Foodie News: South on Main Closes, The Bagel Shop Opens & More

It’s been a wild few weeks of celebrations and local restaurant updates, so if you’re just coming out of the holiday haze, here’s a rundown of the latest foodie news along with some of the headlines you may have missed. 

Coming Soon:

The Bagel Shop // The wildly popular pop-up just announced it’s opening a brick-and-mortar location at 1501 S. Main St. beside Pink Olive. The Bagel Shop has consistently sold out at markets and events around the city since launching in July 2022, and the restaurant will continue to serve its hit lineup of scratch-made bagels, spreads and sandwiches, plus more extensive offerings of soups, pastries, specialty foods and daily specials. Owners plan to open in SoMa this summer, serving breakfast and lunch Thursday through Monday, from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., with hopes of eventually opening six days a week.

thebagel.shop | Instagram | Click here for the backstory. 

 

Big Bad Breakfast // Another summer 2022 launch that quickly became a favorite, this perfectly-named restaurant is opening a second location downtown in the former Soul Fish space at 306 Main St. The restaurant is known for its menu packed with Southern classics, and is set to open this spring in late April or early May.

bigbadbreakfast.com | Facebook | Instagram 

 

Mt. Fuji // Amid all the changes coming to Breckenridge Village, locals continued to wonder about the fate of this beloved Japanese restaurant. As it turns out, it will be moving, but not far. Mt. Fuji will stay in the development, but will move into the former Greenhaw’s Men’s Wear shop. The two-story, 3600-sq. ft. space will include a 20-seat full-service bar, a 13-person sushi bar, a private dining room and, of course, the iconic blue tiles from the existing restaurant

mtfujirestaurantlr.net | Facebook | Instagram | Click here for the backstory.

 

Wright’s Barbecue // After teasing fans last summer, we finally have some concrete details on the famed NWA-based, Texas-style barbecue joint’s plans. The LR restaurant will be housed in the warehouse at 1311 Rebsamen Park Road in Riverdale that was recently home to Yellow Rocket Concepts, with plans to open by this summer.

wrightsbbq.comFacebook | Twitter | Instagram

 

Copper Mule Table & Tap // The Heights is getting a dose of Cajun spice. The popular Bryant restaurant known for its craft cocktails and Southern and Creole dishes is opening a new location on Kavanaugh this year, though it has yet to announce a timeline or specific location. 

Facebook | Instagram

 

Recent Closings:

South on Main // Once the star of the Little Rock food scene, this SoMa icon shuttered its doors last week. The Arkansas Times confirmed the sale of the restaurant by owners Don Dugan and Tasha Stratton, who purchased South on Main in early 2020 from Matt Bell. The duo still own Dugan’s Pub, Stratton’s Market and Dizzy’s Gypsy Bistro.

Also recently closed are The Library Kitchen & Lounge in the River Market, the short-lived Your Best Friend’s Kitchen in Chenal and, yes, Little Rock’s last TCBY.

 

Recent-ish Openings: 

ICYMI in all the year-end craziness, be sure to check out the new Blackberry Market in Argenta, food truck Tamalcalli’s new brick-and-mortar restaurant at 308 Main St. and Count Porkula‘s latest location in midtown.

More good news: 4 Things We’re Looking Forward to in 2023

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