Restaurants in Jonesboro

In November of 2009, Adam Richman of Man v. Food sat down at one of the wooden tables inside The Mean Pig BBQ and ordered the restaurant’s Shut-Up Juice Challenge. His only goal: to finish the smoked, pulled-pork sandwich, which comes topped with coleslaw and a slather of Shut-Up Juice—a fiery concoction of barbecue sauce mixed with concentrated habanero extract. After a hard-fought battle, the professional eater barely limped past the finish line, completing a challenge that bests most diners. At the restaurant’s last count, less than 2% of contenders who started the Shut-Up Juice Challenge finished it.

The Mean Pig BBQ may be most widely know for its spicy challenge, but locals come here for the chopped-pork sandwiches, fall-off-the-bone ribs, and smoked beans, a Mean Pig original. The owners smoke the pork and ribs over a hickory-wood smoker for 24 hours before drenching the meat in homemade mild, medium, or hot barbecue sauce. They temper the heat with creamy coleslaw, potato salad, and icy beverages to cool scorched tongues.

Though the entrees at The Dixie Cafe make the biggest splash across its menu marquee, they're threatened with gastronomical upstaging by the southern-style eatery's 19 sides and scratch-made gravies. The chicken-fried steak, for example, is a tender, hand-breaded fillet that fully blossoms with flavor only after chefs smother it with cream gravy and cheddar cheese. And the Cajun grilled catfish's down-home taste isn't fully developed until it is paired up with bites of turnip greens, fried okra, or a homemade roll. The classic platter meals take advantage of this by pairing an entree with two sides, rolls, and jalapeño cornbread and can be ordered "light" for a portion that's smaller than the regular size and easier to toss in the air and catch in your mouth.

Don your nicest of men’s or women’s patterned vests and settle in for a night of elegant dining at your own pace; Safari’s dim lighting, cracked-plaster walls, and ornate molding create an Old World atmosphere perfect for discussing German expressionist film noir or the correctly patterned vests for sophisticated dogs. While thinking of the next thing to say, you can fill your mouth with a menu featuring a variety of tapas ($6 to $9) such as Creole crab cakes served with tri-colored peppers and shallot ($9); southern fried chicken skewers with three-cheese macaroni ($7); and Moroccan beef skewers with button mushrooms, onion, and cous cous ($8). Vegetarians can join in the plate-passing pageantry with a little falafel with roasted-garlic hummus and tempura-battered seasonal vegetables with Asian dipping sauce; while those craving a comfort food can savor the simple delights of pita pizzas such as the three-cheese pizza with cheddar, mozzarella, and fontina. Safari also offers a selection of fresh salads and wraps, including the fried tilapia wrap ($7).

The Movie & Pizza Company lets you dine in with friends or take your meal and a movie (the flick is not included in your Groupon) home for you, your family, and the feral squirrel you've befriended. Top your pies with anything from Cajun chicken to pesto to veggie heaven (roasted red peppers, feta, parmesan, artichoke, spinach, and garlic), or opt for the traditional mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, or sausage (12-inch pies range from $11 to $15, and 16-inch pies run $13 to $20). If the regular selection doesn't perk your palate, start with a blank slate and add your own toppings ($1 each for a 12-inch pie, $1.50 each for a 16-inch). The Company's menu also features an array of specialty salads ($6.50), sandwiches ($7), and pastas ($9–$10).

Scuba dive into the culinary dinner experience with raw-bar selections including marinated Hawaiian tuna tartare with creamy avocado aioli and wontons ($12). Or, plunge straight into the bathyal end of the culinary pool with artisan oysters on the half shell (market price). A lighter option such as a baby-spinach salad with bacon, mozzarella, cherry tomato, pickled red onion, and honey-mustard vinaigrette ($8) will leave room for a feast of seared sea scallops with yellow squash, zucchini, and confit tomatoes ($24), tuna burger with toasted-almond slaw ($13), or smoked pepper-crusted salmon with potato-parsnip puree and broccolini ($22). Sole's cuisine isn't solely pelagic, however. Lovers of land-based eats can order pan-roasted duck breast ($23) with potato gnocchi, wild mushrooms, haricot vert, and cherry beurre rouge or an 8 oz. grilled beef tenderloin ($23). Breakfast, lunch, and brunch are also available.

Chef David Johnson and his culinary team create southern comfort fare with a Cajun zing. The menu rotates daily, offering special items such as beef tips with garlic mashed potatoes on Tuesdays and bourbon-glazed peach pork loin paired with mississippi grits on Thursdays. Along with preparing food for dine in, take out, or delivery, the staff also caters corporate events such as employee-appreciation lunches and executive-level food fights.