NWA restaurants among finalists for 2021 Food Hall of Fame class

January 25, 2021 at 4:35 p.m.

by Eric E. Harrison

STAFF PHOTO ANTHONY REYES Aaron Penwell, with Best Sign Group, wipes shavings off a sign Friday, April 12, 2013 for the AQ Chicken House in Springdale. Penwell and another with Best Sign replaced an aged sign, but had to custom fit the new one into place.
STAFF PHOTO ANTHONY REYES Aaron Penwell, with Best Sign Group, wipes shavings off a sign Friday, April 12, 2013 for the AQ Chicken House in Springdale. Penwell and another with Best Sign replaced an aged sign, but had to custom fit the new one into place.

Restaurants in Fayetteville, Russellville, Blytheville, Pine Bluff, Little Rock, Rogers and Springdale are among the finalists for the Division of Arkansas Heritage’s 2021 class of the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame.

The list, announced Monday afternoon:

• AQ Chicken House, Springdale

• Colonial Steak House, Pine Bluff

• Dairy King, Portia

• Dixie Pig, Blytheville

• Feltner’s Whatta-Burger, Russellville

• Herman’s Ribhouse, Fayetteville

• K Hall & Sons Produce, Little Rock

• Kream Kastle, Blytheville

• Monte Ne Inn, Rogers

• Neal’s Cafe, Springdale

• The Ohio Club, Hot Springs

• Star of India, Little Rock

• Trio’s Restaurant of Little Rock

Finalists in the Proprietor of the Year category are:

• Sami Lal (Star of India), Little Rock

• Jamie McAfee (Pine Bluff Country Club), Pine Bluff

• Matt McClure (The Hive) of Bentonville

• Capi Peck (Trio’s Restaurant) of Little Rock

• Anthony Valinoti (DeLuca's Pizzeria Napoletana), Hot Springs

Finalists for “Food-Themed Events”:

• Arkansas Cornbread Festival (Pulaski County)

• Bradley County Pink Tomato Festival (Bradley County)

• Magnolia Blossom Festival & World Championship Steak Cook-Off (Columbia County)

• Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church Annual Spaghetti Dinner (Chicot County)

• Tontitown Grape Festival (Washington County)

• World Championship Duck Gumbo Cookoff (Arkansas County)

And the finalists for “Gone But Not Forgotten” honors:

• Browning's Mexican Grill (Little Rock)

• Dairy Hollow House (Eureka Springs)

• Habib's Cafe and Delicatessen (Helena/West Helena)

• Roy Fisher's Steak House (North Little Rock)

• Uncle John’s (Crawfordsville, Crittenden County)

Winner of a fifth category, the People’s Choice Award, is based on the number of nominations, so there are no finalists. The winner will be announced during a virtual Feb. 22 induction ceremony.

A panel of historians, chefs, foodies and food authors (including Paul S. Austin, Jimmy Bryant, Chip Culpepper, Cindy Grisham, Stacy Hurst, Montine McNulty, Rex Nelson, Tim Nutt, Kat Robinson, Christina Shutt, Donna Uptigrove, David Ware and Stanley Young) considered more than 2,000 submissions from all 75 Arkansas counties that came in during October.

Visit ArkFoodHOF.com or the Arkansas Heritage Facebook page, fb.me/e/3d4QCo3rE.

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