Favorite Hot Springs Dining Spots Chosen in Record Voting In Feast Month Visitors’ Choice Awards
HOT SPRINGS NATIONAL PARK, Arkansas — A record number of responses during Hot Springs’ Feast Month voting resulted in a new list of Visitors’ Choice Awards sponsored by Visit Hot Springs.
“We had a total of 2,274 responses,” VHS Marketing Director Bill Solleder said Thursday. “That’s 899 more responses than last year’s voting. A total of 152 dining establishments received votes this year.”
“Most of last year's winners held on to their Visitors Choice titles,” he said.”
VHS sponsors Feast Month each November as a way to showcase the amazing variety of dining experiences that Hot Springs’ restaurants, cafés, cafeterias, food trucks and other establishments offer for visitors and residents alike.
People vote for their favorite dining spots in a variety of categories that includes choices such as Best Barbecue, Best Burger, Best Food Truck and others.
“The competition — always pretty friendly — gets really heated among the various contenders,” Solleder said. “The end result is that our city’s fantastic variety of dining experiences gets the publicity it deserves.
Solleder said the tightest races this year were among the barbecue, pizza and sweets establishments.
“For instance, Smokin' in Style BBQ topped McClard’s in a tight race,” he said.
The Top Three winners in each category were:
Best BBQ
1. Smokin in Style BBQ - 34.28% of votes
2. McClard's BBQ (2021 winner)
3. Stubby's BBQ
*6 TOTAL NOMINEES
Best Burger
1. Ohio Club (2021 winner) - 21.15% of votes
2. Sam's Pizza Pub
3. Superior Bathhouse Brewery
*17 TOTAL NOMINEE
Best Pizza
1. SQZBX (2021 winner) - 21.79% of votes
2. Rocky's Corner
3. Deluca's
*13 TOTAL NOMINEES
Best Tacos
1. Capo's Tacos (2021 winner) - 20.66% of votes
2. Taco Mama
3. Diablo's Tacos & Mezcal
*23 TOTAL NOMINEES
Best Steak
1. 501 Prime (2021 winner) - 27.69% of votes
2. Texas Roadhouse
3. Back Porch Grill
*16 TOTAL NOMINEES
Best Southern-Style Food
1. Mama Vee's Southern Homestyle Cuisine (2021 winner) - 27.56% of votes
2. Phil's Family Restaurant
3. Best Cafe and Bar
*10 TOTAL NOMINEES
Best Vegetarian
1. Cafe 1217 (2021 winner) - 28.58% of votes
2. The Pho House
3. Taco Mama
*12 TOTAL NOMINEES
Best Sweets
1. Fat Bottomed Girl's Cupcakes (2021 winner) - 19.65% of votes
2. Ambrosia Bakery
3. Will's Cinnamon Shop
* 20 TOTAL NOMINEES
Best Breakfast
1. The Pancake Shop (2021 winner) - 39.70% of votes
2. Best Cafe and Bar
3. English Muffin
*18 TOTAL NOMINEES
Best Asian Cuisine
1. The Pho House (2021 winner) - 33.09% of votes
2. Osaka Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar
3. Wok Express
*8 TOTAL NOMINEES
Best Italian Cuisine
1. Via Roma Italian Restaurant (2021 winner) - 33.79% of votes
2. J&S Italian Villa
3. Mama's Little Italy
*8 TOTAL NOMINEES
Best Food Truck
1. Rock N Roll Hibachi (2021 winner) - 36.13% of votes
2. Morrison's Fried Pies
3. Mama Vee's Southern Homestyle Cuisine
*11 TOTAL NOMINEES
Dona Petty, owner of the Ohio Club, said, "We all at the Ohio Club feel honored that the people have chosen us for Best Burger. We are grateful for this award. Thank you to everyone who voted."
Cheryl Roorda of SQZBX Brewery and Pizza Joint, said, "It has been a heck of a roller coaster, but as we approach our five-year anniversary, we are honored to still be Hot Springs' go-to pizza."-
Mackenzie Simon, owner of Fat Bottomed Girls Cupcake Shoppe, said, "It's the sweetest feeling the world lovin' on our Hot Springs. Thank y'all for helping us bake the world a better place.”
For more information call Bill Solleder at 501-231-2817.