2024 Food Hall of Fame Finalists
Launched in 2016 by the Division of Arkansas Heritage, the program celebrates Arkansas' unique culinary heritage by recognizing its best restaurants, proprietors and food-themed events.
This year’s finalists embody the flavors, traditions and stories that define Arkansas. As we celebrate these restaurants, we honor not only the dishes they create but the communities they feed and the legacies they preserve.
Food is such a defining feature of Arkansas, having the potential to tell stories with just one bite. Our finalists are perfect examples of this, and we’re honored to recognize their impact on the state’s dynamic food culture.
Arkansans nominated their favorite restaurants earlier this year in these five categories:
Gone But Not Forgotten
Anderson’s
(White County)
Juanita’s
(Pulaski County)
Polar Freeze
(Lawrence County)
Food-Themed Event
Arkansas Pie Festival
(Sharp County)
Mayhaw Festival
(Union County)
Slovak Oyster Supper
(Prairie County)
Mt. Nebo Chicken Fry
(Yell County)
Soup Sunday
(Pulaski County)
Proprietor of the Year
Aaron Bradshaw
Crissy’s Pub Style
(Saline County)
George and Katherine Eldridge
Doe’s Eat Place
(Pulaski County)
Mark Abernathy
Loca Luna and Red Door
(Pulaski County)
Rob Nelson
Tusk & Trotter
American Brasserie
(Benton County)
Tusk & Trotter
American Brasserie
(Benton County)
James Woods
Woods Place
(Ouachita County)
People's Choice
Beech Street Bistro
(Ashley County)
Bennett's Seafood
(Saline County)
BubbaLu's
(Garland County)
Purple Banana
(Benton County)
Top Dog Catering
(Lonoke County)
Arkansas Food Hall of Fame
Big Banjo Pizza
(Jefferson County)
Brave New Restaurant
(Pulaski County)
Charlotte’s Eats and Sweets
(Lonoke County)
Dairyette
(Montgomery County)
Daisy Queen
(Searcy County)
Doe’s Eat Place
(Pulaski County)
Herman’s Ribhouse
(Washington County)
Hugo’s
(Washington County)
K Hall & Sons
(Pulaski County)
Old South Restaurant
(Pope County)
(Pope County)
Ray’s
(Drew County)
(Drew County)
Taliano’s Italian Restaurant
(Sebastian County)
(Sebastian County)
The Dixie Pig
(Mississippi County)
(Mississippi County)
The Faded Rose
(Pulaski County)
(Pulaski County)
Members of the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame Committee
Marty Ryall
Director, Arkansas Heritage
Paul Austin
C.C. "Chip" Culpepper
Quantia "Key" Fletcher
Cindy Grisham
Montine McNulty
Rex Nelson
C.C. "Chip" Culpepper
Quantia "Key" Fletcher
Cindy Grisham
Montine McNulty
Rex Nelson
Tim Nutt
Kat Robinson
Stephanie Wade
David Ware
Stanley Young