The Newest Restaurants in Little Rock Worth Checking Out

Little Rock is experiencing a wave of new restaurant openings, adding to the city's culinary diversity and offering residents fresh dining options. From innovative all-you-can-eat concepts to niche eateries that focus on specific flavors, these new places aim to cater to various tastes and preferences. Here's a look at some of the latest additions to the Little Rock restaurant lineup and what they bring to the table.

The renowned restaurant Deluca’s, founded by former Wall Street broker Anthony Valinoti, recently opened a new location in Breckenridge Village shopping center at 10301 N. Rodney Parham Road. Valinoti started Deluca’s in 2013, inspired by the pizza he loved from his childhood at Di Fara Pizza in Brooklyn. The pizzeria quickly became famous, with its slices earning acclaim from Southern Living, Garden and Gun, and Food and Wine. Last year, it also received high marks from Dave Portnoy’s One Bite Barstool Sports reviews.

In a press release, Valinoti expressed that opening the new location in Little Rock is a dream come true: “Opening our second location in Little Rock is a dream come true. Our mission has always been simple: to feed people incredible food that is handmade with love. We’re thrilled to bring that commitment to Little Rock.”

Spanning 6,000 square feet, the restaurant features a private dining room, an upstairs lounge, a bar, and seating for 190 guests. The menu includes a variety of pizzas baked in a 725-degree oven imported from Italy, along with gourmet burgers, handmade pasta, meatballs, fresh salads and Deluca’s famous cannoli.

Photo Credit: instagram.com/delucaspizza/

Though it opened only two months ago, Cary’s Grill & Bar has already earned a reputation as a top lunch destination in Dogtown.

The restaurant’s name is a tribute to co-owner Katrina Sanders’ father. "I always wanted to follow in my dad's footsteps and cook. I talked to my husband about it, my kids, and my parents. We jumped out on faith and opened it up." 

The restaurant’s spacious location on Pike Avenue offers ample room for lunches, community gatherings, and events.

Katrina mentioned they wanted to give North Little Rock and the surrounding area a place to gather without the need to travel far.

At Cary’s, the extensive menu features favorites like salmon, mac and cheese, fish, yams, seafood pasta, chicken and chicken strip salad - plus many more options.

Photo Credit: instagram.com/carys_grillandbar/

You can visit Cary's Grill & Bar at 2619 Pike Avenue in North Little Rock.

Jake's Hot Chicken, a new restaurant in Rogers, launched in September this year. Jacob Chi, the restaurant's owner, shared that he was inspired to bring hot chicken to Arkansas after spending 15 years in the heart of Tennessee, the birthplace of Nashville hot chicken.

“The concept and menu for Jake’s Hot Chicken has been on my mind for many years,” he said. “We were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to make that concept a reality with our site in Rogers as the first store. We hope to share our passion for hot, spicy, juicy chicken goodness with the communities we serve.”

Photo Credit: google.com

He added that he plans to open Jake’s Hot Chicken restaurants in other places across the state, including Bentonville, Saline County, Conway and Fayetteville.

“Our family is an Arkansas family,” he said. “Our businesses are Arkansas businesses employing Arkansans throughout the state, so we do plan on expanding Jake’s Hot Chicken to various other locations in Arkansas.”

Photo Credit: google.com

Jake's Hot Chicken in Rogers has quickly gained popularity, with many customers loving the authentic taste of Nashville-style hot chicken brought to Arkansas by owner Chi. Guests frequently highlight the rich, spicy flavor that strikes a great balance. The chicken sandwiches and wings are particularly popular and come highly recommended by visitors.

Most visitors are also pleased with the friendly and fast service, although a few mention that it can get quite busy. However, many agree that the food is worth the wait. Overall, Jake's Hot Chicken is becoming a local favorite, bringing a taste of Tennessee to Arkansas in a big way.

Photo Credit: arkansasonline.com

Photo Credit: google.com

Mizuki opened last month in the former Applebee's location at 12110 Chenal Parkway, Little Rock. Co-owner Amy Weng introduced a new concept popular in big cities: an all-you-can-eat sushi, sashimi, and nigiri buffet, as well as kitchen-prepared hibachi dishes. Dinner is $28.95, lunch is $18.95. In addition, a regular menu is available for those who want to choose individual dishes.