This post was sponsored by 21c Museum and Hotel in Bentonville, Arkansas.
Food. When I’m planning a vacation, the first thing I do after I’ve booked my flight and accommodations is look for places to eat. I usually turn to Yelp and Trip Advisor to help me in narrowing down where to go and go from there. But when I said that I was going to Bentonville on Instagram, y’all gave me so many great recommendations that put Yelp to shame!
Let me just say, Bentonville has food options for all different palettes, so no matter your preference, this list has got something for you.
Where to Eat in Bentonville
The best thing to do while traveling is to try out all the local eateries you can! Here’s a few I recommend for Bentonville, Arkansas.
Breakfast
This place definitely isn’t downtown, but it’s worth the short drive or bike ride. They feature tasty menu items like shrimp and grits, biscuit sandwiches, and beignets. I got the “Razorback” biscuit sandwich and it was delicious! It came with roasted potatoes and I definitely couldn’t have finished it all!
Breakfast, lunch and dinner – they have you covered. This restaurant features fresh ingredients in new and refreshing ways. I stopped in and had a chicken sandwich and grapefruit mimosa. The chicken sandwich had this tangy coleslaw on it (which, usually I’m not a fan of) but it was SO delicious! I ate every single bite! And the fries were clearly homemade as well and seasoned to perfection!
Lunch
Need some Mexican food in your life? This latin cuisine restaurant isn’t exactly Mexican, but it does have everything made from scratch with a latin flare. They have tons to offer like Oaxaca salmon with chipotle shrimp, poblano chicken, surfer breakfast burrito and prickly pear mimosa. However, if you’re used to being greeted with a bowl of chips and salsa, you’ll be surprised to see that it’s $2 here and not refilled. Also if you’re in town and are looking for brunch, this is a great option!
When is pizza a bad thing? Never.
This is the place to get your traditional Mexican food here in Bentonville. They have the food truck, restaurant, and a Mezcalaria as well. I recommend getting the street tacos if you stop by!
Dinner
This restaurant is inside the 21c Hotel and is led by executive chef Matthew McClure; Arkansas’ only James Beard Award Semi-finialist, six years running. Plus, it’s cute, y’all. It has this awesome art installation called “Buzzkill” by Johnston Foster that looks like a huge honeycomb with bees on it – perfect for photo ops of course! But enough about the asthetics – lets talk food…this restaurant was by far the best meal I had during my entire trip. It. Was. Awesome. I don’t know if I could narrow down my favorites on this menu if I tried. The green goddess dressing on the farmer’s salad was a refreshing start and had the perfect blend of herbs. The pasture raised chicken breast with creamy harissa, roasted carrots and green garlic was amazing. If it wasn’t frowned upon to pick up my plate and lick it, I would have. They have some equally great cocktails as well. My favorite is the Kentucky Daisy (a bourbon, grapefruit, ginger, and lime and orange blossom water concoction) and the Origami Crane (comprised of vodka, hibiscus, green tea, citron honey, and lemon) was a close second. And any meal that is finished with a big puff of cotton candy is okay in my book!
This Italian-Mediterranean fusion restaurant has got all the comfort foods you love from these cuisines, but in a new, fresh way. They serve lunch, dinner, and brunch on weekends. They also own Table Mesa that I wrote about above.
One block off of Bentonvillle Square is this upscale restaurant featuring everything from nachos to chicken and waffles. They have a unique ability of taking everyday menu items and enhancing them with great quality ingredients.
Snacks
You know that if there’s a crepe place within a 20 mile radius of where I’m staying, I’m going to find it! They offer both sweet and savory crepes, but I always opt for the sweet. Apparently, the cinnamon roll crepe and the bananas foster crepes are to die for, but the turtle was calling my name (salted caramel, dark chocolate ganache, and pecans). They have a store front that is a couple blocks from the center of town, but they also have a crepe truck that is right across the street from Lawrence Plaza (they have limited hours, so be sure to check if they’re open before heading there).
If you need some ice cream in your life (and who doesn’t really?), head over to the Spark Cafe. It’s connected to the Walmart Museum and features ice cream cones, sundaes, shakes, and blended coffee drinks – all for a super reasonable price! You know I had to get the mint chocolate chip ice cream in a waffle cone.
Extras
I use olive oil like it’s going out of style when I cook! Places like this are neat because they have tons of different infused olive oils, vinegars, and balsamics. Yum!
This place is awesome! It’s located over in the 8th Street Market next to the Holler and it’s fantastic! They have a huge spread (pun only slightly intended) of cheeses and the cheese mongers are so knowledgeable in everything they have! You can also grab a super decadent grilled cheese sandwich while you’re there!
Nightlife
Want to let loose? Try these places for a fun night out!
When a place has been named one of the 40 best whiskey bars in the country and they have a bar so tall and full that it requires a ladder to get to all of it, you know it’s good. This late night spot is perfect to relax and unwind from the day.
This restaurant/speakeasy/rooftop bar is possibly the coolest place ever. During the day, you can have lunch and dinner in this refinished old church and in the evenings, you can go downstairs to the speakeasy style bar (Undercroft Bar) or the rooftop bar and enjoy a beverage or two. To enter the speakeasy, go through the door near the restroom with the word “Coatroom” on it. This renovated church has a classy atmosphere, complete with high cathedral ceilings and stained glass windows What you’ll want to order when you’re there – the chicken schnitzel, roasted cauliflower, pork shank, shaved brussel salad, and huckleberry cake. And you’re in luck if you need something gluten free, because everything on the menu is gluten-less! Be sure to make a reservation beforehand!
Apparently, shuffleboard is making a comeback! And you’re in luck, because they have it here to place alongside an extensive bar, fun atmosphere, and a full menu.
Where to Stay
If you’re looking for a place to stay that’s withing walking distance of all the great foodie spots in town, the 21c Museum and Hotel is the perfect place to stay! It is right in the heart of downtown Bentonville, Arkansas, so when you’re there you’re within walking distance of many restaurant, shops, boutiques, and more! This gorgeous hotel was founded by Laura Lee Brown and Steve Wilson, contemporary art collectors and preservationists who believe in the power of contemporary art. This hotel is a 104-room boutique hotel right in the middle of the action of Bentonville, Arkansas. It was a really unique experience staying in a hotel that is so much more than a typical hotel. Every room has been carefully designed, every floor has art displayed by local artists, and the hotel lobby has a full museum in it, so you never really know where the hotel stops and the museum begins – you actually become part of the hotel when you stay here. And, of course, the green penguins can’t be missed – the morning we checked out, the elevator doors opened and we found a 4 foot tall lime green penguin staring us straight in the face – so fun!
The Museum. This hotel is unique because it not only is a comfortable and stylish place to stay for the night, but it also features rotating exhibitions, commissioned site-specific installations, and regular cultural programming. The current rotating exhibit is The Future is Female. In this feature, nearly 80 different pieces are on display and offer an optimistic look everyone can connect to in varying ways. Art has an interesting way of doing that, doesn’t it? The museum is free and open to the public 365 days a year.
Want to stay in one of these super cool hotels? 21c has other, equally unique hotels in Louisville, Cincinnati, Durham, Lexington, Oklahoma City, Nashville, and Kansas City – so you can see what they’re all about if you’re anywhere near one of these cities. They also have new openings coming soon in Chicago, Des Moines, and St. Louis.
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