Restaurant news: Bottle Rocket Subs, Mojo’s East, JBGB, and more

You guys look like you could use some restaurant news.

Here’s what we know about several places that have opened, closed, re-opened, or will soon open in Fayetteville.


JBGB

Photo: Courtesy, JBGB

After being closed for more than a year, JBGB is showing some signs of life.

The restaurant, brewery, concert venue, and outdoor hangout spot closed in late 2019 with hopes of enclosing the patio area to allow for more frequent live music. Since then, it’s been pretty quiet over on Steele Boulevard, but that is beginning to change.

Sister-company JJ’s Grill has been hinting that news is coming for JBGB, but that “one final contract” would need to be signed before an announcement could be made.

“While we still can’t publicly announce what is going on, have you driven by?” read a Twitter post on Jan. 25.

This week, a new post announced that the project is in fact still alive, and construction has finally begun.

“We’ve heard just about every rumor floating around about JBGB but rest assured, it’s still alive,” read a post on the JJ’s Twitter account Tuesday. “Construction of our enclosure officially started earlier this month with a completion date around early Fall, possibly late summer.”

The brewery located at the facility has remained in operation during the JBGB closure, as have the corporate offices of the Fayetteville-based restaurant chain.

We’ve reached out to JJ’s officials for more information on the project, and we expect to have an update soon. Stay tuned.


Bottle Rocket Subs

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There’s a new sandwich truck in town.

Bottle Rocket Subs opened not too long ago in the lot in front of Arsaga’s at the Depot.

The truck’s menu offers a handful of sandwich options, including a poboy, a banh mi, a fried chicken sandwich, a buffalo cauliflower sandwich, and a monte cristo.

The truck is open 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. Thursday-Sunday.


Locals Drive Thru Coffee

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A new drive-thru coffee shop is coming to the east side of town.

According to the company’s website, Locals Drive Thru Coffee will soon open at 2626 E. Citizens Drive, in the shopping center with Walmart Neighborhood Market in east Fayetteville.

The new shop will serve Mountain Bird Coffee and hot, iced, and blended coffee drinks, co-founder Daniel Keene told us.

The new shop is currently under construction.

Keene said if all goes well, it will open up in about two months.


Seven Brew Coffee

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A local coffee chain plans to expand their presence in Fayetteville in 2021.

Seven Brew Coffee, a drive-thru coffee shop that currently operates eight locations in NWA, is planning a new location in Fayetteville near the parking lot currently home to Liquor World.

John Davidson, representative for the chain said the company is in the process of securing necessary permits to construct the new location in the central Fayetteville lot, located near 3330 N. College Ave.

Seven Brew focuses on coffee drinks, along with blended options such as smoothies, energy drinks, and other items. The new location will mark the second in Fayetteville, with the first location in town located at 1195 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. on the south side of town.

Davidson said that if all goes well, the new location could be up and running sometime in late winter/early this spring.


Margrets Tex Mex

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There’s a new farm-to-table Tex-Mex food truck in town.

The new restaurant, called Margaret’s, is located at Fossil Cove Brewing Company at 1946 N. Birch Ave., and is open for breakfast and lunch every Thursday through Sunday.

The food truck opening coincides with new coffee shop offerings at Fossil Cove, which recent began serving coffee and pastries from 7 a.m. until 1 p.m. (in addition to their regular hours.)

Margaret’s serves tacos on homemade tortillas, sandwiches, and other items.

The truck is open Thursday through Saturday from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m., and on Sunday from 8:30 a.m. until 3 p.m.


King Burrito

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King Burrito is coming back to central Fayetteville.

The local giant burrito chain will soon open its third Fayetteville location in the space formerly home to Wendy’s at 2050 N. College Ave.

The restaurant also operates locations on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Joyce Boulevard in Fayetteville, along with Springdale, Rogers, and Bentonville locations.

The restaurant also once operated a location on College Avenue, but that store became a similar concept called El Taco Loco.

The restaurant specializes in giant burritos and other Mexican food fare.

Owner Manny Fernandez told us he hopes to be up and running with the new location by mid-February.


Green Submarine

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A west Fayetteville sandwich shop has found a new home in south Fayetteville.

Green Submarine recently closed its location on Wedington Drive, and has moved to 1641 W. 15th St, Suite 1-3, in the space formerly home to Hurts Donuts.

The restaurant has been in west Fayetteville since it was founded in 2010, starting in a small space in the former Betty Jo Corner building before expanding a few years later. The restaurant also operated a short-lived franchise location on Dickson Street in 2014. Owner Nathan Jendeski also runs Mess Hall 45 on Mission Boulevard.

Green Submarine focuses on hot and cold sub sandwiches.

They are open Monday-Friday from 10:30 a.m. until 6:30 p.m., and on Saturday from 10:30 a.m. until 4 p.m.


KFC

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A College Avenue restaurant chain has closed its doors.

KFC has permanently closed its restaurant at 2992 N. College Ave. at the corner of Rolling Hills Drive in Fayetteville, according to a sign hanging in the window.

Building and drive-thru signage had also been removed from the restaurant as of Thursday morning.

The closure marks the second among large fast food chains on the street recently. Wendy’s also closed their College Avenue location, though have relocated their restaurant to Mission Boulevard.

The College Avenue location was a franchisee-owned location. Another franchisee for the fast food chicken chain still operates a location at 1882 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Fayetteville.


Apple Blossom Brewing Co

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A north Fayetteville brewery that closed recently is under new ownership, and could soon reopen.

Apple Blossom Brewing Company sold in early October, and new owner Anthony Trammell of the Trammell Restaurant Group, LLC has plans to reopen the restaurant portion of the business soon, with the brewery coming soon after.

The name of the business, website, and social media accounts will remain the same.

Apple Blossom was the brainchild of Smoke & Barrel Tavern founders Evan McDonald, Sammie Stephenson, Joe Utsch and Al Schaffer, along with brewery partners Ching Mong and Daniel Smith. The partners opened the brewery and restaurant in January 2013 at 1550 E. Zion Road in north Fayetteville.

The original iteration of the business closed back in June.

Apple Blossom officials posted on Facebook this week that they plan to reopen “within two weeks.”


Mr. Taco Loco

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Local Mexican restaurant Mr. Taco Loco has opened a second location in Fayetteville.

The restaurant opened a location at 2227 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. on Jan. 16.

The restaurant currently operates locations at 1701 S. School Ave. in Fayetteville and 130 Emma Ave. in Springdale. A person responding to their Facebook page confirmed the MLK location will be a second Fayetteville location for the restaurant.

The menu focuses on tacos, burritos, quesadillas, tortas, and other items.

According to their website, Mr. Taco Loco is open Mondays,Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m., Tuesday from 10 a.m. until 9:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m., and on Sundays from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.


Wood Stone Craft Pizza

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Guess who’s back? Wood Stone reopened their south Fayetteville location earlier this month.

The restaurant, located at 557 S. School Ave., is focusing on curbside and delivery for now.

Their uptown location re-opened late last year after shutting down for a while over the summer due to the pandemic. That location is focusing on curbside service and limited dine-in.

The downtown location is open Tuesdays – Thursdays from 4-9(ish), Fridays from 4-10 p.m., Saturdays from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m., and Sundays from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m.


Old School Grill

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Something is cooking over at the old Club West location in west Fayetteville.

According to state’s website, a permit has been filed requesting a mixed drink permit for a restaurant called Old School Grill at the location (3615 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.).

The permit was filed by Shawn Willis, who was also involved in the Old School Grill formerly located in Colt Square (in the Hutch’s/Breaker’s building).

We don’t know much about this one yet, but we are working to track down some more information. Stay tuned.


Arsaga’s Mill District

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Arsaga’s has opened their new location in the Mill District in south Fayetteville.

The restaurant, called Arsaga’s Mill District, opened late last year.

The menu for now focuses on some breakfast items along with lunch and dinner, including soups, salads, sandwiches, wood-fired items, and more.

Of note, the famous Greenhouse Grill black bean burger is on the menu. (Real ones know).

Once things warm up, there’s a sweet outdoor area out back near the trail, with circular patios built by local artist Eugene Sargent on the foundations of the old mill tower that used to be located on the property.

It’s focusing on curbside pickup and in-house dining with several safety measures in place.

They are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sundays (closed Wednesdays).

Check out their menu here.


Mojo’s Pints & Pies

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Get pumped, pizza people. Mojo’s is coming to the east side of town.

Construction is nearing completion on the second location for Mojo’s Pints & Pies, coming to the shopping center home to Walmart Neighborhood Market in east Fayetteville.

Like their original location on Garland Avenue, the new Mojo’s will focus on pizzas, pastas, and other items with a fun indoor environment along with a large outdoor patio to enjoy in the warmer months.

An official opening date hasn’t been announced yet, but according to a post online recently, they have already begun hiring for the new location.

We’ll keep you posted on their opening date.