Where to Eat & Drink in Bentonville, Arkansas | #VisitArkansas #VisitBentonville Wednesday 13 November, 2019
This post was hosted by Arkansas CVB & Visit Bentonville. All opinions are my own.
The third #SavorArkansas adventure where we ate and drank our way through Arkansas, we took a trip to Bentonville, AR. Bentonville is the ninth-largest city in Arkansas, This is also the home of Sam Walton grocery store brand “Walton’s 5 and 10 Variety Store” in the 50s that gradually morphed into the creation of Walmart, the world’s largest retailer!
Its an amazing place of great restaurants to dine at, places to get happy hour drinks and even speakeasy style cocktails, but also even a place to get ice cream for cheap!
The Hive
Located in Bentonville’s award-winning 21c Museum Hotel, The Hive showcases the unique culinary identity of Arkansas. The bar + lounge is the perfect place to quench your thirst, entertain important clients or grab a casual bite with friends. The Hive, designed by Deborah Berke Partners, is a communal gathering place for diners to meet and connect with one another in Bentonville.
Pan Seared Scallops – hominy grits, brussel sprouts
The Preacher’s Son
The Preacher’s son story is inspired by Chef Cooper’s background – as the son of a preacher, the restaurant is located in a beautifully restored, historic church, across the street from where Chef Matt’s father taught his first sermons over 40 years ago.
The church was structurally restored by architect Chip Chambers and contractor Brian Soulé, who led the construction through completion.
The Preacher’s Son menu 100 percent gluten free.
CAST IRON CORNBREAD w/honey butter
WALNUT AND SQUASH SALAD – dried cherry, smoked blue cheese, roasted squash, walnuts, walnut vinaigrette
LOUISE is a modern all-day cafe in Thaden Fieldhouse that serves diner-style breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner. LOUISE has both indoor and outdoor seating facing the runway, providing incredible views of planes taking off and landing as you enjoy a great meal and dining experience!
The restaurant in honor of Iris Louise McPhetridge Thaden (1905-1979). Born and raised in Bentonville, she was a proud Arkansan and one of the greatest aviators of her time. Her pioneering and innovative spirit will inspire all of our guests who dine with them. LOUISE was a mother, aviatrix, record setter, barnstormer, Bentonville Native.
In-house Iced Caramel Latte
BUTTERMILK PANCAKES – whipped sweet cream butter, maple syrup, classic or chocolate chip
BREAKFAST PLATE – two eggs, potatoes, toast, choice of meat (ham, bacon, or sausage)
AÇAÍ BOWL – almond butter, honey, fresh berries
The Holler
The Holler is a space where you can be social, play shuffleboard with friends, work comfortably with great coffee, or dine and drink regardless the occasion or time of day. We stopped here specifically for Happy Hour!
Sam Walton loved many things: his family, his country, his business, flying, and people. But right up there is also his love of ice cream. Butter pecan, to be exact. The Spark Café Soda Fountain is a tribute to Sam’s love of ice cream.
The café proudly serves Yarnell’s, a family brand made in Searcy, Arkansas, not far from the Walmart Distribution Center. Albert Yarnell, founder Ray Yarnell’s son, remembers the days of delivering ice cream with his dad to Sam Walton’s Ben Franklin store in Newport, Arkansas.
Yarnell’s was the very first ice cream Sam ever sold, so the tradition has been kept alive at The Spark Café. In Sam Walton’s honor, I got the Butter Pecan flavor! Another cool fact: In honor of the affordable ice cream of the 50s, an ice cream scoop here is served for only $1.
Tusk & Trotter
Tusk & Trotter American Brasserie is located a block off “The Square” in Downtown Bentonville and features an atmosphere casual enough to invite families with a menu sophisticated enough to wow the most traveled gourmet. FYI: Tusk & Trotter’s space, was once Sam Walton’s general office and warehouse.
Charcuterie & Cheese Board.- Arkansas bacon, country paté, duck ham, local artisanal cheeses, pepper jelly, pickled vegetables, capers & stone ground mustard
Smoked Catfish Dip – sweet tea brined smoked catfish baked with collard greens, cream cheese, lemon zest, horseradish, garlic & creme fraiche, topped with spicy pork rinds & served with grilled flatbread
Which Came First?. -buttermilk or hot fried chicken breast, over easy egg, succotash, pickled watermelon rind, carrot cake waffle & sorghum syrup
Trout on Trout -pan roasted fresh steelhead trout, Hoppin’ John, Ozark apple butter & fried pickled okra
Trot on Over Here – sticky toffee pudding cake baked with brandy soaked dates, topped with caramel sauce & maple bacon brittle ice cream
Under Croft
Through a side archway simply marked “bar” or the basement door marked “coatroom”, one discovers a seductive, hidden cocktail bar beneath a historic church. Enjoy beautifully crafted cocktails and select plates from The Preacher’s Son menu during your time spent here.
I am a speakeasy kind of girl, but I think its pretty ironic that the bar created by and is next to The Preacher’s son restaurant has a cool light night basement bar scene. Day and night for sure!
SMOKE MANHATTAN – High West Double Rye, Montenegro Amaro, bitters
Pin this for future reference if you are interested in visiting Bentonville, Arkansas.
Which place would you like to eat and/or drink in Bentonville?
About the Blogger - Kiwi the Beauty
Kiwi is the free spirited blogger and content creator of KiwiTheBeauty.com. As a digital influencer, she produces creative inspiration around beauty, lifestyle, media and travel leisure. Her life mantra is to make manifesting fun! When she’s not blogging, she is eating trendy hipster food, carrying crystals, making it rain at her local farmer's market and binge brunching.
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I thought the farmers’ salad looked amazing–until I saw the scallops and brussels sprouts! It kept getting even better from there. And I liked the decor/style of the restaurants. Very different and pleasant. I would love to spend some time there.
So many places you’d never think to go for great food and drinks. This is why I love your posts. They give me insights to places like Bentonville that I’d love to visit.
I have never been to Bentonville before. I want to now. The foods and drinks look incredible. I love to travel to places I’ve never been and take in the whole experience.
Oh my. Just looking at your photos made me hungry! Those are realy nice places to visit for a gastronomic experience in Bentonville. I will have to keep note of these places and make sure I visit them when I get to Arkansas!
That cast iron cornbread looks absolutely amazing. I want to try it now!
wow everything looks amazing here. I totally have to visit Arkansas soon
I’ve never been to Arkansas but loved this post! I feel inspired to go on a food tour in Bentonville, now
I’ve never been to Arkansas…sounds like an amazing place to visit!
Looks like an amazing trip! The food looks so good! I’ve never been to Arkansas!
We’re headed here at the beginning of next Summer. I can’t wait to check some of these places out.
I like place very much each and everything is perfect from food to interior. I am feeling hungry.
Yum, all of this food looks incredible! I need to make it to Arkansas one day.
I thought the farmers’ salad looked amazing–until I saw the scallops and brussels sprouts! It kept getting even better from there. And I liked the decor/style of the restaurants. Very different and pleasant. I would love to spend some time there.
If ever I find myself in Bentonville, Arkansas I will be following this list. Yum!
I’ve never been to Bentonville! Seeing all these interesting places, food and drinks make me want to go there soon! 🙂
The places so trendy, lounge and with a nice atmosphere are my favorites. Nice choice of dishes.
So many places you’d never think to go for great food and drinks. This is why I love your posts. They give me insights to places like Bentonville that I’d love to visit.
I have never been to Bentonville before. I want to now. The foods and drinks look incredible. I love to travel to places I’ve never been and take in the whole experience.
Wow, this place looks like such a great place to visit and dine! I’ll bookmark this for future reference. Thank you!
Oh my. Just looking at your photos made me hungry! Those are realy nice places to visit for a gastronomic experience in Bentonville. I will have to keep note of these places and make sure I visit them when I get to Arkansas!
I haven’t been to this town before but it looks intriguing! That ice cream cone though — that looks amazing! I need some of this ice cream in my life!
This food looks top notch!! I Love dining out and trying new foods.
I’ve been to AR but never there. I’ll have to go through next time. Looks great. So many places to see.
The pumpkin soup and Cornbread sound dreamy. I bet they would be good paired together too.
What a great pick of awesome places to choose from. I am sure to overeat seeing all that is on offer. Absolutely fantastic eating places.
All of these eats look AMAZING but I am convinced that I need the scallops and trout in my mouth, NOW!
I never expected Arkansas to have such gorgeous and contemporary restaurants like these. I definitely will keep this in mind if I ever go there.
That will be the “The Hive” and “Louise”!
These are some amazing places. I visited Bentonville this year and loved it. Heard lots of great reviews of the Preacher’s son.
I hope I can try Sherry Curious Indeed Cocktail. It looks so nice. So yummy and refreshing too!
Omg these restaurants are so tempting! Aside from my tummy, my camera will be so happy too snapping these foods!