Nominations now open for 2025 Arkansas Food Hall of Fame

LITTLE ROCK — The Division of Arkansas Heritage announced that nominations for its 2025 Arkansas Food Hall of Fame have opened as of today, Jan. 29, 2025. The program is celebrating its ninth year recognizing the outstanding food establishments that represent Arkansas’ unique culinary heritage and their rich contributions to the southern dining experience. Nominations will be accepted online at ArkFoodHOF.com.
“We are thrilled to continue celebrating the rich culinary traditions of our great state through the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame nominations,” said Shea Lewis, secretary of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism. “This program honors the legacy of dining experiences that have shaped our state, offering both residents and visitors a taste of Arkansas’ unique flavors and warm hospitality.”
Nominations will be open from Jan. 29 through Feb. 28, 2025, with categories that recognize culturally significant restaurants, proprietors and food-themed events celebrating food heritage from every part of our state. Categories include:
Arkansas Food Hall of Fame – recognizing long-standing restaurants that help create our food culture.
Proprietor of the Year – honoring a chef, cook and/or restaurant owner with significant impact on our local food tastes and preferences.
Food-Themed Event – honoring a community food-themed event or festival that preserves a community’s unique food history.

Gone But Not Forgotten – remembering past establishments that set the table for our food tastes and preferences today.
People’s Choice – restaurants or food trucks, new or old, that keep our palettes whet for more Arkansas flavors.
“We are proud to open the nominations to recognize another outstanding year of culinary contributions to our state,” said Marty Ryall, director of the Division of Arkansas Heritage. “Food is at the heart of what brings us together, and we invite the public to celebrate these cherished establishments by nominating them for the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame.”
The Arkansas Food Hall of Fame Committee helps select winners and is made up of a group of Arkansans who are historians, chefs, foodies and food authors. In addition to Ryall, committee members include Paul S. Austin, C.C. "Chip" Culpepper, Quantia “Key” Fletcher, Cindy Grisham, Montine McNulty, Rex Nelson, Tim Nutt, Kat Robinson, Stephanie Wade, David Ware, Stanley Young and Jennifer Maune.
Award finalists will be announced in summer 2025 and honorees will be inducted during a special event in September 2025. More details will follow closer to this time.