Courtesy photo
The Department of Arkansas Heritage announced the finalists for the 2019 Arkansas Food Hall of Fame.
The program, now in its third year, recognizes Arkansas restaurants, proprietors, food-themed events, and influential Arkansas restaurants that have since ceased operations.
Public nominations are accepted each fall, and final selections for the four main categories are made by a panel of judges. Eligible restaurants must be owned and operated in Arkansas and have been in business for at least 25 years.
This year’s winners will be announced at an induction ceremony at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 25 at the Ron Robinson Theater in Little Rock. Tickets are $20 at Eventbrite.com.
Past inductees include Jones Bar-B-Q of Marianna, Lassis Inn of Little Rock, Rhoda’s Famous Hot Tamales of Lake Village, Franke’s Cafeteria of Little Rock, McClard’s Bar-B- Q Restaurant ofMcClard’s Bar-B- Q Restaurant of Hot Springs and The Venesian Inn of Tontitown.
2019 Arkansas Food Hall of Fame Finalists
Arkansas Food Hall of Fame
4-Dice Restaurant – Fordyce
AQ Chicken House – Springdale
Bruno’s Little Italy – Little Rock
Burge’s Restaurant – Little Rock and Lewisville
Craig Brothers Cafe – DeValls Bluff
Doe’s Eat Place – Little Rock
Keeney’s Food Market – Malvern
Kream Kastle – Blytheville
The Ohio Club – Hot Springs
Star of India – Little Rock
Proprietor of the Year
Peter Brave – Little Rock
Sami Lal – Little Rock
Scott McGehee – Little Rock
Capi Peck – Little Rock
Loretta Tacker – Marion
Food-Themed Events
Hope Watermelon Festival – Hope
International Greek Food Festival – Little Rock
Our Lady of the Lake Church’s Annual Spaghetti Dinner – Lake Village
Tontitown Grape Festival – Tontitown
World Championship Duck Gumbo Cookoff – Stuttgart
Gone But Not Forgotten
Klappenbach Bakery – Fordyce
La Scala Italian Restaurant – Little Rock
Mary Maestri’s Italiano Grillroom – Springdale
The Shack Barbecue – Little Rock
Uncle John’s – Crawfordsville
People’s Choice Award
The People’s Choice Award is given to the restaurant that received the most nominations. The department received 650 submissions this year from all 75 counties in the state. Click here to see all the nominees.
