The town of Bentonville is lovely and small. It is in the northwest area of Arkansas. It might be best known for being the home of Walmart, but both tourists and people who live there can enjoy a lot more. There are many great locally owned places in Bentonville that are part of a thriving food scene.
13 Best Restaurants in Bentonville, Arkansas
Tavola Trattoria
With its hearty Italian food and lively atmosphere, Tavola Trattoria takes guests right to Italy. When he makes Tavola’s homemade pastas, owner and cook Caleb France uses the fresh pasta-making skills he learned in Italy. These pastas go perfectly with the restaurant’s rich ragus, seafood dishes, and other dishes.
Tavola Trattoria serves pasta as well as traditional Italian appetizers, pizzas, risottos, desserts, and a wine list that focuses on Italian wines. For a fun and tasty Italian food experience, the open kitchen creates a lively atmosphere that goes well with the flavors.
Location: 108 NW 2nd St, Bentonville, AR 72712
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Signature Dishes: Squid Ink Pasta, Clams Vongole, Truffle Gnocchi, Pistachio Semifreddo
Pedaler’s Pub
Pedaler’s Pub is best known for its bicycle culture and love of two-wheeled transportation, but the gastropub menu is just as well thought out. There are items on Pedaler’s Pub’s menu, like the Handle Bar Burger and the Road Rash Tacos, that honor both bikes and beer.
Pub food is what Pedaler is best known for, but executive chef Joey Genung adds creativity and higher-level tastes to the food with dishes like the General Tsao’s cauliflower and pork belly banh mi. Pedaler’s also has special menus when famous races are shown on the big screens inside the pub. Pedaler’s Pub is a slam dunk. They have local craft beers on tap and a fun, laid-back vibe that’s great for cycling fans.
Location: 406 SW A St, Bentonville, AR 72712
Signature Dishes: Handle Bar Burger, Road Rash Tacos, Gen Tsao Cauliflower, Pork Belly Banh Mi
Pressroom
The Pressroom Restaurant and Bar, which is on the downtown Bentonville square, serves modern Southern food while honoring the newspaper’s long past. A lot of the original Press’s design features bring history into the present day and make the space feel warm and welcoming.
Classics like fried green tomatoes, shrimp and grits, chicken fried steak, and bread pudding are updated on the Southern-themed menu. At lunch, the Pressroom also serves lighter salads and sandwiches to keep things interesting. The cocktails, beer, and wine lists at Pressroom go well with the Southern tastes and make for a well-rounded dining experience.
Location: 21 W Center St, Bentonville, AR 72712
Signature Dishes: Cast Iron Fried Green Tomatoes, Shrimp & Grits, Pulled Pork Sandwich, Bread Pudding
River Grille
River Grille, as its name suggests, is perched high above the White River. From the restaurant, you can enjoy stunning views of the water and lush vegetation. The peaceful setting isn’t the only great thing about River Grille, though. The menu is mostly made up of beautifully prepared seafood flown in every day and aged beef cuts from the Midwest, with local produce to round it out.
River Grill’s best preparations are shown by dishes like pistachio-crusted fish, lobster mac and cheese, and the Wagyu beef filet mignon. Also, don’t forget to have cake. Rich treats like the peanut butter pie and caramelized white chocolate bread pudding are great ways to end a meal.
Location: 2422 N Walton Blvd #2200, Bentonville, AR 72712
Signature Dishes: Pistachio Crusted Salmon, Lobster Mac & Cheese, Wagyu Filet Mignon, Peanut Butter Pie
Bike Rack Brewing Co.
Bike culture in Bentonville is more than just a way to get around and a hobby; it also supports a great brewery and live music place called Bike Rack Brewing Co. As you enjoy Bike Rack’s house-brewed beers, guest taps, and pub food options, you can listen to great music from local bands.
Bike Rack fully supports the cycling lifestyle by naming beers like Handlebar Hefe and Headset Pale Ale after famous rides and serving tasty meals like the Three Minute Noodle Bowl and Pepperoni Roll that are high in magnesium. There are 12 to 15 different beers on tap all the time at Bike Rack Brewing Co. There is also live music and a chill brewpub scene.
Location: 215 NE 8th St, Bentonville, AR 72712
Signature Brews: Handlebar Hefe, Headset Pale Ale, Gyroscopic Gose, Drivetrain Lager
Signature Dishes: Pepperoni Roll, Three Minute Noodle Bowl, Kickstand Nachos, Bottom Bracket Wings
Young Avenue Deli
Young Avenue Deli has been a downtown Bentonville neighborhood choice for sandwiches since 2007. The café’s counter service serves creative unique sandwiches, soups, and salads with care. It is a small, locally owned business run by women.
The Sweet as Honey sandwich, which is made with rosemary bread, smoked turkey, honey mustard, provolone, bacon, cucumbers, spinach, and more, is one of the best things on the menu. Along with traditional deli sandwiches, Young Avenue Deli also serves vegan options like its famous house-made hummus and the veggie-packed Firebird salad. The shop has a friendly atmosphere that makes it great for people eating alone or with a small group in downtown Bentonville.
Location: 306 NW A St #100, Bentonville, AR 72712
Signature Dishes: Sweet as Honey Sandwich, Turkey Brie Sandwich, Veggie Firebird Salad, Housemade Hummus & Pita
Yeyo’s Mexican Grill
Yeyo’s Mexican Grill started out as a food truck in northwest Arkansas that brought real Mexican food to people on the go. Now, Yeyo’s runs a very famous sit-down restaurant in Bentonville that serves authentic Mexican street food. Yesenia Fields, the owner, makes the restaurant’s great salsas, Creamy Green Chicken Enchiladas, and Snap Pea & Corn Tacos using traditional family recipes that she knows how to make so well.
It’s clear that Yeyo’s doesn’t skimp on taste, and the colorful dishes really show how much Mexican heart and soul goes into each one. Yeyo’s authentic works are easy to enjoy again and again because the place is casual and the prices are reasonable.
Location: 1008 SE 5th St Suite 101, Bentonville, AR 72712
Signature Dishes: Chicken Enchiladas, Huevos Rancheros, Snap Pea & Corn Tacos, House Salsas & Chips ️
Pedler’s Pub Pizzeria
Pedaler’s Pub (#5) is all about pub food and the riding lifestyle. But right next door, Casey and Joey Genung run Pedler’s Pub Pizzeria, which is all about pizza. After their walk-up pizza window at Pedaler’s did so well, Casey and Joey decided to open a full-on build-your-own Neapolitan pizza place in Pedaler’s.
Only fresh, high-quality ingredients are used to make creative, wood-fired pizzas at this pizzeria, which has a friendly vibe. Pedler’s serves more than just pizza. They also have chicken wings, soups, and gelato to make you happy. People can eat at Pedler’s or take their food to go. They make great Italian food that is perfect for after a long bike ride or night out in downtown Bentonville.
Location: 410 SW A St, Bentonville, AR 72712
Signature Pies: Joey’s Slaughterhouse 5 Pizza, Mushroom & Pancetta Pizza, Classic Margherita Pizza, Pepperoni Pizza
Odd Soul Bar & Venue
The cookout-style menu, craft beer list, and live music venue that hosts regular concerts at Odd Soul give downtown Bentonville a cool and groovy feel. Odd Soul is owned by artist Elias Reidy, so you can expect funky food and music that will make your feet tap.
Bar food isn’t the only thing on the menu; there are also fried pickles, corn fritter hush puppies, and yardbird chicken sandwiches, as well as the Soul Burger with Jack Daniel’s onions and molasses bacon. Odd Soul is a great place for dinner and late-night fun because it has 40 rotating taps behind the bar that serve craft beers from around the area. The venue also features talented local musicians.
Location: 300 NE A St, Bentonville, AR 72712
Signature Dishes: Soul Burger, The Big Bird Sandwich, Corn Fritter Hush Puppies, Beer Cheese Fondue
Table Mesa Bistro & Cantina
In the middle of Bentonville, Table Mesa Bistro brings a taste of the real Southwestern and Latin American cuisines. Chef and owner Javier Simeon runs the kitchen at Table Mesa. He adds his South American background and love of food to all the dishes.
This restaurant is a favorite among people in Bentonville because it has a casual vibe and great food. Latin American foods like tamales, chimichurri steak, enchiladas, and tacos are on the menu, along with a large selection of tequila cocktails that go well with them.
Location: 201 NW A St, Bentonville, AR 72712
Signature Dishes: Carne Asada, Beef Enchiladas, Table Mesa Tamales, Margaritas
Oven & Tap
It gives Oven & Tap a lot of pleasure to use local, handcrafted items in their food. By using ingredients that are in season in the area, Oven & Tap always makes dishes with interesting tastes and textures. Even though Oven & Tap is known for its bread, the menu has a lot more to offer, like sandwiches, soups, salads, and flatbreads.
Many of the meals on the restaurant’s menu are made with wood-fired pizza oven, which gives them a great smoky base. The beer and wine list at Oven & Tap changes all the time, so you can get great food and drinks all in one place.
Location: 215 NW A St, Bentonville, AR 72712
Signature Dishes: Flatiron Steak, Pork Osso Buco, Brussels Sprout & Walnut Salad, Wood Fired Pizzas
Preacher’s Son
Southern farm-fresh food gets a new lease on life and taste in Preacher’s Son. The food isn’t your typical fried Southern food, but the diner still has the warm, friendly feel of traditional Southern food. Instead, Preacher’s Son uses fresh, local ingredients and attempts to be daring with flavor and current cooking methods.
Award-winning cook Matt Cooper follows the nose-to-tail philosophy, which can be seen in dishes like buttermilk-fried rabbit, bacon belly jam, and sweet potato gnocchi. Great Southern drinks served in mason jars and a cozy atmosphere make Preacher’s Son a great place for a farm-to-table experience.
Location: 201 NW A St #100, Bentonville, AR 72712
Signature Dishes: Buttermilk Fried Rabbit, Pork Rillettes, Bacon Belly Jam, Farro & Tomato Salad
Conclusion
Bentonville has become a secret gem of a food city, with lots of great places to eat for both tourists and locals who are hungry. From a variety of culinary points of view, the 13 restaurants this piece talks about show how Bentonville’s food scene is driven by new ideas and passion. From the comfort food at Preacher’s Son to the real Mexican food at Yeyo’s Mexican Grill, Bentonville has a lot of different dishes to try.
It’s no surprise that food lovers come from far away to visit Bentonville, Arkansas. Its best places offer delicious food, unique experiences, and warm hospitality. The places we’ve talked about here really do capture the lively spirit and unique flavors that make this city’s food stand out. Bentonville, Arkansas has some of the best food in the state. Get ready to fall in love with it from the first bite of tamales at Table Mesa to the last bite of bread pudding at Pressroom.