desserts, full bar and the freshest food in town!” That really sums it up. The relaxed, laid back atmosphere of the restaurant is so reflective of the town itself, making it a must-stop for out-of-towners. Mud Street Café is right in the thick of thing, close to all of the shops in downtown Eureka Springs.
The Food: For breakfast, any of the house specialties, including the veggie grits, veggie hash browns, and chef’s scramble, are all fantastic and loaded with fresh, delicious vegetables. While the pancakes are good, I’d opt for an egg-based dish at breakfast/brunch. The folks at Mud Street know their way around an egg, as evident by the array of omelets (Mexican, veggie, mushroom, cheese, spinach & mushroom, Greek, and ham & cheese). For lunch, Mud Street offers a full assortment of burgers, sandwiches, salads, and wraps. There are also no shortage of desserts at Mud Street … heck the case is the first thing you see when you walk down the stairs and into the restaurant. As you can see by the picture, the pies don’t win any style points, but certainly do in the taste department. Finally, I can’t imagine finding a better cup of coffee in town, but if you’re not inclined to guzzle down the java, a fine Bloody Mary might suite you.
The Price: About what you’d expect to pay at any reasonably priced breakfast/lunch spot.
The Verdict: Simply put, no visit to Eureka Springs is complete without a stop (or three) to this iconic restaurant. It’s a little quirky, very cozy, and serves up simple, yet tasty dishes of classic American fare. During my visits, I’ve always found the service to be fast, attentive, and definitely friendly.
The Info:
Driving: 3.5 hours from Little Rock
Hours: 8 a.m.-3 p.m. (closed Tuesday and Wednesday); Sunday brunch until 1 p.m.
Phone: (479-253-6732)