Featured image: Tim Hursley
In Bentonville, Arkansas, an artsy small town nestled into the foothills of the Ozark Mountains, The Preacher’s Son has a certain energy during Friday night dinner. Popular enough to need reservations, every table at this restaurant is filled, including the curved benches surrounding a table in the middle, where a group of women dressed to impress are enjoying cocktail hour.
We’re seated under a stunning art glass window depicting butterflies flitting around what I’m almost certain is a beech tree.
The Preacher’s Son makes the most of its unconventional location in a former church dating to 1904. This Gothic Revival building retains its church-like charm, with a bell tower complete with 288 five-inch gold bells and a stone cross rising above its multi-gabled roof. Inside, dark wooden beams soar to a domed finish, a sharp contrast to the stark painted white brick. Tall ceilings and numerous cathedral windows give it a light-drenched feel in daylight, while earth-toned furniture keeps it grounded.
When the church relocated, it took its stained-glass windows, leaving behind empty frames. To transform these spaces, the Ropeswing Hospitality Group—founded by Tom and Steuart Walton—tapped renowned Arkansas watercolor artist George Dombek. He traveled to Germany to oversee the meticulous process of translating his watercolors into glass—painting with enamel before firing each piece in a kiln.
The result: striking art glass panels featuring Dombek’s signature black-and-white trees and bicycles, brought to life with vibrant bursts of color from delicate butterflies and birds. These intricate details infuse the space with a unique, artistic character.
“My inspiration is nature,” Dombek said. “There’s something I see I’m visually attracted to, but I certainly don’t necessarily stay true to the image that I’m seeing.”
Now, his artwork is woven into the dining experience at The Preacher’s Son, adding a touch of Gothic elegance to the space.
“(When artwork is displayed in a museum), people walk by and see it and then maybe stop. Maybe they don’t. But at The Preacher’s Son, it’s an opportunity for people to sit there for 45 minutes and experience the work,” Dombek said.
Bentonville itself is a community transformed by art. In 2011, Walmart heiress Alice Walton opened a free world-class art museum, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. The museum began drawing visitors from all over the world, creating opportunities and drawing new culinary talent to the area.
A wave of new restaurants opened, embracing the area’s agricultural roots and leaning into farm-to-table dining. Among them, The Preacher’s Son opened in 2016 under the Ropeswing Hospitality Group. The restaurant quickly earned acclaim, contributing to Bentonville’s growing list of James Beard nominations—including, most recently, a recognition for Outstanding Hospitality in 2022.
At The Preacher’s Son, works of art are everywhere, from the windows to the drinks and the food. At the helm is Executive Chef Neal Gray, who crafts culinary artistry from locally sourced ingredients. He takes a “less is more” approach, dressing dishes with an understated elegance and allowing ingredients to speak for themselves.
The attention to detail shows. From my seat, I watch as the bartender crafts my pistachio old-fashioned. Pistachio-infused bourbon is blended with rare falernum and bitters, creating a rich, golden-brown swirl. The finishing touch—a single, oversized ice cube—drops into the glass, swirling amber liquid that catches the light. The pistachio infusion provides the perfect touch to make the drink feel like a special treat. I sip it as we enjoy the buzz of conversations around us.
Our meal starts with croquettes, where Gray gets to show off his French-style culinary roots from his days at the French Laundry in California. This Southern version is stuffed with pimento cheese and resembles a hush puppy. It’s so delicious, we left not a crumb behind.
Our entrées arrive, tempting and beautifully plated. I dive into the monkfish, sweetly tender and draped in a rich brown butter and walnut sauce. Across the table, my husband’s duck breast is served with a vibrant pop of color from red cabbage and carrot, making for a stunning presentation.
After dinner, we duck downstairs to check out The Undercroft, a basement bar with a traditional speakeasy feel with dark furnishings. It serves a similar bar menu to The Preacher’s Son, with limited food offerings. The rooftop bar offers seasonal ambiance and views of the town, weather permitting.
Wherever you choose to sit during a visit to The Preacher’s Son, make sure to drink in the ambiance of a place that is a work of art in and of itself.
Note: George Dombek is hosting an open studio from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on April 26 & 27, May 3 & 4 and May 10 & 11.
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