The South Main St. neighborhood of downtown Little Rock is lovingly referred to as SOMA! This cute and funky little slice of our state’s capital is filled to the brim with fun things to do. From farmer’s markets and pop up shops at the Bernice Gardens, to the M2 Art Gallery, to an escape room, to sampling alcohol at Rocktown Distillery, to visiting the Governor’s Mansion, and more! You could spend a whole weekend in this nook of Little Rock and not run out of places to visit. Here are 5 must-visit local eateries and shops in SOMA.
Press Waffle Co
This adorable new addition to the neighborhood isn’t short on sweet treats! If you’re looking for the best way to start your day in SOMA, Press Waffle Co is just the spot. Of course, you can get an amazing breakfast here, but there’s much more than that - Press Waffle Co officers authentic Belgian waffles, locally roasted coffee, an espresso bar, gourmet milkshakes, and beer and wine from the best local breweries! You can’t go wrong with this place.
The House - We tried the bestselling menu item. Freshly cut strawberries, cookie butter, nutella, and the house-made whipped cream all piled on top of Press’ golden Liége waffle. Can we just say… wow! This flavor combo is mind boggling.
Chicken + Waffles - We also taste-tested this delicious option! Two deep-fried crispy tenders with bacon crumble and sweet maple syrup topping a perfect golden Liége waffle. Our taste buds exploded!
Support SOMA and Press Waffle Co by following them on social media and visiting their website to explore more of what they have to offer:
Website: https://www.presswaffleco.com/locations/soma
Facebook: @presslittlerock
Instagram: @presswaffleco
The Green Corner Store
Head across Main Street and visit The Green Corner Store - “your local source for Earth-friendly goods!” You can shop for healthy home products, personal care goods, wellness supplements, and our favorite - tea! While you peruse the store’s retail goods, sip on your choice of more than 30 kinds of loose leaf tea blends!
The best part? All of the teas were blended here in the Natural State at the Savoy Tea Lab in Fayetteville! The Green Corner Store’s tea bar offers hot tea, cold tea, matcha, coffee pour overs, kombucha (on tap!), sweet iced tea, tea lattes, and wellness tea drinks. Garnish your cup with local honey and some organic syrup, and enjoy!
Support SOMA and The Green Corner Store by following them on social media and visiting their website to explore more of what they have to offer:
Website: https://www.thegreencornerstore.com/
Facebook: @thegreencornerstore
Instagram: @greencornerstore
Moxy Modern Mercantile
With your cup of Arkansas tea in hand, walk next door to visit one of the funnest shops in LR! Moxy Modern Mercantile is “sometimes silly, often irreverent, and always fun!” Find gifts for yourself or literally anyone in your life - even that one person who’s impossible to shop for.
From coffee mugs, to keychains, to candles, to pillows, to pretty much everything else, this store has something for every type of person out there. Browse through the retro, vintage, and kitschy and have a blast while you do it! Maybe you’ll even meet the shop’s dog - Fergus.
Support SOMA and Moxy Modern Mercantile by following them on social media and visiting their website to explore more of what they have to offer:
Website: http://moxymodernmercantile.com/
Facebook: @moxymodernmercantile
Instagram: @moxymodern
The Root Cafe
All the browsing you’ll be doing in SOMA is sure to have you hankering for a good, locally-sourced meal. Never fear, just pop on into The Root Cafe! This adorable restaurant sources almost all of its ingredients from Arkansas farms - that includes 100% of the meat, eggs, and bread, as well as most of the fruit and veg, nuts, and cheeses! It’s straight-up Flavor Town, Baby - no seriously, Guy Fieri has been here. No matter what you’re craving, The Root’s bomb menu is bound to hit the spot.
The Dandy Lion - Dive right into your meal at The Root with a cocktail! We tried The Dandy Lion… Yes, it was as good as it looks.
The Pimento Cheeseburger - Enjoy a Simon Farms burger patty with homemade pimento cheese, house-made sweet pickles, and creamy garlic mayo. Your taste buds will thank you for treating them to this delicacy!
Pulled Pork - Savor a plate of slow-smoked Rabbit Ridge pork shoulder drenched in homemade Root BBQ sauce. Our mouths are watering just reminiscing about this meal! Choose from sides like homemade mac & cheese, cornbread with whipped butter, grilled seasonal veggies, and more.
Support SOMA and The Root Cafe by following them on social media and visiting their website to explore more of what they have to offer:
Website: http://www.therootcafe.com/
Facebook: @rootcafe
Instagram: @therootcafe
Loblolly Creamery
Round out your SOMA visit with a mouth watering dessert. Loblolly Creamery is one of the greatest ice cream and baked goods stores in the state! They churn each one of their many flavors in house. That means you can guarantee that any scoop you buy in-store was made in the last 24-hours! The variety of options at Loblolly is absolutely crazy, and so many of them are vegan-friendly. During our trip to Loblolly, we tried two of their most popular vegan ice cream flavors:
PB Crunch *vegan ice cream* - Imagine your creamiest peanut butter daydream becoming a dairy-free ice cream flavor. Yeah, they did that. It is so flavorful, and even though it’s vegan, there’s a coconut base that gives it that rich creaminess that makes ice cream so delicious.
Pinnacle Trail * vegan ice cream* - Chocolate, coconut, and pecan? Yes please, and immediately. We couldn’t believe our taste buds when we tried the first scoop of this delicious vegan dessert! It’s got the perfect ice cream texture, a delectably sweet flavor profile, and the perfect amount of crunch from the nuts!
Support SOMA and Loblolly by following them on social media and visiting their website to explore more of what they have to offer:
Website: https://www.loblollycreamery.com/
Facebook: @loblollycreamery
Instagram: @loblollycreamery
And those are just a few of the amazing things to do in SOMA, Downtown Little Rock!
