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NEWS REPORT Owners declare ‘Year of the Bagel’ while announcing new full service restaurant By: The Little Rock Foodie | Jan 3, 2023 Picture Courtesy of The Bagel Shop Many people have dreamed for a permanent home for The Bagel Shop, and today those dreams came true.  The Bagel Shop released a highly anticipated press release today letting Little Rock know that 1501 S. Main St. in SoMa will house the full restaurant.  Since arriving on the scene just a few months ago, crowds of people searched out the pop up locations to get their hands on these premium bagels.  Little Rock finally can claim to have a full service bagel shop and deli, and it can’t come soon enough. READ MORE: The Definitive Little Rock Baked Goods Guide The owners Myles Roberson and Trevor Papsadora truly burst onto the scene with an amazing selection of bagels and specialty cream cheeses.  In just a six short months, large amounts of pre-order bagels piled up and quick sellouts were common for this talented duo.  A weekend breakfast that includes a cacio a pepe bagel and scallion cream cheese is nothing short of magical.   The Little Rock Foodie team looks forward to trying the full breakfast and lunch menus that will be announced soon.  This will be one of the more exciting restaurant openings in Little Rock for 2023! Scroll down to read the full press release, which includes preliminary hours and background on the owners that Little Rock should be proud to call their own. After six months of operating as a pop-up shop, The Bagel Shop owners Myles Roberson & Trevor Papsadora have secured a location in SOMA to open Little Rock’s only bagel shop. Roberson and Papsadora, who was raised in Maine, moved to Roberson’s home city of Little Rock in 2020 not knowing the covid pandemic lurked around the corner. The two have worked alongside award winning chefs at world class restaurants throughout Portland, Maine.  What began in July 2022 as a farmers market pop-up bagel operation quickly grew into what The Arkansas Times dubbed a summer of ‘BAGELMANIA.’ The pop-up model plunged The Bagel Shop headlong into a tour of Little Rock neighborhoods, with bagel enthusiasts forming long lines during the heat of the summer to get their hands on fresh, from scratch bagels. After a few months, when the lines simmered down and the bagel boys found their rhythm, they began to offer not just scratch made bagels & cream cheese, but a slew of beverages, sandwich specials, and delicious pastries. A key partnership with Stones Throw Brewing allowed the burgeoning business to develop repeat customers and build a foundation of great customer relationships.  The Bagel Shop will be located at 1501 South Main Street in Little Rock Arkansas. The two hope to open in early summer and plan on serving breakfast and lunch 5 days a week, Thursday through Monday, from 8 AM until 3 PM. “Work-life balance is one of our guiding principles and we’ll strive to achieve that for ourselves and our team.” Roberson said. “That’s how we landed on being open for 5 days a week instead of the more common 6 or 7 days a week. Plus this gives us a chance to really hammer out the details of service with opportunities to adjust course where needed. As we fill out our team we’d like to open 6 days a week.” In addition to traditional deli offerings; bagels, schmears, smoked fish, sandwiches, soups, and other daily specials… The pair hopes to offer a large selection of pastries, cakes, and other fun specialty foods. “One of my strengths is that I don’t take myself too seriously. I’ve been able to have a lot of fun creating the recipes and sharing them with our customers and our followers on Instagram. I’ve been able to reach back to memories of my childhood in Maine and share some of that with the community here in Little Rock.” said Papsadora. Papsadora grew up baking Whoopie Pies, the Maine State dessert, and was missing them this fall. When advertised as the daily special, they sold out in minutes. “The intersection of nostalgia and good, modern food is what inspires me and the menus I write.” Trevor added.  Myles and Trevor are both excited to be a part of the SOMA neighborhood, with its classic Southern architecture and charm.  “We love this neighborhood, we love the businesses here, and are excited for all the growth happening on this street. We’ve dreamed of opening a restaurant for a long time and this feels like the right place at the right time!” Myles said.   The Bagel Shop currently operates out of a commissary kitchen and sells bagels for pre-order & pick-up in the parking lot of their soon-to-be bagel shop location, they also offer a range of catering services. The Bagel Shop has been in operation since July 1st of 2022. Check out their website at www.thebagel.shop for links to everything you need to know. Instagram is their main social media platform and you can find them at www.instagram.com/thebagel.shop More From The Little Rock Foodie WHERE TO EAT

NEWS REPORT Breckenridge Village officially adds one of the South’s best pizza restaurants By: The Little Rock Foodie | Dec 30th, 2022 Picture Courtesy of Deluca’s Pizza Facebook After an informal announcement in June of 2022 that Deluca’s Pizza would be opening a new location in Little Rock, we finally have confirmation.  As told by owner Anthony Valinoti, the lease papers have been signed.  Breckenridge Village shopping center will be home to the new location of this wildly popular Hot Springs restaurant. Southern Living named Deluca’s the best pizza in the South, and the pizzeria that opened in 2013 has received countless accolades since then.  The New York style pizza is nearly life-changing, along with the homemade pasta, burgers, and cannolis that will immediately be Little Rock’s best.  Owner Valinoti set out to recreate his childhood memories of great pizza, and Deluca’s delivers.  The pizzas that include Italian meats like pancetta, prosciutto, and natural pepperoni are enormously popular. After your first visit, it is easy to see why so many patrons have fallen in love.  Valinoti hails from New York City, and this recreation of a New York Pizzeria exceeds all expectations.  His passion and energy are electric, and he makes a point to visit as many tables as he can to help create a welcoming atmosphere. Little Rock residents will surely love everything this restaurant has to offer.  The Little Rock Foodie crew is already counting down the days for its opening!  The current plan for opening the new location is May/June 2023.  It will be located in the front part of the former Greenhaw’s menswear store.  The newly reimagined shopping center on Rodney Parham Rd. is adding an amazing array of restaurants and retail outlets, so check back for more updates! More From The Little Rock Foodie WHERE TO EAT

NEWS REPORT Downtown location comes six months after city’s first location opened By: The Little Rock Foodie | Dec 24th, 2022 Looking to build on the well-received opening of the first Big Bad Breakfast restaurant in Arkansas, a second location has been announced for downtown Little Rock.  The former Soul Fish café location at 308 Main Street will house the new operation led by owner Ben Brainard.  After opening the first highly anticipated location in West Little Rock in June 2022, Big Bad Breakfast has quickly established itself as one of the best breakfast restaurants in town.   The concept comes from the mind of James Beard award winning chef John Currence.  Hailing from New Orleans, Chef Currence has built a menu that captures his childhood memories of wonderful Southern breakfasts.  Big Bad Breakfast focuses on high quality ingredients in every classic breakfast item they serve.  With a small wait for a table on most days, it is easy to see that this focus on quality is a hit with diners. READ MORE:  Check out Big Bad Breakfast in 5 Weekday Brunches to Experience in Little Rock   While hopefully there are minimal delays, the new location is looking at an opening in Mid-April.  It will feature the same delicious menu items, and also the same seven days a week schedule of 7 AM to 2:30 PM. More From The Little Rock Foodie WHERE TO EAT