These Arkansas Snack Joints From The Past Deserve A Major Comeback
Arkansas is home to some seriously unforgettable snacks, and there are a few that have been cherished for generations. Think about those treats that have a special place in our hearts, like fried pies, frozen custards, and cheesy fries.
It’s time these iconic snacks made a major comeback. These classics bring back memories of good times and great flavor, from comforting diner bites to sweet frozen treats.
If you’re in the mood for a burger or a scoop of something delicious, these local favorites are definitely worth rediscovering. Let’s bring back the snacks that made Arkansas famous and give them the spotlight they deserve!
1. Morrison’s Fried Pies, Hot Springs
I stumbled into Morrison’s Fried Pies on a sun-bright afternoon, chasing the kind of sweetness that shuts down small talk.
The shop sits along 1333 Albert Pike Rd, Hot Springs, AR 71913, and the smell hit first, a fried hush of butter and fruit. The counter looked like a quilt of pies, each pocket puffed like it kept a childhood secret.
I went cherry to start, because tart always tells the truth. The crust crackled like leaves under sneakers, and the filling slid warm across the tongue, not too sweet, like it remembered restraint.
A peach pie followed, then chocolate, then the polite pause where you pretend you are done.
Locals swapped recommendations over napkins, and someone whispered that the apple was nonnegotiable. It tasted like orchard air and diner jukeboxes, handheld comfort you could pocket for hard days.
If you crave portable nostalgia with a crisp edge, this is a comeback worth cheering.
2. Loblolly Creamery – SoMa, Little Rock
Loblolly Creamery felt like a mixtape for your sweet tooth, curated and cool.
It anchors SoMa at 1423 Main St, Little Rock, AR 72202, where murals grin and sidewalks invite lingering. Inside, the chalkboard menu spun like a carousel of daydreams.
I tasted buttermilk, toasted marshmallow, and something floral that made time slow down. The scoops carried a clean, cream-first profile, letting flavors bloom instead of shout.
A waffle cone arrived warm as a handshake, crisp at the edges, butter tracing its scent like a promise.
Kids sticky with delight traded favorites while I weighed a float versus a sundae and lost happily to both. Loblolly conjures a future classic vibe, the kind you will recall precisely years from now.
If Arkansas snacks get a revival tour, this place deserves the headliner slot.
3. Shake’s Frozen Custard, Little Rock
Shake’s Frozen Custard felt like flipping to the best chapter first.
Find it at 12011 Westhaven Dr, Little Rock, AR 72211, where the line moves fast and the cravings move faster. The custard pours with that unmistakable satin sheen, a spoon-glide that hushes chatter.
I ordered a concrete thick enough to test loyalty, studded with chocolate and toasted pecans. The vanilla base stayed elegant, not loud, letting toppings do their fireworks.
A hot fudge sundae followed, and the fudge clung in velvet ribbons, making every bite feel like a small celebration.
Neighbors waved from car windows, and the staff joked like they had known me since homeroom. Shake’s is a keeper of simple truths: cold, creamy, steady.
When the comeback conversation starts, put this custard near the microphone and watch nostalgia nod.
4. The Original ScoopDog, North Little Rock
The Original ScoopDog pulled me in with neon and sincerity.
It sits at 5508 John F Kennedy Blvd, North Little Rock, AR 72116, a corner that knows how to feed a mood. The menu promised saucy nostalgia, but the custard did the convincing.
I started with vanilla custard, then added peanut butter and crushed cookies until gravity negotiated. The texture landed between silk and memory, rich without being heavy-handed.
A chili dog winked at me from the tray, and the combo worked like a Saturday matinee for the mouth.
Families claimed picnic tables and traded bites like currency. ScoopDog understands rhythm, pacing you from savory to sweet with no awkward pause.
If old-school joy needs a spokesman, this window and its golden swirl can make the case.
5. Kilwins, Little Rock
Kilwins greeted me with the audible snap of fresh waffle cones.
You will find it at 415 President Clinton Ave, Little Rock, AR 72201, right where River Market energy hums. The air curled with caramel and cocoa, a sweet-weather forecast you could trust.
I watched fudge paddled on the marble like choreography, then tasted sea-salt caramel that sang backup. The ice cream leaned classic, the chocolate leaned confidence, and together they shrugged off pretense.
A praline pecan bite sent me into a quiet, grateful place.
Tourists drifted in for souvenirs, locals for comfort, and everyone left with a gleam. Kilwins is a grandparent story told in scoops and squares, patient and proud.
When Arkansas snacks return to the stage, this is the glossy encore you expect.
6. The Purple Cow Restaurant, Hot Springs
The Purple Cow in Hot Springs doubled as a time capsule and an inside joke.
It lounges at 1490 Higdon Ferry Rd, Hot Springs, AR 71913, where purple shakes are not a gimmick, they are a ceremony. The diner glow made every booth feel like a booth from a movie.
I ordered the signature purple vanilla milkshake and watched the straw stand at attention. Creamy, cold, and whimsically tinted, it tasted like a dare you win by sipping.
Fries on the side gave balance, because salty friends make sweet stories sing.
Families swapped tall tales while the staff kept the rhythm snappy and kind. The Purple Cow is proof that playful can also be precise.
If snack nostalgia were a color, this place would sketch it in lavender and laughter.
7. Stoby’s Restaurant, Russellville
Stoby’s in Russellville felt like a friend who remembers your birthday.
It anchors 405 W Parkway Dr, Russellville, AR 72801, where train decor meets small-town heartbeat. I came for legendary cheese dip and stayed for the way it erased hurry.
The dip arrived warm and confident, silky enough to coat chips without drowning them. Sandwiches followed, each layered with the tidy pride of a good kitchen.
A cinnamon roll drifted by on another tray and I immediately amended plans.
Conversation stitched the room together, strangers nodding over shared favorites. Stoby’s keeps the snack spirit alive with comfort that travels well in memory.
If Arkansas classics are lining up for an encore, this is the track that opens the show.
8. Gadwall’s Grill, North Little Rock
Gadwall’s Grill has that basketball-net-on-the-garage-door charm.
You will find it at 7311 N Hills Blvd #14, North Little Rock, AR 72116, humming with regulars who know exactly where to sit. The menu reads like a cheat sheet for cravings.
I went straight for a patty melt with a side of crisp fries, edges browned into glory. Then came pie, flaky and persuasive, like a well-timed joke.
The milkshake sealed the deal, cool and steady, the kind of simple that survives every trend.
Servers remembered names, orders, and stories, and suddenly I wanted to be a regular too. Gadwall’s is proof that snacks thrive where community does.
If the comeback needs a living room, this booth has the lamp on.
9. Mr Brews Taphouse, Little Rock
Mr Brews Taphouse surprised me by leaning hard into burger-and-shake excellence.
It sits at 6000 W Markham St, Ste 2030, Little Rock, AR 72205, where the neighborhood pace slows for good bites. The menu goes playful with toppings, but the foundations stay tight.
I tried a smash-style burger that crackled with a salty edge, plus fries dusted with house seasoning. A classic vanilla shake arrived with the right heft, cool and loyal, perfect between bites.
Dessert felt built into the sequence rather than an afterthought.
Friends compared fry dips like scientists, and the room buzzed with weeknight relief. Mr Brews might not be a candy shop, but it speaks fluent snack.
For a comeback list, this is the savory wingman that lets sweets shine brighter.
10. Scoops Homemade Ice Cream, Hot Springs
Scoops Homemade Ice Cream felt like a handwritten letter from summer.
Find it at 4043 Central Ave, Hot Springs, AR 71913, a sweet stop along one of the city’s most traveled corridors. The case glittered with colors that promised more than they bragged.
I sampled butter pecan that tasted like front-porch shade, then blueberry cheesecake with cheerful swirls. The waffle cone had quiet authority, crisp and fragrant.
A banana split appeared like a parade float, and I went happily, spoon-first.
Couples shared bites, tourists mapped their next stops, and everyone slowed to the same tempo. Scoops does honesty in sugar form, the kind you remember by mouthfeel.
When Arkansas classics raise their banner, this parlor will be stitching the flag.
11. Andy’s Frozen Custard, Little Rock
Andy’s Frozen Custard hits like a reliable chorus you cannot skip.
It parks at 6725 John F Kennedy Blvd, North Little Rock, AR 72116, glowing like a beacon for night cravings. The menu is a hymn book of concretes, sundaes, and seasonal stunners.
I went for the BootDaddy-style combo of chocolate, Oreos, and hot fudge, thick enough to defy logic. The custard itself is the star, polished and dense, never icy.
Each spoonful felt like a tiny drumroll for the next.
Andy’s Frozen Custard is known for making its custard fresh throughout the day, using a higher egg yolk content than traditional ice cream, which gives it that signature richness. Although it’s part of a Missouri-based chain, this location has become a familiar stop for North Little Rock locals looking for a dependable dessert fix.
The walk-up service keeps things simple, and the seasonal specials give regulars a reason to keep checking the menu. Cars stacked in friendly patience and the crew moved with efficient, easygoing rhythm.
Andy’s is the comeback that never actually left. If nostalgia had a drive-thru, this window would keep the lights warm year-round.
12. Salem Dairy Bar, Benton
Salem Dairy Bar is the kind of stop that turns a detour into a ritual. It anchors 6406 Congo Rd, Benton, AR 72019, a classic roadside drive-in that feels stitched into local routine.
The menu board might be humble, but the cones carry confidence.
I ordered a twist piled tall enough to cast shade, its ribbons smooth and sweet without fuss. A corn dog joined the party, and suddenly the afternoon made sense.
The picnic tables hosted stories about ball games, gardens, and payday plans, the kind of conversations that seem to happen naturally when ice cream is involved.
Salem Dairy Bar is known for straightforward drive-in staples like burgers, fries, shakes, and soft-serve cones, and it typically operates seasonally during the warmer months. That limited window only sharpens the craving, turning a simple stop into something people look forward to all year.
Families, students, and road-trippers pass through, drawn by fair prices and familiar flavors that never try to be anything they are not.
Every visit becomes a postcard, creased but beloved. Salem Dairy Bar reminds you that joy can be handheld and affordable.
If Arkansas snacks are coming back, this is the roadside chorus you will hum later.
13. Le Pops, Little Rock
Le Pops is summer on a stick with a passport stamp.
You can find it at 5501 Kavanaugh Blvd, Ste J, Little Rock, AR 72207, where locals and visitors flock for artisan ice pops and cream pops made in small batches. The focus here is on quality ingredients and fun flavor combinations, with options ranging from fruity ice lollies to richer cream-based pops.
Many of the pops are made with natural, fresh ingredients, and some flavors change seasonally, so there’s often something new to try.
People appreciate how Le Pops offers a simple, refreshing twist on frozen treats. It’s ideal for cooling down on a warm Arkansas afternoon or ending a meal on a sweet note.
The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly, and the pops are easy to enjoy while walking around the Heights neighborhood. Because of its handcrafted approach and creative flavors, Le Pops has become a favorite for anyone who loves frozen desserts with personality.
If you’re craving a bright, flavorful treat with local flair, this spot is worth a stop.