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Food-first travel · 2027
Where to eat in Southern Ozarks, Missouri and Arkansas
Springfield invented its own cashew chicken, Bentonville has a real restaurant scene, and Eureka Springs hides a wine cave in a spring-fed building.
National Geographic Best of the World 2027: The Southern Ozarks are one of five U.S. places on National Geographic's Best of the World 2027. (Fox News, 5 US destinations on Nat Geo list)
The dish: Springfield-style cashew chicken
Fried chicken pieces in a gravy-like brown sauce with cashews, a Springfield original. The best one is at Leong's Asian Diner.
Where to eat in Springfield, Bentonville and Eureka Springs
Leong's Asian Diner
Springfield, Missouri
Get: The original cashew chicken
Credited as the originator of Springfield-style cashew chicken.
Grotto Wood Fired Grill & Wine Cave
Eureka Springs
Get: Wood-fired dishes and a wine from the cave
A historic downtown building built on rock with a spring running through it, rated 4.8 to 4.9.
Source: OpenTable Eureka Springs
8th Street Market
Eureka Springs
Get: Food hall stalls, a local beer and a food truck snack
The community food hub for downtown Eureka Springs.
Go, and let us handle the food
Book Southern Ozarks, Missouri and Arkansas with us and a food concierge comes with it: a call before you go, the hard tables asked for through the restaurant's own line with a backup for each, markets and classes, a what-to-order sheet, and a text line while you're there. A real person writes back within a day; nothing is charged now.
Also on the 2027 lists, nearby
Every place was checked open on November 11, 2026, from the source under it. On National Geographic Best of the World 2027. Something changed? Write to hello@chefamazing.com. Tourism board? Post this guide free.
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