There was a time when, dotted across the Boston Mountains and Arkansas River Valley, you’d find old weathered timber sided cabins alongside highways, offering smoked meats, pickles and jams for sale with a dining room to sample them within. The Ozark Mountain Smokehouse, with locations from Fayetteville to Little Rock, has all but evaporated. But in Russellville, a lone outpost remains.
Smokehouse Deli, renamed a few years back, continues the operation of smoking and serving ham, turkey, bologna, bacon, and cheeses, offering them for purchase as is and in a variety of sandwiches and dishes on its lunchtime menu. Paired with daily specials, soups and stews, and a mountain of desserts, it’s a quiet Russellville standard with little to no advertisement but a strong local following.
Ozark Mountain Smokehouse traces its roots back to the mid-1940s, with Roy Sharp starting the original in 1946 at the foot of Mount Kessler in what was then rural south Fayetteville. Frank Sharp oversaw that location for another generation, and a location on Dickson Street. Other spots, like an oversized one on US Highway 71 and the sprawling Little Rock location off Cantrell, all offered the cured and smoked hams, bacon, turkey, bologna, and other meats on sandwiches. Over time, they all ended up adding to their individual menus - for instance, Little Rock’s location became known for excellent breakfasts - but they all dwindled and disappeared, all except the small spot on east Main Steet in Russellville. This particular location opened in 1974.
A short while back, the eatery’s owners decided to change the name, leaning into what the Ozark Mountain Smokehouse always did best, and dubbed it Smokehouse Deli. It’s still timber-sided, though these days that timber is painted. Within, exposed wood encases the place. There are touches of the past in the furniture and the decades-old meat case at the heart of the operation. But today, there’s a drive-thru window, new cases full of pies and cakes, and an emphasis on keeping the traditions alive.
It’s worth a visit, even if you’re just picking up something to go. When choosing those take-homes, start with the smoked cheddar. It’s salty, tangy, and smoky enough to satisfy. It’s perfect on a sandwich, on crusty bread, or honestly just stacked on a Ritz. Any meat in the case will go great with it. Trust me on this.
Want a fast, no-fuss order to go? Smokehouse’s lunchboxes are your go-to. Get your sandwich (or just the meats and cheese if you don’t want the bread) with whatever topping veggies you like, choose your condiments, and pick a cookie (sugar, peanut butter, or chocolate chip) to go with. The salami, beautifully marbled and bold, is a classic choice.
My repeat order is the chicken and havarti, loaded with smoked chicken chunks and avocado on soft ciabatta.
The Reuben here is excellent. It comes on lightly toasted rye with Thousand Island drssing, crisp sauerkraut, and juicy corned beef. It’s beautifully balanced. For a side, you can choose chips, or you can go with the potato salad, a smooth scoop studded with celery and onion.
Soups rotate, so check what’s up that day. Vegetable beef, chicken tortilla, and tomato basil are all regular options. The latter in particular is rich and brothy with real tomato pieces and enough depth to count as a meal.
Don’t ignore dessert: two display counters are usually packed with cakes, pies, and bars. The selection shifts, but lemon bars and pecan pie tend to be steady regulars, with appearances from things like German chocolate cake or pineapple fluff pie.
Whatever you choose, it’s guaranteed to invoke a sensation of nostalgia, especially when you hear the wax paper being pulled, cut, and folded around your deli selections. The Ozark Mountain Smokehouse may have passed with time, but its delicacies are still available walking through Smokehouse Deli’s door.
You’ll find Smokehouse Deli across from Kroger at 1000 East Main in Russellville. Call-in orders can be placed at (479) 968-7290. Check out the restaurant’s Facebook page, here: https://www.facebook.com/TheSmokehouseRuss/
