People are passionate about two things in Arkansas, the 'Hogs' and food. Winners have been announced for the 2019 class of the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame, including food-themed events, restaurants, and proprietors from across the state.

The Arkansas Food Hall of Fame was launched by the Department of Arkansas Heritage in 2016 to recognize Arkansas’s iconic restaurants, proprietors and food-themed events. Nominations were accepted from the public in five categories: Food Hall of Fame, Proprietor of the Year, Food-Themed Event, Gone But Not Forgotten and People’s Choice.

The Arkansas Food Hall of Fame Committee chose the finalists in each category and the winners were announced at a reception and induction ceremony at Ron Robinson Theater in Little Rock on February 25.

So the next time you're traveling through the Natural State you may want to stop in at some of the following restaurants and events, well worth the drive from Texarkana.

Winners are as follows:

 Arkansas Food Hall of Fame

The Craig Brothers Cafe of DeValls Bluff (Prairie County)

Burge’s Hickory Smoked Turkeys and Hams of Little Rock and Lewisville (Pulaski County and Lafayette County)

Keeney’s Food Market of Malvern (Hot Spring County)

 Proprietor of the Year

Loretta Tacker of Marion (Crittenden County)

Food-Themed Events

Hope Watermelon Festival (Hempstead County)

Gone But Not Forgotten

Klappenbach Bakery of Fordyce (Dallas County)

People’s Choice

Honey Pies Gourmet Bakery and Cafe of Little Rock (Pulaski County)

Nearly 650 nominations were received for the third class of the Arkansas Food Hall of Fame.

About the Department of Arkansas Heritage

The mission of the Department of Arkansas Heritage is to identify Arkansas’s heritage and enhance the quality of life for residents and visitors by the discovery, preservation and presentation of the state’s natural, cultural and historic resources. This is accomplished through the work of its eight divisions: Arkansas Arts Council, Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, Arkansas State Archives, Delta Cultural Center, Historic Arkansas Museum, Mosaic Templars Cultural Center and Old State House Museum.