Eureka Springs, Arkansas is a quiet little mountain town, nestled cozily in the eons old Ozarks. The area was originally hailed as a place of miraculous health, not only by the European settlers but also by the natives that lived there centuries before. The source of Eureka’s “power” came from the natural mineral springs that flowed from the limestone mountain. Natives and settlers alike found the waters to be healing, eventually bringing more people to the area. What started as a hunting camp in the late 1800’s turned quickly into a flourishing Victorian town. The springs were each named, beautiful Victorian style homes were built, and hotels were erected. 130 years later, it seems like little has changed…
What makes Eureka Springs most unique is the people who have flocked there. As the years have passed, Eureka has become a haven to artistic and unconventional thought. She has embraced every community outwardly and inwardly. One foot inside the city limits and you can feel you are somewhere special. Downtown has antique stores aside contemporary local artists’ galleries, Christian book stores next to psychics, rainbow flags displayed proudly on Harley Davidson’s. It would be impossible to figure out how it all makes sense, but once you are in the middle of it all it somehow just does.
For me, Arkansas is home. It is where I spent much of my childhood, though not in Eureka Springs specifically. It is my sister and her family who have settled in the beauty that is Eureka. That being the case, I left it up to them to take us to the “foodie” places that Northwest Arkansas has to offer. It is an important job, too…not to mention challenging. You see, as much as I love Arkansas, you can generally break down the cuisine selection into four specific groups: BBQ, Local Diner, Gas Station, or National Chain. The further out of the cities you get, the less you see of the chains. So, truly decadent culinary options can be limited. However, Eureka Springs is an exception.
Without taking everyone on a “play by play” of our week there, let me just say that if you like good, local food…Eureka and NW Arkansas are ready to serve it up. The highlights…
The 1886 Crescent Hotel and Spa is located high atop the mountain that Eureka Springs is essentially built into. This majestic building towers over the valleys below. With a history of society, service, and ‘spooks’ there is something for everyone.
Inside her Crystal Dining room, the Crescent staff has recently started a farm to table event that runs throughout the busy season, the end of which is a special locally grown and produced brunch buffet that rivals any ever conceived. Luckily we were in town on just that weekend! The brunch is named after a local 170 year old working mill, the War Eagle Mill, which provides all the grains used to make the breads, cobblers, and pancakes. This combined with locally raised meats and produce created a buffet I felt lucky to have been able to eat.
Unfortunately, the Crystal Dining Room’s War Eagle Brunch was not available every day. As a result, almost every other morning we had breakfast at the Mud Street Cafe. Locally roasted coffee, homemade granola, and special sour cream pancakes made for a good start to any day. Down the street, the Local Flavor Cafe brings those same fresh and local foods and fresh flavors to your table consistently at every meal. My fav there is the Santa Fe Pita. Pillowy flat bread, bright green and creamy avocado, tomatoes, chicken, sour cream and handmade local salsa and cole slaw. I got so excited that I covered it in sour cream before I remembered to take the picture!
Another one of my favorite meals was eating dinner while overlooking Beaver Lake at sunset from the Horizon Restaurant. The food was good, but the scenery was incredible.
However, as with any adventure where my family is involved, the majority of our fun was not had in any restaurant. It was the nights we prepared dinner at my sister’s house that brought us the most joy. Instead of a fresh and flashy menu, we cooked food hand selected from the market. While some of us cooked, others put together jigsaw puzzles or went through family albums while smiling and laughing. Then after eating dinner we sat around the dining table and played Gin Rummy instead of pondering over a dessert menu.
It has been my experience that the level of satisfaction that any food holds relies entirely on whomever you share that meal with. While Eureka Springs certainly holds a treasure trove of culinary secrets and those things which beg to be discovered, little can can hold a flame to time spent with family. Those will always be the lingering memories I remember when I think of Eureka Springs.
drufoodie 