The Root Cafe — Restaurant in Little Rock

I planned a trip to Arkansas from Florida based around the Root Cafe. I discovered it by doing searches online for restaurants that use local Ingredients, organic, handcrafted.... Things like that. My search led me to this cafe and I was excited to try it and began planning a trip. A month later I made the 16 hour trek with my dogs and we arrived... On a Monday... Which they are closed on. That was my mistake, I should have double checked the hours of operation. I spent the day doing other things in anticipation of the Root opening the next day.

I got up early and drove 2 hours from my hotel to grab breakfast here. As a root beer connoisseur, I was eager to try the root beer here. I couldn't... They said they didn't get their shipment in. This was the biggest bummer for me as it was the number one thing on my must-get list from here. I settled for a Shirley drink but was told they didn't have everything for it. It seemed as of all my wants were being shot down. I gave the lavender cream soda a try and it was actually delicious. I recommend anyone who enjoys lavender to order one. It actually reminded me of a root beer float. It was creamy, but not thick, foamy but not too much and had a flavor that was not overpowering.

I ordered the eggs, and biscuits and gravy for one meal and the eggs, toast and sausage for the rest of my group. We both got scrambled eggs and they were unbearable to eat after the first bite. They tasted like a cup of salt. I couldn't even finish them after that bite. It was tongue curling. The biscuit was a basic biscuit taste.. nothing special but nothing too bad. It didn't taste fake or processed, it tasted like flour and water so that was good for the concept of minimal ingredients. The sausage had potential to be good, but tasted like pork covered in dirt. Perhaps there's an herb being used here that I'm not used to, but it was not tasty. The gravy was too runny and had a film of oil sitting on top.

The service was lovely, everyone was so kind, sweet and helpful. Five stars for service.

The atmosphere was spot on. It felt like a welcoming place and it was quaint. It was cute, gave the feel of a place that uses local ingredients and works to improve the community. I would hang out here just to hang out, solely for the atmosphere and the workers. Five stars for atmosphere.

I have to give a 3 star rating because the food was just gross. My girlfriend is the one who is a picky eater and seeks out places like this, so to hear her not like it wasn't alarming... But when I didn't like it, and I am not picky at all and will eat anything, that was surprising for me.

The cost is typical to what you would expect to pay for a place like this. Spent $35 on 2 people to basically only consume the lavender drink. It was a shame, but you never know until you try somewhere.

Really wanted to give this place a 5 star review but due to the poor tasting food, lack of root beer, and the Shirley drink being unavailable, it just left a bad taste in my...

Our work group came here for dinner and it was the talk of the week!

We wanted someplace close to the Mystery Mansion but also that has a good variety of options. The main points being that the menu accommodates vegetarians and isn’t super expensive. I think we hit the nail on the head!

To be honest, I will make a point to come back to The Root Cafe when I’m in Little Rock again!! Yes, it was that good.

The menu reads really well, what you expect is what you get- if not better! The cocktails are thoughtful and seasonal plus they carry a range of local drinks (alcoholic and not). There is also a nice variety of crafted zero-proof drinks and wines.

The food is organic and locally sources as much as possible 😍🥰YES! I shared the deviled eggs with a coworker and wished I had them all to myself. He and I LOVE deviled eggs and we loved TRC’s version so much. You could taste how happy the chicken was to lay this egg- no joke.

I tried the soup of the day that my coworker ordered and thought I was in food heaven. The curried butternut squash soup was perfectly seasoned and so addicting. I honestly thought about bringing some back to the hotel just for breakfast.

I ordered a newer menu item that was berber tofu over cheezi grits (all vegan though). I love spicy foods and berber is one of my favorite seasonings but I felt they were a bit heavy handed with it. Perhaps making a marinate over just dry rubbing the tofu would achieve a more balanced flavor. The cheezi grits were amazing and overall I loved the combo. Very warming! Just a few tweaks to the tofu and also adding a fresh or fermented component would really take this dish to new heights.

My coworkers really loved their food too. Some got salads, some sandwiches, and others more complex dishes. The only things I noticed was that we didn’t revive a knife with our meals. And some dishes came with a salad and none of them ate it.

I might recommend on the latter to let people choose their side or to omit it completely. Some people just don’t eat a lot and food waste is a big bummer. The knife thing is just a personal preference but one I am aways aware of when I go to take a bite and I have to ask for a knife.

We did have a man who was keeping a wonderful eye on the water/ drink levels of our table and also clearing plates. The staff handled our group of ten with style and grace.

Highly recommend coming here if you like high quality food and...

We had an awesome experience at The Root Café and wanted to share some highlights from our visit as a family of four.

We started with their ginger lemonade — and WOW. It was sweet, tart, and had a little spicy kick, almost like a dash of cayenne. Easily one of the best lemonades I've had.

The vibe here is unique and chill — kind of a hippie, creative commune feel with bright colors, mismatched chairs and tables (in a good way), and upbeat music. It feels like a place where everyone’s working together and enjoying the moment.

Fries: We tried both the sweet potato fries and regular fries. The sweet potato fries were a standout — thick-cut, clearly fresh, seasoned just right, and served with a house-made mayo-based dipping sauce that had a little kick to it. The sweet-and-spicy combo worked perfectly. The regular fries were thinner, well-seasoned, and had a great crisp without being overdone.

Burgers: I ordered the vegetarian mushroom burger with cheddar and subbed in vegan mayo — and it was super super delicious. The mushroom patty was flavorful and satisfying, and the sweet pickles were a pleasant surprise — they added a nice touch of tang and sweetness. No extra ketchup or sauce needed — it was great as-is.

My wife had the pimento cheeseburger with pepper jack cheese and a vegan patty — that one was more of an average burger, still good, but not a standout. Our boys had cheeseburgers with cheddar, and they enjoyed them. All burgers come with a small side salad, which was fresh and tasty.

Grilled Cheese: We also tried the grilled cheese — it had a blend of cheeses and a house sauce, but it didn’t hit the mark for us. The cheese could’ve been melted a bit more, and the sauce flavor didn’t quite land. It was the only miss for us.

Dessert – Carrot Cake: We finished with the carrot cake, and it was incredible. Moist, just the right amount of carrot flavor, not overly sweet, and topped with crunchy pecans. The cream cheese frosting was thick, smooth, and absolutely perfect.

Highlights:

Ginger lemonade = a must-try

Sweet potato fries with mayo-based dipping sauce = amazing

Mushroom veggie burger = standout

Carrot cake = don’t leave without it

We’ll definitely be back next time we’re in Little Rock. Great food, great vibe, great...