Conway is a town approximately 30 minutes north of Little Rock and has an ever-growing abundance of restaurants, cafes and night-life to please the passersby or those wishing to sample some genuine southern hospitality and fare.
Although currently offering many restaurant options, the town hasn’t always had the food and drink options it now has. With its recent growth, three colleges, and many families and young adults locating to Conway, it has given it the boost it needed to increase its dining establishments.
A Dry City and Dry County History
Conway is a dry city in a dry county, and in recent years, it has had an interesting history of restaurants acquiring liquor permits. Little Rock is not a dry city and would often be the spot where Conway-dwellers would travel to on weekends if they wanted to enjoy drinks and diverse food options.
Conway has managed to maintain its dry status as a town, but within recent years, licenses have been permitted to restaurants viewed as "private clubs" to sell alcohol by the drink on a restaurant-by-restaurant basis. Although the city is still dry, laws allow only restaurants to serve alcohol with permits or "memberships" required.
This allowance has given Conway the pleasure of seeing many new, up-scale restaurants, as well as the chain restaurants that often offer liquor, wine and beer selections, like Outback Steakhouse, Ruby Tuesday, Chili’s and other chains well-known for their food and drinks.
It has also given entrepreneurial restaurant owners a chance to open up shop in Conway, with fine dining as the centerpiece and bar offerings aplenty.
Fine Dining and Drinks
Michelangelo’s is an Italian eatery on the corner of Oak and Front streets in downtown Conway. Its menu offerings include a wide assortment of Italian-inspired dishes, from antipasti and insalates to pizza, paninis and pasta.
Calamari ($8.50) and Shrimp-Artichoke Dip ($8.95) are just a few of the antipasti offerings. Main courses include Pizza Margherita ($9.25), Shrimp Scampi ($14.50), Chicken Parmigiano ($12.49), Penne Toscana ($13.50), and Lobster Ravioli ($18.99).
Known for its romantic, date-night atmosphere, Michelangelo's has a rooftop area to enjoy music and drinks. The restaurant also offers a unique Sunday Champagne Brunch with complimentary Mimosas and assorted brunch items on Sunday Mornings from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Around the corner from Michelangelo’s on Front Street is Mike’s Place, a restaurant specializing in seafood and southern fare with Cajun inspirations. The menu at Mike’s Place includes everything from Fried Green Tomatoes ($6.49) and Chesapeake Bay Crab Cakes ($10.99) to Pecan Encrusted Grouper ($16.99), New York Strip Steak ($24.95) and Wood-Fired Jambalaya Pizza ($9.50).
The two restaurants have brought new life to downtown Conway and given the city plentiful and delicious dining options, as well as drink selections. Both restaurants are known for their attention to detail, superb service, accommodation for special occasions, and bountiful menu and drink offerings.
Also, try a few hometown restaurants that are quintessentially-Conway: Something Brewing, Stoby's and Hart's Seafood.
Michelangelo's - 1117 Oak St, Conway, Ark. - 501-329-7278
Mike's Place - 808 Front St, Conway, Ark. - 501-269-6453
