10 best places we ate this year in NWA

🍳 Homegrown — It's a chain, yet it's still small enough to prioritize quality. Its location should be a draw to downtown Springdale, which is in the midst of a renaissance.

🍛 Kirpa Indian Cuisine — Kirpa's curries are loaded with flavor. Alex stumbled onto this Bentonville spot while craving Indian food, and it's a new favorite.

🍦 Crème Ice Cream Co. — Fayetteville's new ice cream shop is a hit. The ice cream is creamy, and the menu has a nice array of flavors, including dairy-free options. And, you can get an ice cream flight!

🇫🇷 Bienvenue — Downtown Springdale can now boast that it has some of the only French food in NWA. This fine-dining restaurant gives Arkies a taste of French cuisine in an upscale but not pretentious setting.

🇹🇭 Siam Thai Cuisine — There's just some really good Thai curry going on here at this Fayetteville stop. Alex has gone back a few times and tried all the standard red, yellow and green curries and can't get enough.

🍱 Bentoville — This restaurant without a dining room is a great step into authentic Japanese cuisine. We're looking forward to seeing more pop-up events and a brick-and-mortar location by the end of 2024.

🥐 Airship Pumphouse — We were delighted by the cinnamon cake one morning at Airship's newest location. The pastries and menu change from time to time, but the coffee and vibes are always good.

🍗 Beach BBQ — Worth was pleasantly surprised by the "Brississippi" sandwich and friendly service.

🏝 Island Vibes — A Bentonville food truck brings the Caribbean to NWA.