8 Arkansas Fall Day Trips That End With Pie, Soup, Or A Really Good Dinner

Arkansas has an official state pie, and its crust is made from meringue, crackers, and pecans. Then it gets piled with whipped cream and pineapple.

I love that a whole state agreed on something that sounds like a dessert dare.

That pie is only one reason to gas up the car this fall. I’d say the best Arkansas drives end at a table, not a gift shop.

Some of these stops sit on mountaintops above wide river valleys. One has been selling goods since 1890, and another serves pasta in an old Victorian house.

I like how a good autumn road trip lets the leaves do the warm-up act. The food gets the standing ovation.

So pick a route, pack a jacket, and save room. Which one are you driving to first?

1. Oark General Store

Grocery shopping has been happening at this spot since 1890, which makes it the oldest continuously operating store in Arkansas. These days, the shelves share space with a grill and a pie case.

Getting here is half the fun. The store sits deep in the Ozark National Forest off State Highway 215, and fall turns those winding backroads into a slow, colorful parade.

Inside, the original wood floors, walls, and ceiling are still in place. The building was added to the Arkansas Register of Historic Places in 1995, and it looks the part.

Hungry? The Oark Burger is the house signature, and hand-cut fries ride along beside it.

Chicken fried steak is another popular plate if you came for something heavier.

Now for the real reason you drove this far. The homemade pie lineup can include apple crumble, chocolate, Oreo, pecan, coconut cream, blueberry, and buttermilk.

Plan your timing with care, because this is a daytime stop. It opens at 8 AM and closes at 4 PM, and it stays closed on Tuesdays.

Weekends bring the biggest crowds, especially Saturday and Sunday mornings into the afternoon. A weekday visit usually feels quieter and gives you more elbow room near the fireplace.

Bringing your dog? Pups are welcome in the outdoor dining pavilion, so nobody has to wait in the car.

There’s also a gift shop for anyone who wants a souvenir besides a full stomach.

Address: 117 Co Rd 5241, Oark, AR 72852

2. Cliff House Inn

Few lunch tables come with a canyon attached. This one perches on Scenic Highway 7, about six miles south of Jasper, looking straight out over the view nicknamed the Arkansas Grand Canyon.

Highway 7 is one of the most famous fall color drives in the state. That makes the inn a natural finish line once the ridges start turning red and gold.

The dining room has big windows, but the large deck is where the overlook really shows off. Grab a few minutes out there before or after you eat.

Here’s the dessert you need to know about. The Company’s Comin’ Pie is recognized as the state pie of Arkansas, with a pecan and cracker meringue crust under whipped cream and pineapple.

Homemade cobblers show up too, if you lean more fruity than fluffy. Nobody will judge you for ordering one of each.

For the main event, the menu leans on home cooking. Fried catfish, chicken fried steak, burgers, and po’boys all appear, and biscuits and gravy cover the breakfast crowd on Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday.

Hours are short, so check the clock before you leave home. It’s closed Monday and Tuesday, open mornings into early afternoon Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday, and open until 6:30 PM on Friday and Saturday.

Those Friday and Saturday hours are your shot at an early dinner with the sun dropping over the canyon. Reservations aren’t taken, so arrive with a little patience.

Address: 6177 AR 7, Jasper, AR 72641

3. Charlotte’s

Meringue this tall should probably need a permit. The coconut cream pie here was named the best anywhere by Southern Living back in 2011, and it still draws people from far outside town.

Keo is a tiny Delta village in Lonoke County, southeast of Little Rock. The drive takes you through flat farm country, which feels wide open once harvest season rolls around.

The restaurant opened in 1993 inside a historic building on Main Street. It once served as a pharmacy, and an old soda fountain is still part of the room.

You came for pie, and the choices are serious. Coconut, chocolate, caramel, and lemon are frequent picks, while pecan, cherry, and lemon icebox show up some days.

Lunch deserves attention too, so don’t skip straight to dessert. The Keo Klassic is a turkey sandwich with tomato, onion, avocado, and cheese, dipped in a Parmesan garlic cream sauce and grilled, and burgers fill out the menu.

Weekday specials lean hearty. Chicken spaghetti, beef stew, and chicken and dumplings are the kind of dishes that make a chilly fall day feel friendlier.

Timing matters a lot here. Charlotte’s serves lunch Tuesday through Saturday from 11 AM to 2 PM, and that’s it.

Good news for planners, though. The restaurant accepts reservations, which helps if you’re bringing a group.

Pie to go is also a smart move for the ride home.

Address: 290 Main St, Keo, AR 72083

4. Mather Lodge Restaurant

Workers from the Civilian Conservation Corps stacked the stone and logs for this lodge back in the 1930s. Today it’s on the National Register of Historic Places, and it still feeds hungry travelers.

The lodge sits inside Petit Jean State Park, one of central Arkansas’s favorite leaf-peeping spots. The climb up the mountain is a scenic warm-up before the meal.

Once you’re seated, look up and out. Eight-foot-tall glass walls frame Cedar Creek Canyon and the Arkansas River Valley, so the scenery basically joins you for dinner.

Start with hot water cornbread served with honey butter. It’s a simple Southern side that tastes like a reward for driving uphill.

Fried catfish is one of the restaurant’s best-known dishes. Chicken fried steak, hot roast beef, ribeyes, and burgers also make the menu, so picky eaters have options.

Fair warning about the chicken fried steak. It’s hand-breaded and big enough that you may be packing half of it up for tomorrow.

Save space for the pecan pie, which is one of the house favorites. Fried cheesecake also shows up on the dessert side if you want something a bit wild.

The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but hours shift with the seasons. Check before you go, and know that Saturday afternoon into evening is usually the busiest stretch.

Address: Mather Lodge, 1069 Petit Jean Mountain Rd, Morrilton, AR 72110

5. The Skycrest Restaurant

Dinner at 2,753 feet sounds fancy, but here it just means soup with a serious view. This restaurant sits inside The Lodge at Mount Magazine State Park, on top of the highest mountain in Arkansas.

The name has a story behind it. Skycrest honors the first hotel that once stood at the summit of Mount Magazine.

Floor-to-ceiling windows and a high timbered ceiling give the room a lofty feel. On clear days, you can see the Petit Jean River Valley and Blue Mountain Lake far below.

Weather matters up here, so check the forecast. Clouds can roll in and hide the valley, but a fireplace helps make a foggy afternoon feel like a plan.

Soup lovers, this is your stop. The buffet has featured beef veggie stew alongside mashed potatoes, rolls, pulled pork, and sautéed vegetables.

Prefer to order off the menu? Chicken fried steak is a highlight, and there are steaks, burgers, sandwiches, salads, and homemade desserts too.

A salad bar is part of the lineup if you want something lighter after the big drive. Morning visitors can grab pancakes before hitting the trails.

The kitchen keeps long hours, from 7 AM to 9 PM daily. That gives you time to watch the sun drop over the valley and still order dessert.

Address: 577 Lodge Dr, Paris, AR 72855

6. Queen Wilhelmina Restaurant

Royalty has nothing on a bowl of peach cobbler with ice cream on a mountain ridge. This restaurant sits inside the Queen Wilhelmina Inn on Rich Mountain, outside the Ouachita town of Mena.

Your route here is a big part of the payoff. Queen Wilhelmina State Park sits along the 54-mile Talimena National Scenic Byway, one of the top fall color drives in the region.

Plan to stop at a few overlooks on the way up. The byway is built for slow driving, and October hills make that easy to do.

When you finally sit down, the windows keep the show going. The dining room looks out over the mountains, so dinner comes with scenery that changes as the light fades.

The menu leans into home-style cooking. A Reuben sandwich is a popular lunch order, while sirloin and ribeye steaks bring some weight to dinner.

Dessert is where many people make their final decision about the trip. Peach cobbler a la mode is the move if you want a sweet ending that fits the season.

The pace tends to be calm and quiet, especially in the evening. It’s a nice choice for a low-key dinner after hours of curvy roads.

Hours run from 7 AM to 9 PM daily from March through November, with shorter winter hours. Dogs can join you outside, which is handy if your road trip crew has four legs.

Address: Queen Wilhelmina Inn, Mena, AR 71953

7. The Skillet

Your dinner might come with a side of deer sightings. Tall windows at this restaurant look out on the woods, where wildlife sometimes wanders by while you eat.

The Skillet sits inside the Ozark Folk Center State Park in Mountain View. The town is known for folk music and craft traditions, which makes it a fun fall outing before you even reach the table.

Spend the afternoon at the park, then head straight to dinner. It’s an easy way to turn a scenic drive into a full day.

Food here leans hearty and Southern. Depending on when you show up, there may be a breakfast buffet or a fried chicken buffet waiting.

Soup is part of the deal too, along with a salad bar. That combo is perfect when a chilly fall day makes you crave something hot in a bowl.

Southern sides and entrees fill out the spread. Several dessert options give you one more reason to loosen your belt a notch.

Take a look at the walls while you’re there. Local art adds to the Ozark feel and gives you something to admire between bites.

Hours take some planning. The restaurant closes Mondays, serves until 2 PM Tuesday through Thursday and Sunday, and stays open until 9 PM on Friday and Saturday.

Address: 1032 Park Ave, Mountain View, AR 72560

8. Ermilio’s Italian Home Cooking

Pasta in a Victorian house on a hillside street sounds like a storybook dinner. In Eureka Springs, it’s just a regular evening at Ermilio’s.

The town itself is a fall favorite. Steep, winding lanes and preserved 19th-century buildings make for great walking before your stomach starts making demands.

Ermilio’s serves its Italian home cooking inside a converted residence. That old-house feel is part of the charm, and it makes the meal feel more like a visit than a reservation.

Speaking of reservations, they don’t take them. There’s usually a wait, so arrive early or bring someone fun to stand around with.

The menu centers on hearty plates of pasta. Chicken parmesan with a side of spaghetti is a standout, and spinach fettuccine with olive oil and garlic is a nice change of pace.

Want something beyond noodles? The bone-in pork chop has fans, and the caprese salad is a solid vegetarian pick.

Don’t overlook the small touches. The Caesar dressing is homemade, and roasted garlic cloves show up for anyone who likes bold flavor.

This is strictly a dinner stop, generally open from 4 PM to 8 PM daily, with holiday and occasional seasonal closures. Spend the day exploring the twisty streets, then end it with a plate big enough to justify the drive.

Address: 26 White St, Eureka Springs, AR 72632