Flavors of Northwest Arkansas

In this week’s edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast, we talk with Bella Vista resident, and three-time League of Fire World Champion in competitive pepper eating Stephen “Fiery Redd” Curgan. We’ll talk about what got him into competitive pepper eating and we’ll also talk about the first-ever Ozark Flame & Flavor Festival happening this Saturday, but first?!?!
FOOD NEWS!!
Orthodox Farmhouse Brewing sold. We’ll tell you what the plans are.
Dodo Coffee is OFFICIALLY open in their new building, and there’s a party Saturday. We’ll hear from owner Isaiah Ojeda!
Fresh Monkee is having their soft opening week in Fayetteville. Shakes are half off!
A Santa Barbara winery opened their only tasting room in Rogers. You’ll hear from the owner!
Khana Grill closed their dining room, but you can still eat their food. We’ll explain.
Downtown Springdale’s The Blind Bear is expanding into another city.
El Jaliciense in Lowell might be closed, but they may not be done.
Happy 25th anniversary to Grubs in downtown Fayetteville!
Happy 31st anniversary to Marketplace in Springdale!
Happy 4th anniversary to Conifer and Chef Matt Cooper. Speaking of Chef Cooper, he has something BIG coming in 2027!
Again, Speaking of Chef Cooper, he was out fifth interview EVER. He broke a little news on our show back then.
Stephen “Fiery Redd” Curgan is a 3-Time League of Fire World Champion... He eats peppers that a VERY high percentage of us wouldn’t touch. How did he get into it? It all started online- he’ll explain. Also, how do you make your way to being a World Champion in it in only 2 years? It’s an interesting path for sure! Finally, this Saturday is the first-ever Ozark Flame & Flavor Festival in Bentonville at the Record, and you’ll hear all about in this episode \of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast!

In this week’s edition of the Flavors of Northwest podcast, we’re at the beloved Piehouse Bakery in Bentonville, talking with owner Lisa Sohl and Manager/Pastry Chef Annie Wood, but before we hear from them?!?!
FOOD NEWS!
If you don’t have plans yet for Friday, or even if you do, I’ve got something you need to get to. It’s the Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives Watch Party at the Botanical at City Pump in Downtown Rogers!! Both Blu Fish House and Toot Beirut will be on Friday night’s episode! I’ll kick it off at 7 with Toot Beirut and Blu trivia. Then the episode starts at 8. The folks from Toot Beirut will be there with food, so if you haven’t had it yet, prime time to try it. And hustle, because it’ll run out! Again, Friday night at 7 at the Botanical at City Pump at 623 West Walnut in downtown Rogers. See you there!
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We talk to Springdale’s Carnitas Los Cuatro Hermanos about being in the NY Times
Bienvenue is open to the public in Rogers! We’ll hear from Owner/Executive Chef Will Mauk!
Nosh Nola had a big opening weekend in downtown Springdale! We’ll hear from Owner Hayne Begley!
Herman’s Ribhouse is working to re-open!
Fayetteville’s Hill City Popcorn is back open with a new owner and new plans!
Fresh Monkee announces their soft opening dates in Fayetteville. It’s SOON.
The popular Dodo Coffee Trailer is closed this week. We’ll tell you what they’re saying.
A new bakery opens in Highfill soon! We’ll hear from the owner.
Is your burger better than everyone else’s? You might be able to make it to the World Championships in Indianapolis. We’ll tell you where to sign up.
Happy 30th anniversary to Bordinos! You can win Bordinos for a year this week!
In this week’s Flavors Flashback. Bienvenue Chef Will Mauk tells us his path into cooking.
Piehouse Bakery Owner Lisa Sohl was raised on a Nebraska farm with a big family. She learned how to cook and bake out of necessity. While college took her to the corporate world, she always baked for others and became an office favorite. How did she end up in Northwest Arkansas, and how did she decide that it was time to finally start a bakery? Also, her most important early hire almost spooked her. She’ll talk about that. Finally, they earned a golden ticket to the World Food Championships for winning a state championship pie competition on the other side of the state. We hear all about it from Lisa and Annie Wood, next here on the flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast!

In this Special Edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast, we’re talking about the Bentonville Restaurant Week with Visit Bentonville’s Vice President of Marketing and Communications, Alison Nation. It happens next week (August 16-22), and we cover all the deals that participating Bentonville restaurants are offering.
Go out, and enjoy... and as always, please tip your servers!

In this week’s edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast, we’re in Bentonville at Chick’n Headz, talking with owners Byron & Natasha Kendle, but before we sit down with them?!?!
FOOD NEWS!!!
Here come the grand openings! Saltine’s Bakery & Kitchen announces when they’ll open!
Flyway Brewing opened their Bentonville location on the Walmart campus. CEO/COO Rob Byford talks about their growth in the northwest part of the state.
Aida’s is a Saturday night only spot in the 8th Street Market. We’ll tell you about it!
Punk Truck Stop is diversifying business in Fayetteville’s Metro District!
Bienvenue’s Will Mauk talks about getting their Rogers spot turned around QUICKLY.
Whole Hog Café turns 26, and we’re all going to party like it’s 2000 (literally)!
Bucks on Emma celebrates a decade on Saturday – we have the deets!
Foghorns on 15th street closed last weekend.
It’s your last chance to eat from the Blazin Asian food truck.
Nosh Nola opens VERY soon, and in today’s Flavors Flashback, you’ll hear from owner/operator Hayne Begley, who took some time away from the restaurant life for a little stability. You’ll never guess what he did for a living!
Byron & Natasha Kendle are high school sweethearts from Little Rock. What brought them here is what brings many people here- Walmart. They both come from big families and have a pretty big one themselves. Though they have corporate backgrounds, there was a little restaurant experience and their recall from it’s pretty funny. They’d always kicked around the idea of a restaurant, but it wasn’t ever real. Until one day, and it’s a story where their bluff got called, and they had to figure everything out on the spot. It’s a great story. Finally, why the move from Fayetteville to Bentonville? It may not be what you think- you’ll hear the reasons on this edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast!

WELCOME TO EPISODE 150 of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast!!! We’re spending it at the legendary Bordinos in Fayetteville talking with co-owner Molly Allison and they’re celebrating Bordinos 30th anniversary, but before we get into that?!?!
FOOD NEWS!!
We’re hosting a Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives watch party on Friday at 7! Both Mezzaluna and Saiwok will be in this episode! Come watch with us!
Chef Mauk announces the grand opening date for Bienvenue on today’s podcast!
Speaking of Bienvenue, Nosh Nola is about to open in their old spot in Downtown Springdale!
Arkansas Trails Brewing Company opened over the weekend in a VERY significant building. Owners Audrey & Adam Jones will explain.
It’s Tontitown Grape Festival Week!
Bloom Cheese Collective officially opened their front room remodel and opened a wheel of cheese the next day!
This is the final week for Los Compas Margaritatown’s physical location, and they’re partying!
In this week’s Flavors Flashback, we go back to Chef Will Mauk from Bienvenue who tells us where he worked when he came to NWA.
Jeff and Molly Allison had the opportunity to buy Bordinos in 2020 when Joe Fennell decided to sell and retire. Molly will tell you that story. Also, 30 years!!! Molly will tell you how they plan to celebrate and it happens soon! Finally, something that they didn’t see coming... Covid. They hadn’t owned Bordinos for even two months when that started. Molly tells us what they did to survive, and that’s in this edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast!

In this week’s edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas Podcast, we’re in Bentonville at Turnbuckle Farm with the dynamic duo of Melissa & Adam Milsap, who have a great story to tell, but before thy do?!?!
FOOD NEWS!
Gaskins Trattoria officially opens TODAY! We’ll hear from owners Lisa Provencio-Jones and Bert Jones.
4 Benton County restaurants will be on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives next month!
La Cabanita will soon open in downtown Springdale. We’ll hear from one of the owners.
KAI will take Wasabi’s former spot on Dickson Street in Fayetteville.
The new La Familia Taco drive-thru in Farmington is CRUSHING.
Siloam Springs is getting Indian Food!
Made Market in Rogers made an announcement over the weekend. We’ll tell you what it is!
A local restaurant group has diversified their portfolio in a big way. We’ll tell you about Red Light Retreat and who owns it!
A Woodstone Craft Pizza Chef can win a BIG contest with your vote.
Happy 5 years to Rendezvous Junction Brewing Company, as they turned 5 this weekend!
Speaking of Rendezvous, in this week’s Flavors Flashback, we go back to last year’s podcast with them and hear about Owner Mike Peerson health problems before they opened. They were worse than you could imagine.
Adam and Melissa Milsap grew up in Springfield, Missouri, got married there and started urban farming there in what wasn’t a good place. In fact, it was the 2nd worst area in Springfield, and at times could be dangerous. You’ll hear the story about how the community and the city gathered and rallied for them to be able to change the area into a farm! And how did they end up in Northwest Arkansas? It’s hard to leave a place you love, especially one that’s been home for your whole life. They’ll tell the story. They’ll talk about how they found their land in Bentonville-or Bentonvista as they call it. And on the food side? We’ll hear what they’re growing, and also? They have a Chef-driven food truck on-site, and it’s popular. I think I know why, as I had an all-local egg and chorizo biscuit from there and it was an absolute flavor-bomb. Chef Simon talks about that in the food segment, as well as chef dinners there. In the creek. True story, and you’ll hear all about it from them next here on the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast.  

In this week’s edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast, we’re at the Vagabond Coffee Bar in Bella Vista talking with co-owner/operator J.W. Gerike and his awesome story, but before we talk to him?!?
FOOD NEWS!!
We’re heading into the final weekend of Fayetteville Restaurant Week
Art of Wine is this Friday and bigger than ever!
The Muse is a new cocktail bar in downtown Fayetteville.
If you’re a good salsa-maker, do I have a competition for you at Brewski’s!
Longtime Herman’s Ribhouse stalwart has opened Possum Creek Bistro food truck
There’s a new restaurant at Prairie Creek Marina. We’ll tell you about Yaya’s Waterside!
Bella Vista has a new bottle shop! We’ll hear from the owner of the Little Bear Café.
Dum & Grill is up and rolling in Bentonville.
There will be 2 new restaurants in the new Visionaries building in Rogers.
Bites & Bowls is downsizing in Springdale.
Los Compas Margaritatown is going back to their roots... soon.
Kung Fu Tea’s location in Rogers is for sale.
A pizza place on Dickson Street has shut down.
Happy anniversary to La Favorita in Siloam, The Blind Bear in downtown Springdale, and Pizzeria Ruby in Johnson!
Speaking of Pizzeria Ruby, in this week’s Flavors Flashback, we go back to our podcast with them last October where they talked about getting the doors open 5 years ago. Sidenote for you, there’s some salty language in this Flashback, so earmuffs for the kids!!!.
Speaking of Covid, that changed the career trajectory for JW Gerike. By trade, he was a physical therapist in Ft. Worth, but Covid hit, and his hours weren’t conducive to family life. Hear him talk about why he picked coffee. What were his first steps? Have you seen his 1979 Peugeot Coffee Van? Funny story about how he acquired that. At least he can laugh about it now. Speaking of, once getting established, he got some pretty cool gigs in Texas, including supplying coffee on a movie set. You won’t believe which one. And then, the move to Bella Vista. How did they find it, and why did they make the move? And finally, after a very popular trailer at Tanyard Creek, they open a storefront. Some great stories coming your way in this edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast!

In this Special Edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast, we’re at the Walton Arts Center with Events Manager Whitlee Douthitt talking Art of Wine! There are some new elements to this year’s event, which is happening THIS Friday from 7-9:30.
We kick it off with the record number of vendors this year- you won’t BELIEVE the number!
There are retail opportunities that include getting a flash tattoo, take a tintype photo and more.
Plus, if you’re like me, you didn’t get close to seeing the whole event last year. You can download the new Art of Wine app, and you’ll be able to see where you are, what what’s available, because let’s be honest, the Walton Arts Center is huge, and you can get lost easily. You can also win during the event! You can get the app here: https://art-of-wine.vercel.app/. 
Finally, Whitlee tells you where to get your tickets, and what the cost of the tickets goes to.
It’s all on this Special Edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast.

In this Special Edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas, we sit with Experience Fayetteville's VP of Marketing & Communications, Brannon Pack. We talk all things Fayetteville Restaurant Week, including those offering prix fixe menu's, who's offering half-off, who's being creative and some of our favorite offerings (and more). 
To see who's participating, and what they're offering, go here: https://www.experiencefayetteville.com/restaurant-week 

In this week’s edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast, we’re in Bentonville talking to Rebecca & Jay Davitt, the owners of Stoic Brews Alternative, but before we hear from them?!
FOOD NEWS!!
We hear from Mallory Files, who sold Ozark Charcuterie & Wine Bar in Fayetteville and grand opened Ozark Charcuterie in Rogers in back-to-back days.
Pearlsnap Picnic grand opened in the Jones Center.
Vagabond Coffee grand opened at the Sugar Creek Shopping Center in Bella Vista. We’ll hear from owner J.W. Gericke!
HTeaO is open in Lowell!
Jack in the Box is coming to Rogers (somewhere at some time?)?
McAlister’s is coming to Farmington.
Saltine Bakery & Kitchen will open in South Fayetteville SOON.
Happy 2-year anniversary to Butter & Bloom Cake Shop! Their anniversary menu-WOW.
Happy 28 years to Iron Horse Coffee Company!!
In today’s Flavors Flashback, Mallory Files tells us what it was like to go viral back in 2024!
Rebecca and Jay Davitt started Stoic Brews Alternative back in March of 2025. For those that don’t know, Stoic brews gluten-free beer, and all their food is gluten-free as well. Rebecca has been on a gluten-free diet for a decade and Jay wanted to brew beer. Rebecca didn’t want to do it until she found out that she could do it gluten-free, and with her food science background, a monster was created!
Speaking of which, Rebecca struggled with imposter syndrome. She’ll tell you why.
Also, how did they find such a great spot? It’s the old Pedaler’s Pub, and they’ll tell you that story.
Finally, you don’t know what you don’t know. They’ll talk about being ill-prepared to go through the emotions of seeing people have their first beer in over a decade because of gluten allergies and tear up. They go over that and so much more, on this edition of the Flavors of Northwest Arkansas podcast.