RESTAURANT TRANSITIONS: List of eateries open on Christmas; pizzeria, pub open in Bryant

The Faded Rose in Little Rock's Riverdale will be open today (Christmas Eve) but not on Christmas Day. (Democrat-Gazette file photo)
The Faded Rose in Little Rock's Riverdale will be open today (Christmas Eve) but not on Christmas Day. (Democrat-Gazette file photo)

A couple of recent — we're not entirely sure how recent — openings in Bryant:

◼️ Brooklyn Pizza, 3614 Market Place Ave., offers pizza (whole or by the slice), calzones, stromboli, wings and pasta, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday. Shelli Poole, who operates the mysaline.com site, says it's "run by the same people as Verona Italian in Benton." The phone number is (501) 943-7198; the website is brooklynpizzabryant.com

◼️ Copper Mule Table & Tap, 3348 Main St., is looking for a line cook and overnight prep cook. In a post on the job site arfoodjobs.com, the owners describe the establishment as "a locally, family-owned business curating social and table experiences centered around craft cocktails and Southern and Creole fare." That fare ranges "from Fried Bologna Sandwiches and Po-Boys to Shrimp & Grits and Buttermilk Fried Chicken w/ Collard Greens and Mac & Cheese." Hours are 4-10 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday. The phone number is (501) 213-0379; the Facebook page: facebook.com/coppermulear.

Loca Luna (Democrat-Gazette file photo)
Loca Luna (Democrat-Gazette file photo)

Loca Luna, 3519 Old Cantrell Road, Little Rock, has expanded its hours to include Sunday night. So Sunday hours are now 10 a.m.-2 p.m. for brunch and 5:30-9 p.m. for dinner. The phone number is (501) 663-4666.

And Dec. 12 was indeed the last day for founding chef Matt Cooper in the kitchen at The Preacher's Son, 201 N.W.A St., Bentonville, where Malvern native Neal Gray, most recently chef de cuisine at Simon and The Whale on Lexington Avenue in New York City, is now in charge. Cooper has finally given us a very small hint of his post-Preacher's Son plans: "My next steps are building a restaurant on a farm located in Northwest Arkansas. More details to come."

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Here is our slightly updated, very incomplete, noncomprehensive list of area establishments that are open today (Christmas Eve) and Friday (Christmas Day). Some of our information comes from restaurants, some from various forms of social (and/or anti-social) media. Note that in the past, most hotel restaurants stayed open on Christmas Day, but mid-pandemic many, if not most, won't. Many Asian restaurants that serve on Christmas aren't doing dine-in service. So we definitely recommend double-checking — we're supplying contact details where we have them — before venturing out to avoid disappointments, and remember that in the midst of a pandemic, situations are subject to change with very little notice.

CHRISTMAS EVE

Doe's Eat Place, 1023 W. Markham St., Little Rock: open Christmas Eve, 10 a.m.-midnight, for tamale-only pickups (curbside available). (501) 376-1195

The Faded Rose, 1619 Rebasamen Park Road, Little Rock: open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Christmas Eve. (501) 663-9734

Fassler Hall, 311 E. Capitol Ave., Little Rock: open 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Christmas Eve. (501) 246-4757

Gadwall's Grill, 7311 North Hills Blvd., Sherwood: open 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Christmas Eve. (501) 834-1840

Mama's Gyros Grill, 3309 E. Kiehl Ave., Sherwood: open 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Christmas Eve. (501) 833-0306

Milano's Italian Grill, 6100 Stone Road (at Cantrell Road), Little Rock: open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Christmas Eve. (501) 367-8255

Sauce(d) Bar and Oven, 11121 N. Rodney Parham Road, Little Rock: open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Christmas Eve. (501) 353-1534

SO Restaurant-Bar, 3610 Kavanaugh Blvd., Little Rock: Open 4-10 p.m. Christmas Eve. (501) 663-1464

Star of India, 301 N. Shackleford Road, Little Rock: open 11 a.m.-2:45 p.m. and 5 -10 p.m. Christmas Eve. (501) 227-9900

YaYa's Euro Bistro, Promenade at Chenal, 17711 Chenal Parkway, Little Rock, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. (final seating at 7) Christmas Eve. (501) 821-1144

Yellow Rocket Concepts: All restaurants, all locations (Big Orange, Local Lime, Lost Forty, ZaZa and Heights Taco & Tamale Co.) will be open 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Christmas Eve.

CHRISTMAS DAY

Black Bear Diner, 2724 Lakewood Village Drive, North Little Rock: 6 a.m.-8 p.m. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, offering three-course holiday dinners for single diners or as Family Meals to Go — Prime Rib, Holiday Ham or Roasted Turkey, with sides and dessert. (501) 812-0393

Fantastic China, 1900 N. Grant St., Little Rock: open 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. today and Friday, takeout only, with deliveries 5-9 p.m. (501) 663-8999

Forbidden Garden, 14810 Cantrell Road, Little Rock: open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. today and 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday. (501) 868-8149

Great Wall, 4808 John F. Kennedy Blvd., North Little Rock, open — takeout only — 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

Taj Mahal, 1520 Market St., Little Rock, open Christmas Day, 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. (501) 520-4900

CHRISTMAS AT CHAINS

And the RetailMeNot coupon site has rounded up a list of chain restaurants expecting to open Christmas Day. It's a really good idea to double-check if that includes the location near you:

  • Buffalo Wild Wings, hours may vary by location.
  • Denny's, 24/7 Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
  • Domino's Pizza, hours may vary
  • IHOP, open Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Hours may vary.
  • McDonald's, hours may vary.
  • Starbucks, most outlets will be open.
  • Waffle House, of course, is open 24/7/365.

And this correction: Last week we listed, via RetailMeNot, that in many places, outlets of Benihana would be open. However, the one in the Wyndham Riverfront in North Little Rock won't be open.

Has a restaurant opened — or closed — near you in the last week or so? Does your favorite eatery have a new menu? Is there a new chef in charge? Drop us a line. Send email to: eharrison@adgnewsroom.com

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