Food

Arkansas’s got it down pat when it comes to foodie events. Check out a few that are coming this fall:

September is National Rice Month, and Riceland is celebrating this versatile grain. They’ll be setting up shop with their Riceland Mobile Café at Little Rock’s Main Street Food Truck Festival on Sept. 8, serving tasty, gluten-free treats and giving away freebies.

The popularity of vegan dishes is on the rise as many people are choosing to incorporate more plant-based meals into their diets for personal interests, environmental benefits or to meet dietary needs. The latest Arkansas restaurant to add vegan dish options to its menu is Cache, a fine-dining restaurant located in the River Market in Little Rock.

How do you can a beer? We turned to the experts at Lost Forty Brewing to give us the scoop on all things canning as they stocked one of their newest brews, the Look-See Hefeweizen.

The popular Main Street Food Truck Festival is back for its eighth year and will feature 60+ food trucks, dozens of craft vendors and a variety of entertainment buskers.

The wait is finally over for the highly anticipated opening of The Holler, A Local Hangout, in Bentonville. The “gathering space where guests can eat, drink, work and play” is the newest addition to 8th Street Market.

True Arkansas Eatery (TAE) is the newest downtown eatery to open its doors. Located in the Hotel Frederica on Capitol Avenue in downtown Little Rock, chefs Justin Patterson and Cetera Key, formerly of The Southern Gourmasion (which closed earlier this year), are again partnering to lend their talents to Southern cuisine. Menu options include Southern staples like cornbread, fried chicken, meatloaf and fried green tomatoes. The restaurant also offers vegetarian dish options.

If you’re not familiar with CSAs, you should be. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is a partnership between farmers and consumers. When you join as a shareholder, you pay in advance for vegetables, flowers, meat, cheese, etc., so farmers have the necessary capital to begin the season. In exchange, you get fresh, naturally grown produce and other farm staples for the season.

Northwest Arkansas friends, Taco Tuesday is about to get a whole lot better. Local Lime, the sister restaurant to Big Orange (two located in Little Rock and one in Rogers), is opening this summer in the Pinnacle Hills Promenade.

Each year, Stuttgart-based Riceland Foods, Inc. mills and markets more than 35% of the total U.S. rice crop, which is why the town is known as the rice capital of the world. In the U.S., we consume 2,564,866 metric tons of rice each year. That’s almost 57 billion servings.

More restaurants are getting aboard the vegan food train. Michael Qandah is the latest entrant to expand Little Rock’s plant-based cooking scene. He’s the vegan chef – with a stunning Instagram feed – who runs Happy Bear Cooking.

Cinco de Mayo musts:

2018 Rock City Margarita Festival – Sample margaritas from 25+ vendors while enjoying outdoor games, music and taco trucks. 4-7 p.m. at Heifer Village & Urban Farm. Tickets are $25. 21+ only.

Over the past 33 years, the International Greek Food Festival has become a local institution. Billed as the largest ethnic festival in Arkansas, the tradition of serving food, friends and the community continues from Friday, May 18 at 11 a.m. through Sunday, May 20 at 6 p.m.

Get your food fix with these downtown Little Rock restaurants that offer delivery services. Now, you can enjoy lunch from the comforts of your cubicle.

When it comes to giving gifts, you always hear it’s the thought that counts. But, we think it’s the taste that counts!

Yeyo’s Mexican Grill is now serving up its celebrated street tacos at Bentonville’s 8th Street Market. The food truck-turned-brick-and-mortar-restaurant offers authentic Mexican fare made with locally grown ingredients from the Rios family farm.

Coffee: a basic life necessity. Wherever you are in Arkansas, there’s sure to be a local joint you’ll love:

Smell that? That’s the sign of a great year for Little Rock’s food scene. Rock City Eats published a list of eateries opening in 2018 and we’re ready. Here are a few that grabbed our taste buds’ attention.

When the clock strikes midnight the champagne will flow! Before the bottle popping begins, check out these festive libations around town to celebrate the new year:

The state’s fastest-growing popcorn store, Pop Pop Shoppe, has opened two new locations in central Arkansas. New storefronts in Conway and West Little Rock are the fourth and fifth storefronts for the brand. Other locations are in midtown Little Rock and its homebase, Texarkana.

Perhaps one of the most cherished Christmas traditions is dinner. If your loved ones are planning a classic Christmas dinner, what is the most Southern dish you could bring to the table? We asked local food expert and blogger Rex Nelson.

Spur-of-the-moment Friendsgiving? Run out of time? The kitchen isn’t your forte? Whatever your situation, make it easy and grab your favorite side dishes and desserts from these local eateries:

A new restaurant is set to open in the East Village in early 2018. Cathead’s Diner, a concept from chefs Donnie Ferneau and Kelli Marks, will feature Southern-style fare for breakfast, lunch and brunch.

Halloween is almost here and what better way to celebrate than with themed drinks? We’ve got the Halloween spirits roundup for you.

Back for its third year, CareLink’s Cupcakes for Goodness Sake event is set for Sept. 30.

The new restaurant, Southern Table, has opened in downtown Little Rock. Margie Raimondo of Raimondo Winery purchased Kent Walker Artisan Cheese with intent to reopen as a new concept with a continued focus on the art of cheese-making. The restaurant remains on Cross Street neighboring Dempsey Bakery.

During the summer months, barbecues are happening all the time. Everyone wants to be outside enjoying the weather with friends and family. Below are some tips I have for making nutritious choices at BBQs without missing out on the fun:

The Preacher’s Son, one of the newest restaurants in the downtown Bentonville square, recently opened its rooftop lounge. Next time you’re in Northwest Arkansas, be sure to stop by and enjoy some of its top drinks.

Owners of popular local bars are bringing a new concept to Fayetteville. Located in the Uptown District is Northwest Arkansas’ newest premier beer garden, JBGB. JBGB is not the typical craft brewery or restaurant. Minds behind other local favorites — JJ’s, Pour House and more — have created a large outdoor gaming area that includes shuffleboard, baggo, bocce ball, ping pong, a wading pool and sand volleyball.

The first-ever Little Rock Vegan Fest is coming to Chester Street on June 24.