Plan a getaway to Wilson, Arkansas
When most people think of rural Arkansas, dining destination isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. The historic farming town of Wilson, Arkansas, is on a mission to change that.
The “small town with big ambitions” has bounced back from its springtime COVID-19 closures with dining options and events that are sure to entice Memphians to make the 45-minute road trip.
Monthly wine dinners, weekly wine tastings, a weekly farmers market, seasonal festivals and concerts are all on the town’s event calendar.
Plan a visit around lunch and an afternoon of shopping and wandering through town, or come for an evening wine event and stay at one of the town’s Airbnbs if you don’t feel like driving back home to Memphis.
Whether planning a trip with friends for lunch or a romantic evening out, there is an option for everyone.
Wilson Cafe
A visit to Wilson should include a meal at Wilson Cafe & Tavern. This historical restaurant has been renovated into a modern eatery with multiple dining spaces, each with its own unique and welcoming vibe that ties the town’s past with its future.
Chef Roberto Barth, who had lived in Wilson for almost five years working as a personal chef, took over the helm of the cafe this past spring.
The restaurant serves elevated Southern fare, featuring seasonal ingredients and creative twists on classics.
For lunch, indulge in the Fried Green Tomato BLT ($11), served with pickled fried green tomatoes, fresh heirloom red tomatoes and hickory smoked bacon, or the hand-battered Fried Chicken Sandwich ($11) with chipotle aioli. The Healthy Grain Salad ($9) is a lighter option that is packed with just as much flavor. Farro and arugula are tossed with cucumber, cherry tomatoes, radishes, toasted peanuts and a sesame ginger dressing.
The dinner menu includes fare like a Grilled Berkshire Pork Chop ($20) served with farro succotash, summer vegetables and a peach compote. Barth’s version of Shrimp and Grits ($16) with smoky bacon is served over a bed of smoked Gouda and cheddar stoneground grits. Hand-cut steaks with your choice of blue cheese, horseradish cream or Bordelaise sauce are on the menu as well. Sides, like creamed collard greens and cheddar and smoked Gouda mac and cheese, are served family style to be shared.
Wine dinners and tastings
A wine dinner in Wilson is not a stuffy affair — it’s an experience.
Wilson’s new vice president of operations, Norbert Mede, has planned over-the-top events for each dinner, each with a unique theme. Expect a multi-course meal with the perfect wine pairing for each course. The dinners happen in unique locations in and around Wilson. Mede keeps each location a secret until 48 hours prior.
The next dinner will be a farm-to-table event set in an outdoor setting. Mede and Barth are already busy planning all the details for this Sept. 19 event. Wine dinners are also planned for Oct. 2, Nov. 14 and Dec. 12. Wine dinners are $150 per person, and advance reservations are required.
Each week, Wilson also offers a weekly Wine Tasting Experience. The theme and the location change weekly. Some weeks the tasting is held at Wilson Cafe, other weeks it is at The Wilson Grange. The price for the one-hour tasting ranges from $10 to $25 per person depending on the offerings. The tastings start at 4 p.m., so this would make a nice start to an evening out at Wilson Cafe.
Shopping
Wednesday is our favorite day to head to Wilson. Each Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., a delightful farmers market hosted by Whitton Farms sets up at The Wilson Grange. The Grange is a barn event space adjacent to the town flower and vegetable garden; it’s just across the street from the town square.
White’s Mercantile from Nashville also has an outpost on the town square, selling the Southern goods that have made the shop a destination in Nashville. Wilson Pharmacy offers a hint of nostalgia with a shop full of everyday essentials and an array of home decor.
The Tom Beckbe shop sells hand-crafted hunting gear and accessories. There is also a locally owned grocery store on the square. To discover
There is more to do in Wilson than just eating and shopping.
The Hampson Archeological Museum, located on the Wilson town square, displays artifacts from the people who inhabited the Arkansas Delta from 1400-1650 A.D. The Hampson Museum
is free and open to the public from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-sunday.
During the fall, the town’s cotton gin offers tours for those wanting to see how cotton is processed.
On a pretty day, we recommend a stroll through the small working farm at The Grange.
Special events
In addition to wine dinner events, Mede and his team at Wilson are busy planning community events for the town.
On Oct. 24, Wilson will host its 2020 Harvest Fest. This family-friendly event will feature a pumpkin patch, hayrides, a “shop on the square” shopping experience, a wine tasting from 4 to 5 p.m., a concert by Memphis musician Amy Lavere and much more.
Concerts in the town square as well as in the original 1920s town movie theater are also being planned.
Jennifer Chandler is the Food & Dining reporter at The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at jennifer.chandler@commercialappeal.com, and you can follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @cookwjennifer.