The World at our Front Door - Heifer Village in downtown Little Rock.

Heifer International's World Headquarter grounds aren't just a place for the decisions to be made for a global non-profit. They're also a place to exerience an urban adventure - and a great lunch to boot.

All Sorts Of Things at Alley Oops in Little Rock.

West Little Rock’s longstanding local hang-out still serves burgers, po’boys, cheese dip and chess pie to another generation of customers. Let’s check out Alley-Oops.

10 Arkansas Dishes You Have To Try (and 11 More to Satisfy Your Natural State Cravings).

Arkansas food is starting to gain recognition outside of our state. But what dishes best showcase our unique cuisine? Here are ten dishes you absolutely have to try.

Pancho's Is A Dip Best Served Cold - A West Memphis Arkansas Classic.

If you look in the deli or cold foods section at any Walmart, Kroger or Harp's around Arkansas, chances are you're going to find a fine selection of dips for your chip that come from the great city of West Memphis. Let's take a look at cheese dip from Pancho's Mexican Restaurant.

Important Arkansas Recipes.

Every place has a special food that stands out.  For Arkansas, those foods are numerous.  For some of Arkansas's restaurants, there are very special entries that should be shared.

Here's a growing list of recipes that cover some fantastic Arkansas foodstuffs, from cheese dip to barbecue sauce.

Scenes from the 5th Annual World Cheese Dip Championship.

Cheese dip.  Since documented as a bona fide Arkansas creation, natives of the state have started to truly celebrate the golden concoction.  Today, the Little Rock River Market Pavilion became the hub of this celebration, as (for the fifth time) competitors faced off to see who could create the best.

While Hunter and I judged upstairs, Grav Weldon captured the essence of this event in photos.

Breakfast, Lunch and Chatter at Gadwall's Grill.

I know Gadwall's Grill is a classic.  I have memories, ever so long ago, of being a teenage bridesmaid in a particular October wedding where the reception was held in the back room of the then-somewhat young new restaurant in North Little Rock's North Hills restaurant.

My teenage years -- and that black bridesmaid dress -- are nothing but memories today, but Gadwall's Grill saunters on. Karen Bryant and Jane Schubert, a couple of sisters, sold their Wal-Mart stock in the late 80s and bought the former Rob's Place restaurant building on the dividing line between North Little Rock and Sherwood.  Named for a particular breed of duck, this neighborhood bar and grill manages to keep people coming in, year after year.

That's probably why on my latest visit there wasn't a table to be found... a late Saturday morning breakfast foray into the eatery atop a hilltop found few places to park, every table in the place taken and a few folks even waiting by the door.

Being on my own, I managed to grab a seat at the bar, where a copy of the statewide paper was sitting out and where a young man had a full mug of coffee in front of me before I'd even located a breakfast menu.  Not that I was going to need it.  I'd come with a particular dish in mind.

This happens to be it.  This is the Gut Bomb, scrambled eggs piled high with chili, jalapeno peppers and cheddar cheese.  You can have hash browns or breakfast potatoes with it, a biscuit or English muffin or toast as well.

Why was I so eager for

this concoction?  Masochism, I suppose, The sheer number of jalapenos tightly placed in a thick layer between cheese and chili would flatten even the most earnest diner.  Most of these ended up on the side of my plate... and my waitress asked if I wanted to save them for dessert.

But that chili... oh, man, that chili.  Gadwall's Grill actually offers two types, a white chili and one that's called Woman Made Chili, which is a beany, beefy cumin-laden concoction worthy of lone enjoyment.  I won't turn down beans for breakfast, and this ample serving that about obliterated the obligatory eggs beneath was substantial. I skipped lunch after this grand repast.

Of course, I have to mention something else.  This breakfast came with dessert -- I ordered my plate with the biscuit option and a side of chocolate gravy.  Now, I can take or leave chocolate gravy.  The Arkansas-based condiment is often abused and even outright replaced with soupy chocolate pudding some places.  It's often too salty or too sweet and sometimes outright unwelcome.  But that's not the case at Gadwall's, where the syrup-thick roux is buttery with the perfect sweet to salt balance.  It's the best chocolate gravy I've had in any restaurant, and 'twere not for the audience you get of cooks and wait staff when you sit at a restaurant's bar, I might have been better tempted to drink it straight from the bowl.  Doused as it were on pliant, thick biscuit halves, it was a marvelous end to a meal and a perfect coffee accompaniment.

But wait, there's more.

So, Woman Made Chili.  I can and indeed have eaten it on its own and with crackers.  As far as I am concerned, it's the reason Gadwall's continues to exist.  Gadwall's has been many things over its 25 or so years... with a brief expansion to West Little Rock and a span of time

with a next-door eponymous pizzeria.  I know there are individuals who would rather swear on the Great Northern bean and chicken breast white chili, and it's more than adequate.

But Woman Made Chili is Gadwall's raison d'être, a substance that permeates the menu on Bonsai Nachos and short chili dogs.  It is simply hearty, delicious eats.

Grav and I recently stopped in for a bite, where he tried the Chicken Nachos, a platter-sized mound of tortilla chips slathered in cheese dip (of the yellow, spice-packed variety), gobs of shredded chicken, black olives, jalapenos and tomato chunks.  An impressive site to behold, and far more than one individual should undertake in a sitting.

I did rather enjoy the Old Fashioned Cheeseburger, a mustard-accented griddle smashed burger on a toasted seedless bun with a hunk of white onion amidst the customary lettuce, tomato and pickle.  But my best enjoyment came from dipping it in my bowl of accompanying Woman Made Chili.

Lest I get carried away with all this chili talk, I should mention the desserts.  Gadwall's Grill offers a substantial selection of fried pies and a daily cobbler.  But it also offers Brownie Under -- a frosted housemade

brownie crowned with vanilla ice cream, sweet and very thick and gooey and more than you expect.  Brownie Under is the proverbial "waffer thin mint" for diners -- I suggest sharing as your only recourse to painful overfilling.

Gadwall's Grill is not a trendy place.  It is stuffed with memorabilia of a quarter century or better of north-of-the-river life.  The wait staff is friendly and the regulars are thick.  You'll find a good comforting meal within.

Gadwall's Grill
7311 North Hills Boulevard #12
North Little Rock, AR 72116
(501) 834-1840
Website

Izzy's on the West Side of Town.

We have a lot of restaurants in Little Rock that are hot right now... and restaurants that are good... and restaurants we recommend. But then there are some places we forget about until we're gently reminded, and then we nudge our memories and ask our brains why that one didn't come up.

Izzy's is one of those.

Colorful, huge and sprawling out on The Ranch out on Highway 10, this current incarnation of the long-standing friendly restaurant stands out almost at the edge of town. It used to be on the edge of town decades ago when Bob Isbell ran it, and it got moved further out after he passed it on to his son and daughter-in-law, Robert and Heather Isbell. I keep wondering, now that it's surrounded by neighborhoods again, if Izzy's is going to move even further out Highway 10. Much further and it'll be in Lake Maumelle.

But Izzy's has always been a comfortable place -- friendly, brightly colored, safe for kids. And the tamales are one of the most underrated food experiences in town -- tasty but not too spicy, fat and served with additional bits, whether

it's cheese dip or salsa or chili. I have been known to go dine on just one with the chili... and crackers, of course. Shooting at Izzy's never produces studio-style pictures, of course, with every table having a different melange of photos and memorabilia under its surface.

Somehow, though, I'd neglected to take Grav out there, so we went on a frigid December day. I told him about the teas, the marvelous houseblended loose-leaf teas that you savor there and then take home for later. Izzy's teas are the bomb-diggety, I tell you what.

But Grav's not a big hot tea drinker like I am. He did, however, manage to spot a combination that I hadn't before. He noticed the frosted mugs for beer and requested his root beer in one. I honestly think he's smarter than me. Sometimes.

Now, deciding what to eat may be the hardest thing to do at Izzy's. It's full of choices -- not just for me, but for anyone with a crazy food sensitivity. Izzy's offers special menus for vegetarians and for those practicing a gluten-free diet. There's a lot of meatless offerings and a whole lot of different flavors. And when we asked for cheese dip, our waiter didn't even bat an eye when I asked for potato chips for

half instead of tortilla chips. Nor did he make a fuss when he came back to find Grav preferred potato chips with the dip, too.

The cheese dip at Izzy's is deep gold, almost orange, not very spicy but with nice deep and sharp Cheddar tones. It's a little runny for ruffled potato chips but that was all right. It's rather good.

The Nutty Bird comes with chips, but you can also have sweet
potato fries instead.

We debated over different choices while we nibbled chips. Grav asked about the Nutty Bird, which is turkey and cream cheese with sunflower seeds. I've had it before. It's pretty good, especially if you're wanting a cool sandwich in the summer. I told him about the Salmon Nicoise, which is a poached salmon fillet with salad. We discussed the tamales, and he pretty much stuck with it.

Now, tamales. Izzy's has two different sorts of tamales, beef and a vegetable tamale that's full of black beans and a smattering of finely chopped vegetables. Those tamales are served in all sorts of combinations. You can get One Big Tamale as an appetizer -- either the beef or the veggie -- with chili for the beef and cheese dip for the veggie. Or you can swap around -- salsa and guacamole are also

acceptable substitutes. You can also get a platter of two and either mix-and-match or get two of the same. This is what Grav did this time around, choosing chili-topped beef tamales served with more cheese dip. I think he was surprised just how filling they were.

Me? This time I decided to go for something I've wanted to try for a long time but always demurred. I went for the Wild West Chicken Pizza. Yes, I knew I'd be taking it home.

That's all right. This is a thin crusted fork-ready pizza that comes with a salsa base, with chunks of grilled chicken, red bell pepper and purple onion, black beans and bits of cilantro and mozzarella and provolone cheese, and jalapenos. There's not a lot of cheese on this pizza, but the crust edges are crispy and strong enough to be dumped in the cheese dip. The rest of the pizza, though, becomes soft with the salsa, and it's really meant to be eaten with a fork. It comes with sour cream, which is a good balance to the jalapenos -- but I found myself drizzling more cheese dip over the whole thing. Did I mention I really like the cheese dip?

One of these days I'll finally get the cheeseburger at Izzy's. I never get there. There are way too many dang fine menu choices and when I get to the line about burgers I sorta glaze over. I shouldn't, though -- they come highly recommended. And at some point I have a feeling Grav will be back for the Super BLT, which includes a slathering of -- you guessed it -- cheese dip.

The kids menu for Izzy's isn't quite the predictable usual items you get with a kids menu. Rather than the standard chicken nuggets and corn dogs I see everywhere, Izzy's offers bowls of pasta -- noodles with Alfredo, marinara, meat sauce or butter ("naked"), a grilled cheese sandwich or a cheese quesadilla. But if you have an adventuresome child like mine, consider getting them the One Big Tamale.

We didn't get desserts this time, but Izzy's does make a fine Key Lime Pie. I also forget that milkshakes are offered, and I need to try those sometime. Then there's the All-American, two scoops of vanilla ice cream on a brownie, drizzled with hot fudge and whipped cream. It's a two person dessert, and if you don't think so then more power to you, *I* can't eat it all by myself on a good day. It is righteously decadent.

That's the Salmon Nicoise I was talking about.

As I mentioned, you can find Izzy's at The Ranch... which, if you're not from Little Rock, that's not going to do you any good. It's off Highway 10 west of I-430 several miles, and it's behind Osaka (which is pretty fine Japanese-style eating). It's open 11 a.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and is closed on Sunday. You can also buy tea leaves there to take home.

Izzy's Restaurant
5601 Ranch Drive
Little Rock, AR 72223
(501) 868-4311
izzyslittlerock.com

5 Unique Arkansas Foods.

What sort of food comes from Arkansas?  Our state is blessed with a rich heritage of game such as deer, boar and elk as well as a plethora of game fowl and a great measure of fish.  But what have we created as foods we can share with others, true home-grown creations?

Here are five dishes that come from Arkansas.

1.  Chocolate gravy.  This breakfast addition came to us in the early part of the 20th century, with the spread of the use of cocoa powder.  The methods to make it vary, but it includes cocoa, sugar, butter and flour, is either made from a roux or a milk base, and is always served over biscuits. Delish named it the food to represent Arkansas.  Here's a recipe. Check out how the folks at the Wagon Wheel in Greenbrier make it.

2.  Possum pie.  Variations of this dish are made elsewhere, and it has different names in different parts of the state -- Four Layer Delight, Chocolate Torte, Robert Redford -- but the idea is the same: a cooler pie with cream cheese and a flour-and-pecan crust on the bottom, whipped cream and pecans on the top and a layer of chocolate custard in-between.  Its name comes from the fact the pie is "playin' possum," which means you don't know what's in that pie until you cut into it.  Check out Debbie Arnold's recipe and video.

3.  Cheese dip.  Created by Arkansas native Blackie Donnelly, first served up at Mexico Chiquito in the 1940s and celebrated in the film In Queso Fever, this concoction of cheeses and spices has definitively been linked to The Natural State.  Restaurants all over will tell you theirs is the best.  Want to find a place to dip your chip? Here's a rundown of the most famous of Arkansas cheese dips.

4.  Fried pickles.  Created at the Duchess Drive In in Atkins by Bernell Austin, these sour wonders have seen their way around the world.  Other states may claim them, but they are an Arkansas original.  Check out the history behind the dish and a couple of recipes here, and see how Gus's Fried Chicken makes their own version.

5.  Arkansas Delta Tamales.  Arkansas Delta tamales were originally introduced by the St. Columbia family.  Grandfather Peter came to the United States in the last decade of the 1890s and ended up in Helena, where his odd jobs took him out into cotton plantations worked by Mexican immigrants.  He gave them pasta recipes, they taught him how to make tamales, and that recipe has been refined through the generations and through the soul food restaurant the St. Columbias financed.  Learn more about the Arkansas Delta Tamale here.

Want to learn more about Arkansas foods?  Check out my books Classic Eateries of the Ozarks and Arkansas River Valley and Classic Eateries of the Arkansas Delta -- and learn more about possum pie in Arkansas Pie: A Delicious Slice of the Natural State.

Cheese Dip: Dip Your Chip All Over Arkansas.

In Arkansas, a single item of food connects all corners of the state.  Created by a man named Blackie Donnelly, originally credited to his restaurant Mexico Chiquito, cheese dip has become a Southern staple.  The great Ark-Mex restaurants of fame, from Pancho's in West Memphis to Glasgow's in Bentonville, all carry their own odes to this marvelous emulsion for chips and fries.

The simplest version marries Velveeta and Rotel together, two simple ingredients that dance well together.  The recipes for the more complex recipes are hoarded away.  Restaurateurs and families alike keep the secret to their cheese concoction to themselves.

Need a recipe for cheese dip?  Click here to check out some great recipes from fellow Arkansas bloggers!

Want to learn about the history of cheese dip?  Check out Nick Roger's film In Queso Fever.  Want to follow the Arkansas Cheese Dip Trail?  Click here.

Where can you find the best cheese dips in Arkansas?  Here's a starter for you... which by no means can completely cover every great restaurant to serve the dish.  Be sure to add your own in the comments!

Abuelos.  This is an alphabetic list, but Abuelo's deserves mention, even if it's a chain.  Abuelos' Chili con Queso is blended with Anaheim and Poblano peppers for a hint of heat.
4005 West Walnut * Rogers * (479) 621-0428 * abuelos.com

American Pie's non-traditional white.

American Pie.  A non-traditional white, Kyle's Spicy Chicken Cheese Dip is an emulsion of roasted and spiced chicken chunks in a white queso.  America Pie does gluten free evenings, by the way. americanpiepizza.net
9709 Maumelle Blvd. * Maumelle * (501) 758-8800

4830 North Hills * North Little Rock * (501) 753-0081

10902 Colonel Glenn * Little Rock * (501) 225-1900

Arkansas Burger Company's white queso.

Arkansas Burger Company.  Known best for its burgers, ABC's cheese dip is consistently ranked among Central Arkansas favorites.  It's a white queso flaked with green jalapeno pepper bits, smooth with a bit of heat and well salted.  It's served up with thick yellow tortilla chips; alternately, you can use the Lay's potato chips that go with your burger.
7410 Cantrell Road * Little Rock * (501) 663-0600 * arkansasburgercompany.com

Yellow dip and chips at Atkinson's Blue Diamond Cafe.

Atkinson's Blue Diamond Cafe. The popular Morrilton diner and ice cream shop also serves a smooth yellow dip great with chips or fries.
1800 East Harding * Morrilton * (501) 354-4253 * Facebook 

Balcony Restaurant's yellow dip.

Balcony Restaurant.  The chips and queso at this restaurant inside Eureka Springs' Basin Park Hotel is smoky, a little salty and quite yellow -- and it's accompanied by homemade salsa. Within the 1905 Basin Park Hotel is at 12 Spring Street, right next to (you guessed it) Basin Park.
12 Spring Street * Eureka Springs * (479) 253-7837 * website

Buffalo Grill.  One of Little Rock's classic dips, the yellow dip is calm and mild and served up with big round yellow tortilla chips.  For some reason they now serve the dip on the signature Tortilla Flats instead of cheese... but that's all right.  Perfect for dipping that quesadilla.
1611 Rebsamen Park Rd. * Little Rock * (501) 296-9535 * buffalogrilllr.com

Cactus Jack's white queso.

Cactus Jack's.  This average white dip comes close to white Velveeta, but somehow it's gained a following.  Mild, creamy, completely expected, at least Cactus Jack's serves up thin and crispy yellow tortilla chips to go along with it,
4120 East McCain, * North Little Rock * (501) 945-5888

755 Club Lane * Conway * (501) 730-0022


Capers.  This cilantro-enhanced white cheese dip carries great flavors of roasted peppers. You really need to get it with the fresh veggie-packed salsa for the full experience.
14502 Cantrell Road * Little Rock * (501) 868-7600 * capersrestaurant.com

Casa Manana.  Casa Manana's reliable thick and creamy white dip has nice friendly notes of queso anejo and queso Chihuahua.  It's also good poured over Huevos Rancheros.  Served up with fresh-fried-daily corn tortilla chips and a salsa redolent of red bell pepper and cumin.
casamananamexicanfood.com
6820 Cantrell Road * Little Rock * (501) 280-9888

18321 Cantrell Road * Little Rock * (501) 868-8822 

Oppenheimer Market Hall at the River Market * Little Rock* (501) 372-6637


Casa Mexicana.  Sherwood's cheap eats spot for Ark-Mex food offers a slightly spicy white cheese dip that goes well on anything.
4091 E. Kiehl Avenue * Sherwood * (501) 831-2787

Cheddar's yellow Velveeta-style dip.

Cheddar's.  Velveeta meets Rotel plus ground beef, served on thin yellow tortilla chips, with a side of fresh, cumin and onion laden salsa.
cheddars.com
3907 Phoenix Avenue * Fort Smith * (479) 649-5959

400 South University * Little Rock * (501) 614-7578

2123 Stadium Blvd * Jonesboro * (870) 934-0223


Cheers in the Heights.  Deep yellow, sharp and smooth dip usually served with tricolor chips.  Get the chili with it.
2010 North Van Buren * Little Rock * (501) 663-5937 * cheersith.com

Chip's dip is full of spices.

Chip’s Barbecue.  Chip's used to put smoked meat in their cheese dip, which was pretty good.  They stopped doing that, but that's all right.  It's a Mexico Chiquito style dip with lots of cumin and paprika and strong Cheddar flavors, with good cling for the house-fried thick tortilla chips served with it.  I adore the fresh tomato salsa that comes with each order.
9801 West Markham * Little Rock * (501) 225-4346 * chips-barbecue.com
Chip's closed July 2016.

Go for the Chip & Dip trio for best value at The Cow Pen.

Cow Pen.  I don't know what's the better deal -- the cheese dip, the bean dip or the salsa that comes in the Chip & Dip ($6.95) at The Cow Pen in Lake Village.  The yellow cheese dip is a Velveeta-Rotel blend but has an additional dairy element that makes it creamy.  Spice is just right. 5198 Highway 82 * Lake Village * (870) 265-9992 * thecowpen.com

Dizzy's dip is deep.

Dizzy’s Gypsy Bistro.  The restaurant's three-part dip won the first ever World Cheese Dip Championship; it went over so well, they replaced their old dip with it.  It's a yellow dip chunky with onions and peppers and it's served up large.
200 River Market Avenue #150 * Little Rock * (501) 375-3500 * dizzysgypsybistro.net


Don Jose.  The cheese dip here is very mild, very white and somewhat runny.
200 Holiday Drive * Forrest City * (870) 630-9884


E.J.'s Eats and Drinks.  Yes, there's a cheese dip.  Startlingly, I have yet to try it.  I have to rectify that. Watch this space.
523 Center Street * Little Rock * (501) 666-3700 * ejslittlerock.com


El Porton.  Smooth, white constantly the same mild cheese dip.
12111 West Markham * Little Rock * (501) 223-8588 * elportonmexicanrestaurants.com

El Sol's pale yellow dip with salsa and chips.

El Sol.  The prices are fantastic at this Pine Bluff restaurant, and the food is consistently good.  The cheese dip is pale yellow, and the salsa is drinkable -- I mean, you probably shouldn't drink it, but when they bring it out in those little carafes, it's hard to resist.
3801 South Camden Road * Pine Bluff * (870) 879-2820 * Facebook

Faby's steak-lade queso fundido.

Faby’s.  The dip at Faby's is so thick, it almost doesn't qualify as cheese dip.  Instead, what you get is a queso fundido, thick enough to eat with a fork, the sort of hot cheese sauce you want on a cold day.  It's a blend of white Mexican cheeses that stands well on its own but is even better when ordered as fajita queso with chunks of beef or chicken.
2915 Dave Ward Drive * Conway * (501) 329-5151

1023 Front Street * Conway * (501) 513-1199


Flying Burrito.  There are actually two cheese dips at the Flying Burrito - white and yellow - but forget just getting the dip and get the Flying Cheese Dip, which comes with your choice of dip, ground beef, rice, salsa and refried beans IN THE DIP.  Great thin chips, too.
flyingburritoco.com
540 West Dickson Street * Fayetteville * (479) 521-3000

7022 West Sunset * Springdale * (479) 419-9400

1401 S. Walton * Bentonville * (479) 715-6590


The Fold.  Thick, creamy white cheese dip served with equally thick chips.  Hearty.
3501 Old Cantrell Road * Little Rock * (501) 916-9706 * thefoldlr.com

Glasgow's Mexican and American Food. Thick classic yellow cheese dip with medium-thick chips.
411 SE Walton Blvd. * Bentonville * (479) 273-9958 * Facebook


Godsey’s Grill.  Godsey’s sells a traditional Rotel and Velveeta dip, along with about eight other dips.  The Drunken Chicken dip includes smoked chicken -- and the Chicken Enchilada dip that comes so heavy on the spices you won’t be able to tell there’s Velveeta under the surface on those homemade potato chips.
226 South Main St. * Jonesboro * (870) 336-1988 * godseysgrill.com

Traditional Velveeta and Rotel at Hamburger Barn.

Hamburger Barn.  The Arkadelphia mainstay still serves up the same sort of cheese dip you'd come to expect at any backyard barbecue -- the traditional straight-up Velveeta and Rotel dip.
2813 West Pine Street * Arkadelphia * (870) 246-5556 * Facebook
https://www.zomato.com/spoonbacks/17394881

Hog Haus. White. BEER. Cheese. Dip.
430 West Dickson Street * Fayetteville * (479) 521-2739 * hoghaus.com

Izzy’s.  Packed with white Cheddar, fresh tomatoes and spices, still manages to be pretty light.  Get it with the Big Tamale and salsa.
5601 Ranch Road * Little Rock * (501) 868-4311 * izzyslittlerock.com 


Jose's. The "famous" chile con queso is pretty good... the white poblano cheese dip with chorizo is purportedly better.
324 West Dickson Street * Fayetteville * (479) 521-0194 * oleforjoses.com

Blue Mesa style cheese dip at Juanita's.

Juanita’s. Remember that great white cheese dip from the Blue Mesa Grill?  You can get it at Juanita's... it's almost as good as it was at Blue Mesa.  Of course, Juanita's has its own yellow Chili con Queso... which is decent.  Just beware -- service at Juanita's sometimes seems to take a backseat to the venue's other attraction -- live concerts.
614 President Clinton Avenue * Little Rock *(501) 372-1228 * juanitas.com
Juanita's has closed.

Loca Luna.  The Roasted Green Chile Con Queso is starting to gather a real following.  It's sharp, spicy, fresh and served up with tricolor chips that somehow aren’t as colorful as that great queso flavor.
3519 Old Cantrell Road * Little Rock * (501) 663-4666 * loca-luna.com

The original Taco Kid cheese sauce at Local Lime.

Local Lime.  Marvelous Queso Blanco dotted with corn, tomato, peppers and onion... and on the first Tuesday of the month, the original Taco Kid cheese sauce in all its yellow-orange glory.
17809 Chenal Parkway * Little Rock * (501) 448-2226 * locallimetaco.com


Main Cheese. The lovely flavor of well-roasted chipotle peppers comes out so well in this southwestern-style dip.
14524 Cantrell Road * Little Rock * (501) 367-8082 * themaincheese.com


Maria’s. The smooth mild creamy Queso Blanco is the best cheese dip I've had in Fort Smith, with lovely complex flavors of Queso Asadero and Monterrey Jack.  Just a tiny bit better than the Chile “Coin” Queso they also do.
8640 Rogers Avenue *Fort Smith * (479) 452-2328 * mariasmexicanrestaurant.biz


MarketPlace Grill.  Here, they call it "grilled queso" and set it on fire, but it's still cheese dip to me.
marketplacegrill.com
600 Skyline Drive * Conway * (501) 336-0011

1636 S, 48th Street * Springdale * (479) 750-5200


Marlo's Taco Shack.  Ridiculously cheap and good yellow cheese dip.
1192 N. Garland * Fayetteville * (479) 521-4211

Smoked Queso with beef brisket at Mean Pig BBQ.

Mean Pig BBQ.  The barbecue joint best known for its Shut Up Sauce has one of the better quesos in the state -- a deep yellow dip inundated with shredded smoked beef brisket throughout, served with a zip-top bag of tortilla chips on a big plate.
3096 Bill Foster Memorial Highway * Cabot * (501) 941-5489 * themeanpigbbq.com


Mexico Chiquito.  Of course, it's the standard by which all other cheese dips are judged, the first and still the most elusive to pin down.  Created after a visit to Mexico and based on real American and Mexican cheese, the deep spice mix marks the uniqueness of its flavor with lots of paprika, cumin and heaven knows what else.  Still as addictive as always.
mexicochiquito.net
13924 Cantrell Road * Little Rock * (501) 217-0700

1135 Skyline Drive * Conway * (501) 205-1985

4511 Camp Robinson Road * North Little Rock * (501) 771-1604

Classic yellow dip at Nick's Barbecue and Catfish.

Nick's Barbecue and Catfish.  A slightly sharp yellow dip best with the matching cumin-infused salsa and thin and crispy tortilla chips.
1012 S. Bankhead * Carlisle * (870) 552-3887 * nicksbq.com

Pancho's cheese dip is served cold.

Pancho's.  The only restaurant on my cheese dip list that serves their queso at room temperature. The creamy  dip is extraordinarily mild; "hot dip" (a pepper sauce laced salsa puree) is brought to the table to add to get the right consistency.  The hot dip is as spicy as the cheese dip isn't.  Served up with tortilla rounds; you'll also find Pancho's cheese dip sold in original and white versions in some grocery stores.
3600 East Broadway * West Memphis * (870) 735-6466 * panchoscheesedip.com


Papa Joe's.  A good hearty yellow dip that goes very well with the burgers served at this Humnoke secret.
12295 Highway 165 * Humnoke * (870) 275-8001


Patron.  There are several restaurants around the state with the Patron name, but my favorite is on Towson in Fort Smith.  Cheese dip is good but the three salsas served with complimentary chips are even better.  Mix and match.
4416 Towson Avenue * Fort Smith * (479) 648-1130

Purple Cow.  Yes, Purple Cow has cheese dip.  What, you didn't know?
purplecowlr.com
8026 Cantrell Road * Little Rock * (501) 221-3555

11602 Chenal Parkway * Little Rock * (501) 224-4433

Villages at Hendrix - 1055 Steel Blvd. * Conway * (501) 205-4211

1490 Higdon Ferry Road * Hot Springs * (501) 625-7999


Riviera Maya.  Impossibly smooth white dip that goes well on EVERYTHING at the restaurant... fajitas, guacamole, even the sopapillas.  You think I'm kidding?
rivieramayaarkansas.com
801 Fair Park * Little Rock * (501) 663-4800

1217 Ferguson Drive Suite 1 * Benton * (501) 776-4140


Rodney's Handlebar and Grill.  If it's at a motorcycle enthusiast hangout, it has to be good, right?  This dip is three cheeses melded together with sausage.
9110 Interstate 30 * Little Rock * (501) 562-1144 * Website

Rolando's queso fundido makes marvelous strings.

Rolando’s.  The Queso Flamado at Rolando’s is not only thick and hot, it’s on fire.  As in, it's served flaming.  With or without chorizo, this Monterey Jack cheese confection has amazing pull -- not just for its fabulous flavor but for the lengths you can pull the stringy cheese.
rolandosrestaurante.com
210 Central Avenue * Hot Springs * (501) 318-6054

223 Garrison Avenue (Fort Smith), (479) 573-0404

509 W Spring Street (Fayetteville), (479) 251-1650


Santo Coyote.  Thin but packed with flavor, Santo Coyote’s light cheese dip matches its light and crispy housemade tortilla chips.  And you can get your dip full of stuff, like the El Santo Dip that's full of shrimp, chicken and beef chunks.  You'll need a fork with that. They also have about 100 tequilas on board.
11610 Pleasant Ridge #110 * Little Rock * (501) 225-1300  
2513 McCain Blvd. * North Little Rock * (501) 753-9800.

Senor Tequila.  This cloying, almost sticky queso likes to grab your chip.  With excellent cling, it’s the perfect pungent dip for mixing with the restaurant’s lightly spicy cilantro-heavy salsa.  Also good on the enchiladas.  Multiple locations.
senor-tequila.com

Smokehouse BBQ's dip includes pulled smoked pork.

Smokehouse BBQ.  Newport's own serves thick yellow cheese dip with smoked pork in it.  Great on the Lackey's Tamales.
601 Malcolm * Newport * (870) 217-0228

There's a lot of great spices in Sparky's Queso Rojo.

Sparky’s Roadhouse Café.  You can’t really call Sparky’s dip a yellow dip -- it’s actually Queso Rojo, a blend of cheese and spices so concentrated it actually appears an orangish-red, even redder the longer it sits.  Sweet, salty, cheesy, complicated, it’s just about my favorite cheese dip in the state.
147 E. Van Buren * Eureka Springs * (479) 253-6001 * sparkysroadhouse.com

Stick with classic Stoby's yellow dip.

Stoby’s.  The restaurant’s eponymous yellow cheese dip is a smooth, creamy blend of cheeses that’s almost sissy mild but also heavily addictive.  It's so dang famous, American Idol star Kris Allen did a big call-out on it on that show -- and got free cheese dip for life.  The newer white dip is spicier, with a long-growing heat from jalapenos under its smooth deceptive surface.  Served on big round yellow tortilla chips.
stobys.com
805 Donaghey * Conway * (501) 327-5447  

405 West Parkway * Russellville * (479) 968-3816  

Taco Mama. This excellent made-from-scratch white sauce cheese dip is heavy on the mozzarella and slyly hints at cilantro, cumin and chipotle peppers.
1209 Malvern Avenue * Hot Springs * (501) 624-6262 * tacomama.net

Taco Pronto.  The cheese dip, a thick yellow goo, hasn't changed since this restaurant has opened in the 1960s.
4350 Central Avenue * Hot Springs * (501) 525-7309
 

Cover your taco burger with cheese dip at Taco Rio.

Taco Rio.  Great yellow dip, better on a taco burger.  I'm not joking.
1713 Paragound Plaza * Paragould * (870) 236-8307 * Facebook  

Taco Villa.  This smooth yellow cheese dip has a strong garlic flavor; thick tortilla chips are always on hand for dipping.  Also good on the apple sticks, strangely enough.
420 East 4th Street * Russellville * (479) 968-1191  

Tarasco's  The former food truck eatery is now in a shop on Front Street, and serving up silky white cheese dip.
217 North Front Street * Dardanelle * (479) 477-3108 * Facebook

 

Taylor's Steakhouse.  The dry-aged steaks are new, but folks have been coming to Taylor's Grocery, the establishment this restaurant was born from, for decades.
14201 Highway 54 * Dumas * (870) 382-5349 * Facebook
 

Terri-Lynn's.  Yellow, smooth, best served with chili over tamales.
10102 North Rodney Parham * Little Rock * (501) 227-6371 * terrilynns.com

Fries are served with cheese dip at Tidwell's Dairy Bar.

Tidwell's Dairy Bar.  Smooth and yellow, this dip was SPECIFICALLY meant for dipping French fries.
511 Front Street SW * Lonoke * (501) 686-2812 
 

Trio's Restaurant.  Capi Peck's amazing goat and Jack cheese queso fundido with honey drizzle is only on the Sunday brunch menu, but it is SO worth it.  Trio's also offers a Cowboy Cheese Dip on its catering menu.
8201 Cantrell Road * Little Rock * (501) 221-3330 * triosrestaurant.com
 

Judy's White at U.S. Pizza Co.

U.S. Pizza Company.  Judy’s White Cheese Dip isn’t just great on the thick tortilla chips that regularly accompany the bowl.  It’s also popular with some customers served over salad instead of dressing.  Creamy, mild and inoffensive -- it's a great white dip .  Multiple locations.  Check for them all on the website.

West End Smokehouse.  This bar's Chili con Queso really is what it sounds like -- cheese dip blended with black bean chili.  Pretty good!
215 North Shackleford * Little Rock * (501) 224-7665 * westendsmokehouse.net


Hungry?  Want to make your own?  Check out these great cheese dip recipes from fellow Arkansas bloggers:

Creamy Sausage Cheese Dip from Razorback Britt

Texas Best Cheese Dip from Burlap & Beestings

Skinny Spinach Dip from Enticing Healthy Eating

Queso Blanco Dip from Sugar Spice and Spilled Milk

And here's a photo of my cat eating cheese dip.