August 6, 2025 • 25 mins
Join us inside the wood-fired heart of Bentonville, Oven & Tap, with founder Luke Wetzel. In this episode of Dining Out Bentonville, host Biju Thomas uncovers Luke’s journey from the legendary Chez Panisse in California to building a culinary cornerstone in Northwest Arkansas.
Discover how a 36-hour fermented dough, a hand-built Italian oven, and a passion for community have shaped one of the region’s most iconic dining experiences. Plus, get a sneak peek at his upcoming venture, Townie Burgers & Bevvies and the community favorite Superfine Sweets Shoppe. This episode is a must-listen for food lovers, entrepreneurs, and anyone curious about the flavors fueling Bentonville’s rise.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Biju Thomas (00:00):
Dining Out Bentonville, beyond the menu
behind the flavor Oop Bijou.
It's great to see you, ron.
Thank you so much for doingthis.
Welcome to Oven Tap.
Thank you, sir.
Hey everybody, welcome toanother episode of Dining Out
Bentonville with me, bijou.
This podcast brought to youproudly by the lovely folks at
Visa Bentonville.
Today we're sitting down withLuke Wetzel of one of my
(00:27):
favorite places here in townOven and Tap.
If you've been to Bentonvilleanywhere near the downtown
square, you've smelled thebeautiful wood-burning oven.
You know pushing out pizzas anddelicious food from this
gorgeous spot that's been herefor how many years?
Luke Wetzel (00:41):
Almost 10 years now, a little over 10 years
Incredible 10 years.
Biju Thomas (00:48):
You've got to be one of the original of this wave
of restaurants right?
Luke Wetzel (00:50):
Yes, so we started in 2015, in the spring, right?
I think our opening day was inthe Bentonville Film Festival.
Okay, so we opened up into thegreatest season of chaos
possible and it's such a greatway to just get thrown into the
fire, yeah.
Biju Thomas (01:07):
Let's go.
The film festival that used tobe right down here, yeah.
Luke Wetzel (01:12):
Yeah, they would use a lot of it downtown for the
screenings and they brought somany people to town.
I think we hosted one of theirbig parties that week and it was
just such a great way to kickit off.
It was a lot of fun.
Biju Thomas (01:27):
It is really cool hearing about the film festival
and how much impact it's had onlike all the different things
and people that it was able tobring into town.
I've got so many questions foryou.
To start with, I absolutelylove this restaurant for a very
simple reason Obviously, yourfood's good.
We're sitting in front of thisgorgeous wood-burning oven.
Food is always wonderful, butyour staff is just absolutely
wonderful all the time.
(01:48):
They're so just friendly andgracious and welcoming.
They're always just here totake care of the guests and I
personally, having been somebodyin the restaurant business for
a long time, I know right awayfrom the energy that they love
being in this space.
Right, they really love beinghere and looking after you and
your guests, and that isn'tsomething that just happens
(02:08):
overnight.
So I'm guessing you come from along line of restaurants and
having done this to be able tobring that culture.
Tell me about that.
Where did you start?
Luke Wetzel (02:18):
Well, I mean again , it all starts with the staff
and we're all here together tocreate an experience and really
participate with the staff.
And we're all here together tocreate a you know experience and
really participate with theguests.
And so, from day one, once youstart here, and from day one
oven and tap, we've put thatholistic experience, um, you
know, in front of everythingelse, because we understand that
(02:40):
it's not just about the food,it's not just about the food,
it's not just about thecocktails or whatever.
It takes every single personevery single night to make it
happen.
And we do our best to teach andcreate a culture where people
are able to learn and progressin life and it just becomes this
(03:01):
really fun, exciting place towork.
And again, as you said, youfeel that at the table and
that's just so important to usand everyone.
You know we incorporate theopen kitchen.
Everyone gets to be a part ofit and I think that's what
everyone really jives with here.
Biju Thomas (03:14):
Yeah, and the minute you walk in the door you
can feel it.
In addition to smelling all thedelicious food, you get that
energy from your staff.
You can see it on the faces ofall the guests here, and the
place is packed every night ofthe week, so obviously it's
working.
Now, for those of you who haveseen the rest of our episodes,
you know that at some pointwe're going to be making a
grilled cheese.
Today we're doing a little bitof a twist on it in that we're
(03:35):
going to actively go back thereand make the grilled cheese
together.
So make sure to stick aroundfor that.
It's a wonderful little take onthe pizzas they're already doing
.
It's going to be worth the wait.
From that back to yourbackground in restaurants.
I don't know if a lot of thefolks that come in here realize
that you were part of a team atAlice Waters' restaurant, chez
(03:57):
Panisse in San Francisco, inBerkeley, berkeley, yep In
Berkeley, and Chez Panisse hasshaped the entire landscape of
restaurants and chefs that havecome out since the 80s in the US
, who all came from thatCalifornia cuisine, modern
American cuisine that reallylaunched farm-to-table.
Luke Wetzel (04:18):
They did yes.
Biju Thomas (04:20):
What did you take away from there that you've
brought to us here?
Luke Wetzel (04:23):
Well, it's exactly that.
What did you take away fromthere that you've brought to us
here?
Well, it's exactly that.
And I think that you knowyou'll understand I have a mild
obsession with Chez Panisse andwhat they mean to the restaurant
or really just the foodindustry.
Again, pioneering the localseasonal cooking was very
important.
It was such an eye-openingexperience for me when I walked
into the building and it's, youknow, like that simple approach
(04:45):
to food, with respect to thepeople that put the hard work in
to grow it or raise it, andthen celebrating on the plate.
All that is harnessed here andI just found it to be such a
compelling way to cook.
And Chez Panisse was the firstplace I was introduced to the
wood burning oven.
So they had a wood burning oven, the wood burning grill, a big
wood-fired hearth, and I wasjust enamored with that style of
(05:08):
cooking, the challenge of itit's very intense and
understanding how to use thatcreatively.
We love to cook pizzas here andwe do cook a lot of them, but
we also do our wood-firededamame in the oven.
We do entrees out of the oven.
So we're always trying to becreative with the wood-burning
oven and that's just been onepiece of that experience, but
(05:33):
I've tried to adopt a lot oftheir approach to the way they
treat people, they treat foodand they engage their community.
Biju Thomas (05:41):
That's wonderful and you can get a sense of that
even as you're walking up.
Obviously, we're inBentainesville community.
That's wonderful and you canget a sense of that even as
you're walking up.
Obviously, we're in Bentonville, arkansas, where it's always
lush and green out.
But you've got, you know, thatvery natural wood, stone, cement
vibe in here.
It's not overdone, it'sbeautiful, but it lets the food
and the ingredients you use andyour staff like really shine.
You don't need massivechandeliers and you don't need a
(06:03):
bunch of, you know, hulkinessto make the place feel wonderful
.
And you've done that with this.
And if you've been here andyou've looked at the oven, this
might look like it just happened.
But are the bricks arkansasbricks?
Where do the bricks come from?
Luke Wetzel (06:18):
so the bricks were were made in italy.
Okay, um, and they have, um,they've been shipped over to the
us and assembled in inCalifornia, not too far from the
Bay Area, and it's the samebrickmakers and oven company
that we used at Chez Panisse.
Oh, wow, and I just decided,you know, the day I left Chez
Panisse, that I was going tohave one somewhere.
And here it is Nice, the firstthing we put in the restaurant,
(06:42):
built the rest around it, andthen we introduced the tap wall
shortly after.
So here you go, oven and tap.
Biju Thomas (06:48):
Ah, that's how you got the name.
So there was an oven.
You built the restaurant aroundthe restaurant, you built the
restaurant around the oven andyou have the name, which is a
perfect fit.
Luke Wetzel (06:57):
I did lose sleep over names for a while and I
think I woke up one morning andjust said let's call it what it
is.
That's fantastic.
It really resonates with whatwe do here Simple,
straightforward, artistic foodand, I just think, with the
local hardwoods that all ourfurniture is made of, and again,
(07:17):
the ambiance to the food.
There's an element of restraintwhich I think is a very
important piece of simple foodand we really, you know, hang
our hat on that here.
Biju Thomas (07:28):
Yeah, letting the food speak you know to what
you're doing instead of havingto overdo it with everything
else is wonderful.
I do love the hot honey pizzasthat y'all make here.
Luke Wetzel (07:36):
Yes, you and most other people.
Biju Thomas (07:43):
That has got to be the best, one of the best things
to eat.
Okay on on a given night.
How many pizzas are you puttingout?
Do you think on average?
Luke Wetzel (07:46):
um, that's a great question I'm going somewhere
with this.
We lose, count you know, Iwould say um two to three
hundred all right.
Biju Thomas (07:52):
Two to three hundred pizzas each one is
coming out of that single ovenright there yes each one of
those pizzas one at a time in.
Uh, that takes some skill and alittle bit of magic to make
that happen?
Luke Wetzel (08:03):
It does and it's it's an intense station and
again, um, I, I really love thatas a cook.
Um, and you know you knowcooking like that and engaging
the wood oven, um, it's a, it'sa challenge.
Um it, it really.
You know that.
You know you have to dedicate alot of your attention to it and
talk about facing the challenge.
I mean, you're staring at thatall night.
(08:25):
It's quick work, but it's alsoa lot of fun.
Biju Thomas (08:29):
Yeah, and if anybody's made pizzas at home,
one at a time, you know how hardit is to get one right.
The temperature has to be right, so the bottom lifts and the
edges and this you watch thecooks back here making pizzas.
Man, there's like two guysthere, you know they're just
like one prepping building.
One is manning the oven.
It is magical to watch like howquickly and how organized and
how symphonic it is to see itall happen.
(08:50):
It's pretty cool.
Luke Wetzel (08:51):
I've sat at the bar many times just watching the
oven at work so well, that'swhat it's here for and there's,
you know, as you notice, there'sno knobs or, uh, you know, any
gadgets, so you really have tofeel the oven and, um, you, you
know.
If you ask me what temperatureit is, I just say either it's
either hot or really hot.
And we engage it by throwingour hand in there for a few
(09:11):
moments, and if your hand's inthere for more than three
seconds, it's too cold.
Biju Thomas (09:15):
This is a good rule for home, like when you turn
the oven on.
That's how you say put yourhand in there.
Maybe don't do that.
Luke Wetzel (09:22):
Leave it to the professionals.
Biju Thomas (09:23):
Yeah, so how did you get to Bentonville?
Are you originally from here?
How did you get from SanFrancisco all the way to
Bentonville, arkansas, to open arestaurant?
Luke Wetzel (09:32):
Sure, grew up in Little Rock, arkansas, okay, and
eventually moved out.
I cooked for, you know, I wascooking since I was probably 15
just for cash in the pocket.
And I stumbled into arestaurant in Little Rock called
Boulevard Bread Company Okay,and the chef and owner of that I
had spent time at Chez Panissein California.
(09:53):
And I heard all these storiesand I decided I have to go.
I have to go see what it's allabout.
And that's when I just reallyit clicked to me that I can, you
know, turn being a chef into acareer Nice.
So I pursued that career inCalifornia with Chez Panisse and
my wife and I moved out therein probably 2005 or 2006.
(10:15):
And it was maybe six or sevenyears later.
We were at a wedding, at mybrother or my sister-in-law's
wedding in Aspen, and stumbledinto a conversation about
Bentonville oh, wow.
And where we weren't lookingfor a ticket back to Arkansas,
necessarily.
We were very happy exploringCalifornia.
You know, weekends in winecountry, all the great
(10:37):
restaurants Sorry about thewobbly table, yeah, yeah, no,
that was me.
Even very organic floors hereit adds to the charm, huh, yeah,
not looking for a ticket backto Arkansas, necessarily.
We love Arkansas.
We still have family here,still have friends here.
So eventually, you know, wealways had in our minds that we
would return to Arkansas.
We just weren't sure when.
And briefly after thatexperience in Aspen, we made a
(11:03):
few phone calls and all of asudden we're here in Bentonville
.
Yeah, I landed with 21 Seed atthe Hive to help open the Hive
Restaurant.
I was there for two years asthe executive sous chef.
Oh nice.
I helped them with some otherproperties.
They are near and dear to myheart.
I love the Hive.
I love all the 21Cs.
(11:23):
I mean, every time we're intotown with one we make sure to
stop in there.
But two years later, 2015, Imade the leap to open Oven and
Tap.
Oh man.
Biju Thomas (11:36):
So that was 2015,.
10 years ago.
How does it feel now?
Like I'm guessing, the crowdsweren't as big when you first
opened.
Luke Wetzel (11:43):
No, I feel like in you know, at least relative to
today, 2015, it was still, youknow, the sleepy old Bentonville
.
It was growing.
We had Crystal Bridges, we had21C.
I mean we had a lot of thingshappening for us, but it
certainly didn't feel like itdoes today.
And this side of Bentonville,you know, it was Oven and Tap
and it was our friends next door, ramo that did the olive oil
(12:06):
shop and we were kind of theonly food and beverage south of
Central and the square felt sofar away those days we would
look out from our deck and belike, oh my gosh, it's right
there, it's right there, rightlike it's right there.
But if you didn't have otherbusinesses it would seem like a
world away Totally.
But we certainly had like alittle FOMO of people on the
square.
But now that Bentonville'sgrown, you know, there's been
(12:29):
such a great progression ofdowntown and now we feel like
we're in the middle of it.
So we love our spot here andit's been a wild ride.
Biju Thomas (12:40):
And you're getting all the construction that's
happening out here.
You're getting this walkway.
What is the other word for it?
Promenade, promenade.
There we go.
That starts actually over by21C and continues all the way
across town into here.
And is this becoming a park infront, where the parking lot is?
Luke Wetzel (12:56):
it'll be a large green space park with promenade,
with the promenade walkway anda lot of built-in um amenities,
and then a small, a small stageand, you know, think about like
a single or a solo artist, or upto like a trio, like a very
small, small amphitheater to toaccommodate some live
entertainment.
Whoa, and we're looking forwardto it.
I mean, if there's anything Iwould trade, you know,
(13:19):
restaurant side parking or it'sprobably a beautiful green space
that's going to keep peopledown here all day long and we
look forward to to, you know, beable to participate in that and
and service everyone that wantsto come down that's really cool
because you could just come,get carry out, go sit on, the
sit in the park and have alovely picnic right here.
That sounds great how cool wouldthat could just come get carry
out.
Go sit in the park and have alovely picnic right here.
Biju Thomas (13:37):
That sounds great.
How cool would that be?
Just get all of this and youget all of this.
I mean it's incredible to bedown here.
I'm fortunate I get to livewithin walking distance so I can
walk over anytime and enjoy allof that.
So it's pretty cool.
All right, Before we go to makeand grill cheese, I've still
got a couple more questions foryou.
What is your favorite go-to onthe menu here?
What do you absolutely love?
Luke Wetzel (13:59):
I was waiting on this one and I'm still
unprepared.
Okay, All right, I'll rattleoff a few of mine.
We can go for it.
I mean my initial response andit's my love of pizza and I just
think the purest pizza is themargarita, or even the marinara.
Okay, and so I will go to that.
If I go to other pizzarestaurants, I hit those just as
(14:20):
a good baseline, but it neverdisappoints and so it's my go-to
here.
Biju Thomas (14:26):
I mean, you look fit for a guy that eats a lot of
pizzas.
You look like you're in goodshape, so you're doing something
right.
Luke Wetzel (14:31):
Well, I have to try to do rule of three every
year, did you?
Do this weekend yeah, did youget a burrito?
Biju Thomas (14:36):
no, we made that, we made this, it was burritos it
was not my best day all rightnext, next year, um, and also
the cheese here on your pizzasis lovely and it's so fresh and
so stretchy.
Do you make all the cheese inhouse with some of the cheese in
house, or which?
Luke Wetzel (14:50):
we don't quite have the facilities to make our
cheese in house, but what we dois we source fresh mozzarella
curd Nice, so it's not.
If you see fresh mozzarellastore, it's either shaped into a
ball.
But we buy the very fresh curdand we simply chop it up, season
it with a little salt andthat's what dolps our pizza.
Biju Thomas (15:07):
Yeah, it has that softness to it and it's still
stretchy, which it just feels sofresh and different than just a
regular.
Anyway, even really good pizzawhen you get really good fresh
mozz, it's so good yeah wereally love this mozz.
Luke Wetzel (15:19):
It's got the mild sweetness and again we don't you
know.
And back into the simple food.
We don't touch it Like we letit.
We buy a great cheese and so wesimply just chop it up and put
on the pizza.
Biju Thomas (15:33):
That's awesome and I didn't mean to cut you off
that fast.
The great cheese is awesome onits own.
Luke Wetzel (15:40):
But for the grilled cheese I did do the hand
stretch, so I took the curd andformed it into the mozzarella
balls that will slice up andmelt onto the sandwich.
Biju Thomas (15:49):
All right, If this grilled cheese happens to be the
best thing we eat today, it mayhave to make an appearance once
in a while on a special menu.
Just a suggestion.
I'm just throwing that out.
Luke Wetzel (15:58):
there we're always good for a few surprises here.
Our menu changes often.
We like to do specials,depending on what comes, you
know, coming off the farm or youknow, whatever it may be.
We like to, we like to keep youon your toes Nice.
Biju Thomas (16:12):
Do you have partners in the business?
Do you have family in thebusiness?
Luke Wetzel (16:21):
How does this all work together?
So I have an operationalpartner, Molly Mullis, or Molly
Mullis Murphy.
She's married now, but she'sbeen in it with me since the
start.
Very cool, and we love thisrestaurant with all our hearts
and we couldn't do it withouteach other.
Biju Thomas (16:30):
That's fantastic, man.
That's awesome because we canfeel it, you can taste it, you
can sense it.
With that, we should go make agrilled cheese.
You ready?
Luke Wetzel (16:37):
yeah, I'm ready all right, so it's oven and tap
grilled cheese time.
This is a.
This is the the first grilledcheese at oven and tap special
request for visit bentonvilleviewers only at grilled cheese.
Look at this.
Yeah, so this is our pizzadough.
It's a 36 hour pizza dough,fermented um over a few nights.
It's ready for us.
We've made a few smaller onesfor these sandwiches, but I'm
(16:59):
going to start with a stretchedout pizza dough.
A little olive oil, a littlesea salt and then we're just
going to gently fold this over.
We're not going to tap it inbecause we're going to open it
back up and build our sandwich.
A little more olive oil.
We got our oven to, like youknow, kind of hot.
Yeah, it's hot, no dials, butwe're feeling it.
So we're going to bake thatuntil it's nice and browned and
(17:23):
puffed up a little bit, and thenwe'll pull it back out and put
it on some of our hand-stretchedmozzarella.
So we took some of thatbeautiful curd earlier today and
we've stretched it into themozzarella balls you might find
in the supermarket.
We like to do it that you knowthat fresh to order, because
it's just so beautiful.
Then we're going to garnish ouror garnish our sandwich with
(17:46):
all these cream greens.
So I went to Tuckaway Farms,which is here in Bentonville
yeah, um, good friends of oursand went to the farm, maybe
unannounced, and picked up somegreens.
So we got all kinds of greens inhere from chard, spinach and
arugula, some of the radish tops, and then turned it into like a
(18:07):
creamy spread for ourmozzarella.
So this will be like anultimate grilled cheese.
And then we took some of theradishes and cucumbers from the
farm and made pickles for a nicebright side.
Biju Thomas (18:17):
Gorgeous.
How long does the oven holdheat, Like once it fires out?
How long does it still stay?
Luke Wetzel (18:22):
I mean these Italian bricks, whatever you
know, whatever the Italians doto the bricks, yeah, when we
walk in here the next morningafter, you know, a dinner
service, it's still at 500degrees or so.
So we recapture the heat prettyquickly and which, you know,
gives us a lot, a great sourceof fuel.
We cook a lot of our vegetablesin the oven.
We've even done some overnightroasting and things like
(18:45):
braising and things like that.
So we try to utilize it as muchas possible.
Um, and it's just, it's soefficient that we uh, you know,
we just get to do all these funthings with it.
But here's our, here's oursandwich dough.
Sorry about the swing there.
So we'll see you get some ofthe nice caramelization and then
we'll crack it open and we havethis beautiful oh man, uh pizza
(19:08):
dough ready to go there.
I'll start by slicing some ofour mozzarella.
You should give this a littlelittle taste, tell me.
Huh, so a few thin slices ofthat.
Biju Thomas (19:24):
So in case there's a big storm blows through, like
later today, power outage, youcan get a few pizzas out of here
, at least before you need light.
Luke Wetzel (19:33):
Yes, we've done that before.
A few years ago, a big stormrolled through.
I think the entire square wasdown in power and we were chock
full with all these great guests.
Our staff put cans on the table.
We had no light.
Obviously, some of the otherrestaurant, the fryers were down
, but we kept rolling pizzas andeveryone loved it.
Biju Thomas (19:51):
Man, that is awesome, that is such a cool
vibe the storm shuts it down.
Luke Wetzel (19:56):
It really was, and we're like you know.
Hey, we're scrappy, we're goingto make it through this man,
look at that.
But this is some of the cream,greens, so radishes, chard,
spinach, all the things you know.
Just, I'm not saying it's goingto make it any healthier, but
it'll certainly make it moredelicious.
Looks wonderful.
So we'll do that.
Biju Thomas (20:14):
We'll fold it back over and and then I see some
Aleppo chilies you got some.
Luke Wetzel (20:18):
So those are kind of three staple seasonings Salt,
black pepper and Aleppo.
We love it all.
I love the Aleppo because itgives that that spicy but not
spicy.
Right yeah, spice but not spicy.
Biju Thomas (20:31):
Lovely flavored chili flakes.
Look at that ground.
I use it a lot here.
It's wonderful.
Luke Wetzel (20:36):
It's got the great color and then again, just like
a kind of a smoky spice versusthe crushed red chili, fake.
Biju Thomas (20:44):
This can get either hot or not hot yep, beautiful.
Luke Wetzel (20:48):
So we got this back on the deck in here.
We're just gonna let the cheesemelt.
We'll flip it a few times.
I like to add a little pressureso we get that nice.
Um, you know, and-.
Biju Thomas (20:57):
That's an old world technique of cooking, totally
Right, and it's just also themost modern way of cooking.
At the same time, the besttasting food, the nicest food
you get all has real flame andsmoke.
Look at that, yeah.
Luke Wetzel (21:13):
Give it a little shot of I just love the
caramelization of the dough andit'll give us a nice little
crunch and chew at the same time.
That's beautiful.
So we can play.
First I'll just throw, I'll hitus up with some of these
pickles.
So this is pickled radish witha little turmeric kind of a
bread and butter pickle and thenlittle cucumbers with just a
little salt, sugar and vinegarand ice water, so they're so
(21:35):
crunchy and delicious.
That'll be a nice balance tothis rather decadent real cheese
cream.
Biju Thomas (21:41):
Lovely sir, go through there, sprinkles, look
at that.
Okay, I was a little suspectabout the greens.
The leaves Is there spinach?
Luke Wetzel (21:57):
in there Spinach chard, there's radish greens,
there's scallions and fennel inthere.
That's wonderful.
So it's a little bit of anupdated cream spinach idea I do
think it's a fun touch, though.
Biju Thomas (22:12):
Okay, why 36-hour dough While I'm eating?
You can explain.
Luke Wetzel (22:20):
The best way to create flavor in the pizza dough
is that long fermentation Longcold fermentation allows the
yeast to develop fully and itgives this really delicious,
sweet and again kind of like ayeasty flavor on our dough.
Biju Thomas (22:36):
The dough is perfectly pillowy and soft
inside, while having a nicecrispy crunch outer crust.
A lot of good chew.
Yeah, it has structure to it.
It isn't just either thin andhard or doughy, it's got a
perfect bite to it.
If you're sensing, I loveeverything that's happening here
, I appreciate that.
Um, so, while we're working,you know, while we're eating
here too, I see a lot ofconstruction happening.
(22:57):
Yes, um, you got somethinggoing on next door.
What's happening here?
Luke Wetzel (23:01):
Yeah, that is so a lot of construction.
And then we're about to see alot of construction in the park
but new restaurant TownieBurgers and Bevies.
We're going to open that latesummer, townie Townie.
Townie Burgers and Bevies.
All right, perfect.
So it's a little nod toBentonville still being a town
which we you know we loveBentonville.
We want to continue to supportit.
Yeah, and so we want it to bethat neighborhood spot.
(23:23):
You can stop in, grab a bite,grab a beverage, listen to some
music, have fun with friends andthen be on your way.
So late summer, early fall,we're going to get there.
Biju Thomas (23:37):
Is that going to be about the same size?
You're going to have a bigpatio back here.
Luke Wetzel (23:41):
About the same footprint as Oven and Tap, plus
a big patio, which will be greatto welcome the park, the
Quilted Park's, into play.
Oh man, so we're excited aboutthat.
And then we also have ourSuperfine Sweet Shop behind Oven
and Tap.
Biju Thomas (23:54):
Superfine, sweet.
So if you're walking off thesquare, what street is that?
Main street, yeah, main streetright there, and you can come in
through that door into almondand tap right, correct?
Yeah, yeah, because I've walked.
I've done that.
I thought I did thataccidentally because I walked
out that way and it's like Ithink I'm in the wrong business.
Luke Wetzel (24:08):
That's your.
That's your own privateentrance there.
Biju Thomas (24:10):
That's just bg's, ah, thank you so if you're
walking down main street and yousee super fine sweet shop,
super fine sweets, shop.
Luke Wetzel (24:19):
It's bright yellow .
Yeah, hop in there, cool off,grab some super premium ice
cream.
Biju Thomas (24:23):
You walk in through there you walk past the
gorgeous oven and tap bar andyou come into this magical space
and get to meet this guy dude,this is wonderful uh, this is
super cool.
So you've got oven and tapobviously cranking super fine
sweets shop townie, townietownies on deck burgers and
babies townie burgers and Ovenand Tap obviously.
Luke Wetzel (24:39):
Crankin' Superfine Sweets Shop, townie Townie,
townie's on deck, burgers andBebbies.
Biju Thomas (24:43):
Townie Burgers and Bebbies.
Luke Wetzel (24:44):
Or maybe it's going to be on deck, I don't
know.
Biju Thomas (24:45):
A gorgeous patio, extended patio with a park
that's part of the restaurant.
Happening, it's all happening.
You got to be for real.
Look at what you did, look.
Luke Wetzel (24:57):
Look at what you did.
Look, yeah, totally.
I mean, it's been an incrediblejourney and we love Bentonville
and the greater northwestArkansas area for it, All right.
Biju Thomas (25:05):
This is awesome.
Thank you so much.
Appreciate you.
Good luck with everything andcan't wait to see it all
continue to happen here.
Bye from Visit Bentonville.
Thanks so much.
Thanks for joining.
Dining Out Bentonville, beyond the menu
behind the flavor Oop Bijou.
It's great to see you, ron.
Thank you so much for doingthis.
Welcome to Oven Tap.
Thank you, sir.
Hey everybody, welcome toanother episode of Dining Out
Bentonville with me, bijou.
This podcast brought to youproudly by the lovely folks at
Visa Bentonville.
Today we're sitting down withLuke Wetzel of one of my
(00:27):
favorite places here in townOven and Tap.
If you've been to Bentonvilleanywhere near the downtown
square, you've smelled thebeautiful wood-burning oven.
You know pushing out pizzas anddelicious food from this
gorgeous spot that's been herefor how many years?
Luke Wetzel (00:41):
Almost 10 years now, a little over 10 years
Incredible 10 years.
Biju Thomas (00:48):
You've got to be one of the original of this wave
of restaurants right?
Luke Wetzel (00:50):
Yes, so we started in 2015, in the spring, right?
I think our opening day was inthe Bentonville Film Festival.
Okay, so we opened up into thegreatest season of chaos
possible and it's such a greatway to just get thrown into the
fire, yeah.
Biju Thomas (01:07):
Let's go.
The film festival that used tobe right down here, yeah.
Luke Wetzel (01:12):
Yeah, they would use a lot of it downtown for the
screenings and they brought somany people to town.
I think we hosted one of theirbig parties that week and it was
just such a great way to kickit off.
It was a lot of fun.
Biju Thomas (01:27):
It is really cool hearing about the film festival
and how much impact it's had onlike all the different things
and people that it was able tobring into town.
I've got so many questions foryou.
To start with, I absolutelylove this restaurant for a very
simple reason Obviously, yourfood's good.
We're sitting in front of thisgorgeous wood-burning oven.
Food is always wonderful, butyour staff is just absolutely
wonderful all the time.
(01:48):
They're so just friendly andgracious and welcoming.
They're always just here totake care of the guests and I
personally, having been somebodyin the restaurant business for
a long time, I know right awayfrom the energy that they love
being in this space.
Right, they really love beinghere and looking after you and
your guests, and that isn'tsomething that just happens
(02:08):
overnight.
So I'm guessing you come from along line of restaurants and
having done this to be able tobring that culture.
Tell me about that.
Where did you start?
Luke Wetzel (02:18):
Well, I mean again , it all starts with the staff
and we're all here together tocreate an experience and really
participate with the staff.
And we're all here together tocreate a you know experience and
really participate with theguests.
And so, from day one, once youstart here, and from day one
oven and tap, we've put thatholistic experience, um, you
know, in front of everythingelse, because we understand that
(02:40):
it's not just about the food,it's not just about the food,
it's not just about thecocktails or whatever.
It takes every single personevery single night to make it
happen.
And we do our best to teach andcreate a culture where people
are able to learn and progressin life and it just becomes this
(03:01):
really fun, exciting place towork.
And again, as you said, youfeel that at the table and
that's just so important to usand everyone.
You know we incorporate theopen kitchen.
Everyone gets to be a part ofit and I think that's what
everyone really jives with here.
Biju Thomas (03:14):
Yeah, and the minute you walk in the door you
can feel it.
In addition to smelling all thedelicious food, you get that
energy from your staff.
You can see it on the faces ofall the guests here, and the
place is packed every night ofthe week, so obviously it's
working.
Now, for those of you who haveseen the rest of our episodes,
you know that at some pointwe're going to be making a
grilled cheese.
Today we're doing a little bitof a twist on it in that we're
(03:35):
going to actively go back thereand make the grilled cheese
together.
So make sure to stick aroundfor that.
It's a wonderful little take onthe pizzas they're already doing
.
It's going to be worth the wait.
From that back to yourbackground in restaurants.
I don't know if a lot of thefolks that come in here realize
that you were part of a team atAlice Waters' restaurant, chez
(03:57):
Panisse in San Francisco, inBerkeley, berkeley, yep In
Berkeley, and Chez Panisse hasshaped the entire landscape of
restaurants and chefs that havecome out since the 80s in the US
, who all came from thatCalifornia cuisine, modern
American cuisine that reallylaunched farm-to-table.
Luke Wetzel (04:18):
They did yes.
Biju Thomas (04:20):
What did you take away from there that you've
brought to us here?
Luke Wetzel (04:23):
Well, it's exactly that.
What did you take away fromthere that you've brought to us
here?
Well, it's exactly that.
And I think that you knowyou'll understand I have a mild
obsession with Chez Panisse andwhat they mean to the restaurant
or really just the foodindustry.
Again, pioneering the localseasonal cooking was very
important.
It was such an eye-openingexperience for me when I walked
into the building and it's, youknow, like that simple approach
(04:45):
to food, with respect to thepeople that put the hard work in
to grow it or raise it, andthen celebrating on the plate.
All that is harnessed here andI just found it to be such a
compelling way to cook.
And Chez Panisse was the firstplace I was introduced to the
wood burning oven.
So they had a wood burning oven, the wood burning grill, a big
wood-fired hearth, and I wasjust enamored with that style of
(05:08):
cooking, the challenge of itit's very intense and
understanding how to use thatcreatively.
We love to cook pizzas here andwe do cook a lot of them, but
we also do our wood-firededamame in the oven.
We do entrees out of the oven.
So we're always trying to becreative with the wood-burning
oven and that's just been onepiece of that experience, but
(05:33):
I've tried to adopt a lot oftheir approach to the way they
treat people, they treat foodand they engage their community.
Biju Thomas (05:41):
That's wonderful and you can get a sense of that
even as you're walking up.
Obviously, we're inBentainesville community.
That's wonderful and you canget a sense of that even as
you're walking up.
Obviously, we're in Bentonville, arkansas, where it's always
lush and green out.
But you've got, you know, thatvery natural wood, stone, cement
vibe in here.
It's not overdone, it'sbeautiful, but it lets the food
and the ingredients you use andyour staff like really shine.
You don't need massivechandeliers and you don't need a
(06:03):
bunch of, you know, hulkinessto make the place feel wonderful
.
And you've done that with this.
And if you've been here andyou've looked at the oven, this
might look like it just happened.
But are the bricks arkansasbricks?
Where do the bricks come from?
Luke Wetzel (06:18):
so the bricks were were made in italy.
Okay, um, and they have, um,they've been shipped over to the
us and assembled in inCalifornia, not too far from the
Bay Area, and it's the samebrickmakers and oven company
that we used at Chez Panisse.
Oh, wow, and I just decided,you know, the day I left Chez
Panisse, that I was going tohave one somewhere.
And here it is Nice, the firstthing we put in the restaurant,
(06:42):
built the rest around it, andthen we introduced the tap wall
shortly after.
So here you go, oven and tap.
Biju Thomas (06:48):
Ah, that's how you got the name.
So there was an oven.
You built the restaurant aroundthe restaurant, you built the
restaurant around the oven andyou have the name, which is a
perfect fit.
Luke Wetzel (06:57):
I did lose sleep over names for a while and I
think I woke up one morning andjust said let's call it what it
is.
That's fantastic.
It really resonates with whatwe do here Simple,
straightforward, artistic foodand, I just think, with the
local hardwoods that all ourfurniture is made of, and again,
(07:17):
the ambiance to the food.
There's an element of restraintwhich I think is a very
important piece of simple foodand we really, you know, hang
our hat on that here.
Biju Thomas (07:28):
Yeah, letting the food speak you know to what
you're doing instead of havingto overdo it with everything
else is wonderful.
I do love the hot honey pizzasthat y'all make here.
Luke Wetzel (07:36):
Yes, you and most other people.
Biju Thomas (07:43):
That has got to be the best, one of the best things
to eat.
Okay on on a given night.
How many pizzas are you puttingout?
Do you think on average?
Luke Wetzel (07:46):
um, that's a great question I'm going somewhere
with this.
We lose, count you know, Iwould say um two to three
hundred all right.
Biju Thomas (07:52):
Two to three hundred pizzas each one is
coming out of that single ovenright there yes each one of
those pizzas one at a time in.
Uh, that takes some skill and alittle bit of magic to make
that happen?
Luke Wetzel (08:03):
It does and it's it's an intense station and
again, um, I, I really love thatas a cook.
Um, and you know you knowcooking like that and engaging
the wood oven, um, it's a, it'sa challenge.
Um it, it really.
You know that.
You know you have to dedicate alot of your attention to it and
talk about facing the challenge.
I mean, you're staring at thatall night.
(08:25):
It's quick work, but it's alsoa lot of fun.
Biju Thomas (08:29):
Yeah, and if anybody's made pizzas at home,
one at a time, you know how hardit is to get one right.
The temperature has to be right, so the bottom lifts and the
edges and this you watch thecooks back here making pizzas.
Man, there's like two guysthere, you know they're just
like one prepping building.
One is manning the oven.
It is magical to watch like howquickly and how organized and
how symphonic it is to see itall happen.
(08:50):
It's pretty cool.
Luke Wetzel (08:51):
I've sat at the bar many times just watching the
oven at work so well, that'swhat it's here for and there's,
you know, as you notice, there'sno knobs or, uh, you know, any
gadgets, so you really have tofeel the oven and, um, you, you
know.
If you ask me what temperatureit is, I just say either it's
either hot or really hot.
And we engage it by throwingour hand in there for a few
(09:11):
moments, and if your hand's inthere for more than three
seconds, it's too cold.
Biju Thomas (09:15):
This is a good rule for home, like when you turn
the oven on.
That's how you say put yourhand in there.
Maybe don't do that.
Luke Wetzel (09:22):
Leave it to the professionals.
Biju Thomas (09:23):
Yeah, so how did you get to Bentonville?
Are you originally from here?
How did you get from SanFrancisco all the way to
Bentonville, arkansas, to open arestaurant?
Luke Wetzel (09:32):
Sure, grew up in Little Rock, arkansas, okay, and
eventually moved out.
I cooked for, you know, I wascooking since I was probably 15
just for cash in the pocket.
And I stumbled into arestaurant in Little Rock called
Boulevard Bread Company Okay,and the chef and owner of that I
had spent time at Chez Panissein California.
(09:53):
And I heard all these storiesand I decided I have to go.
I have to go see what it's allabout.
And that's when I just reallyit clicked to me that I can, you
know, turn being a chef into acareer Nice.
So I pursued that career inCalifornia with Chez Panisse and
my wife and I moved out therein probably 2005 or 2006.
(10:15):
And it was maybe six or sevenyears later.
We were at a wedding, at mybrother or my sister-in-law's
wedding in Aspen, and stumbledinto a conversation about
Bentonville oh, wow.
And where we weren't lookingfor a ticket back to Arkansas,
necessarily.
We were very happy exploringCalifornia.
You know, weekends in winecountry, all the great
(10:37):
restaurants Sorry about thewobbly table, yeah, yeah, no,
that was me.
Even very organic floors hereit adds to the charm, huh, yeah,
not looking for a ticket backto Arkansas, necessarily.
We love Arkansas.
We still have family here,still have friends here.
So eventually, you know, wealways had in our minds that we
would return to Arkansas.
We just weren't sure when.
And briefly after thatexperience in Aspen, we made a
(11:03):
few phone calls and all of asudden we're here in Bentonville
.
Yeah, I landed with 21 Seed atthe Hive to help open the Hive
Restaurant.
I was there for two years asthe executive sous chef.
Oh nice.
I helped them with some otherproperties.
They are near and dear to myheart.
I love the Hive.
I love all the 21Cs.
(11:23):
I mean, every time we're intotown with one we make sure to
stop in there.
But two years later, 2015, Imade the leap to open Oven and
Tap.
Oh man.
Biju Thomas (11:36):
So that was 2015,.
10 years ago.
How does it feel now?
Like I'm guessing, the crowdsweren't as big when you first
opened.
Luke Wetzel (11:43):
No, I feel like in you know, at least relative to
today, 2015, it was still, youknow, the sleepy old Bentonville
.
It was growing.
We had Crystal Bridges, we had21C.
I mean we had a lot of thingshappening for us, but it
certainly didn't feel like itdoes today.
And this side of Bentonville,you know, it was Oven and Tap
and it was our friends next door, ramo that did the olive oil
(12:06):
shop and we were kind of theonly food and beverage south of
Central and the square felt sofar away those days we would
look out from our deck and belike, oh my gosh, it's right
there, it's right there, rightlike it's right there.
But if you didn't have otherbusinesses it would seem like a
world away Totally.
But we certainly had like alittle FOMO of people on the
square.
But now that Bentonville'sgrown, you know, there's been
(12:29):
such a great progression ofdowntown and now we feel like
we're in the middle of it.
So we love our spot here andit's been a wild ride.
Biju Thomas (12:40):
And you're getting all the construction that's
happening out here.
You're getting this walkway.
What is the other word for it?
Promenade, promenade.
There we go.
That starts actually over by21C and continues all the way
across town into here.
And is this becoming a park infront, where the parking lot is?
Luke Wetzel (12:56):
it'll be a large green space park with promenade,
with the promenade walkway anda lot of built-in um amenities,
and then a small, a small stageand, you know, think about like
a single or a solo artist, or upto like a trio, like a very
small, small amphitheater to toaccommodate some live
entertainment.
Whoa, and we're looking forwardto it.
I mean, if there's anything Iwould trade, you know,
(13:19):
restaurant side parking or it'sprobably a beautiful green space
that's going to keep peopledown here all day long and we
look forward to to, you know, beable to participate in that and
and service everyone that wantsto come down that's really cool
because you could just come,get carry out, go sit on, the
sit in the park and have alovely picnic right here.
That sounds great how cool wouldthat could just come get carry
out.
Go sit in the park and have alovely picnic right here.
Biju Thomas (13:37):
That sounds great.
How cool would that be?
Just get all of this and youget all of this.
I mean it's incredible to bedown here.
I'm fortunate I get to livewithin walking distance so I can
walk over anytime and enjoy allof that.
So it's pretty cool.
All right, Before we go to makeand grill cheese, I've still
got a couple more questions foryou.
What is your favorite go-to onthe menu here?
What do you absolutely love?
Luke Wetzel (13:59):
I was waiting on this one and I'm still
unprepared.
Okay, All right, I'll rattleoff a few of mine.
We can go for it.
I mean my initial response andit's my love of pizza and I just
think the purest pizza is themargarita, or even the marinara.
Okay, and so I will go to that.
If I go to other pizzarestaurants, I hit those just as
(14:20):
a good baseline, but it neverdisappoints and so it's my go-to
here.
Biju Thomas (14:26):
I mean, you look fit for a guy that eats a lot of
pizzas.
You look like you're in goodshape, so you're doing something
right.
Luke Wetzel (14:31):
Well, I have to try to do rule of three every
year, did you?
Do this weekend yeah, did youget a burrito?
Biju Thomas (14:36):
no, we made that, we made this, it was burritos it
was not my best day all rightnext, next year, um, and also
the cheese here on your pizzasis lovely and it's so fresh and
so stretchy.
Do you make all the cheese inhouse with some of the cheese in
house, or which?
Luke Wetzel (14:50):
we don't quite have the facilities to make our
cheese in house, but what we dois we source fresh mozzarella
curd Nice, so it's not.
If you see fresh mozzarellastore, it's either shaped into a
ball.
But we buy the very fresh curdand we simply chop it up, season
it with a little salt andthat's what dolps our pizza.
Biju Thomas (15:07):
Yeah, it has that softness to it and it's still
stretchy, which it just feels sofresh and different than just a
regular.
Anyway, even really good pizzawhen you get really good fresh
mozz, it's so good yeah wereally love this mozz.
Luke Wetzel (15:19):
It's got the mild sweetness and again we don't you
know.
And back into the simple food.
We don't touch it Like we letit.
We buy a great cheese and so wesimply just chop it up and put
on the pizza.
Biju Thomas (15:33):
That's awesome and I didn't mean to cut you off
that fast.
The great cheese is awesome onits own.
Luke Wetzel (15:40):
But for the grilled cheese I did do the hand
stretch, so I took the curd andformed it into the mozzarella
balls that will slice up andmelt onto the sandwich.
Biju Thomas (15:49):
All right, If this grilled cheese happens to be the
best thing we eat today, it mayhave to make an appearance once
in a while on a special menu.
Just a suggestion.
I'm just throwing that out.
Luke Wetzel (15:58):
there we're always good for a few surprises here.
Our menu changes often.
We like to do specials,depending on what comes, you
know, coming off the farm or youknow, whatever it may be.
We like to, we like to keep youon your toes Nice.
Biju Thomas (16:12):
Do you have partners in the business?
Do you have family in thebusiness?
Luke Wetzel (16:21):
How does this all work together?
So I have an operationalpartner, Molly Mullis, or Molly
Mullis Murphy.
She's married now, but she'sbeen in it with me since the
start.
Very cool, and we love thisrestaurant with all our hearts
and we couldn't do it withouteach other.
Biju Thomas (16:30):
That's fantastic, man.
That's awesome because we canfeel it, you can taste it, you
can sense it.
With that, we should go make agrilled cheese.
You ready?
Luke Wetzel (16:37):
yeah, I'm ready all right, so it's oven and tap
grilled cheese time.
This is a.
This is the the first grilledcheese at oven and tap special
request for visit bentonvilleviewers only at grilled cheese.
Look at this.
Yeah, so this is our pizzadough.
It's a 36 hour pizza dough,fermented um over a few nights.
It's ready for us.
We've made a few smaller onesfor these sandwiches, but I'm
(16:59):
going to start with a stretchedout pizza dough.
A little olive oil, a littlesea salt and then we're just
going to gently fold this over.
We're not going to tap it inbecause we're going to open it
back up and build our sandwich.
A little more olive oil.
We got our oven to, like youknow, kind of hot.
Yeah, it's hot, no dials, butwe're feeling it.
So we're going to bake thatuntil it's nice and browned and
(17:23):
puffed up a little bit, and thenwe'll pull it back out and put
it on some of our hand-stretchedmozzarella.
So we took some of thatbeautiful curd earlier today and
we've stretched it into themozzarella balls you might find
in the supermarket.
We like to do it that you knowthat fresh to order, because
it's just so beautiful.
Then we're going to garnish ouror garnish our sandwich with
(17:46):
all these cream greens.
So I went to Tuckaway Farms,which is here in Bentonville
yeah, um, good friends of oursand went to the farm, maybe
unannounced, and picked up somegreens.
So we got all kinds of greens inhere from chard, spinach and
arugula, some of the radish tops, and then turned it into like a
(18:07):
creamy spread for ourmozzarella.
So this will be like anultimate grilled cheese.
And then we took some of theradishes and cucumbers from the
farm and made pickles for a nicebright side.
Biju Thomas (18:17):
Gorgeous.
How long does the oven holdheat, Like once it fires out?
How long does it still stay?
Luke Wetzel (18:22):
I mean these Italian bricks, whatever you
know, whatever the Italians doto the bricks, yeah, when we
walk in here the next morningafter, you know, a dinner
service, it's still at 500degrees or so.
So we recapture the heat prettyquickly and which, you know,
gives us a lot, a great sourceof fuel.
We cook a lot of our vegetablesin the oven.
We've even done some overnightroasting and things like
(18:45):
braising and things like that.
So we try to utilize it as muchas possible.
Um, and it's just, it's soefficient that we uh, you know,
we just get to do all these funthings with it.
But here's our, here's oursandwich dough.
Sorry about the swing there.
So we'll see you get some ofthe nice caramelization and then
we'll crack it open and we havethis beautiful oh man, uh pizza
(19:08):
dough ready to go there.
I'll start by slicing some ofour mozzarella.
You should give this a littlelittle taste, tell me.
Huh, so a few thin slices ofthat.
Biju Thomas (19:24):
So in case there's a big storm blows through, like
later today, power outage, youcan get a few pizzas out of here
, at least before you need light.
Luke Wetzel (19:33):
Yes, we've done that before.
A few years ago, a big stormrolled through.
I think the entire square wasdown in power and we were chock
full with all these great guests.
Our staff put cans on the table.
We had no light.
Obviously, some of the otherrestaurant, the fryers were down
, but we kept rolling pizzas andeveryone loved it.
Biju Thomas (19:51):
Man, that is awesome, that is such a cool
vibe the storm shuts it down.
Luke Wetzel (19:56):
It really was, and we're like you know.
Hey, we're scrappy, we're goingto make it through this man,
look at that.
But this is some of the cream,greens, so radishes, chard,
spinach, all the things you know.
Just, I'm not saying it's goingto make it any healthier, but
it'll certainly make it moredelicious.
Looks wonderful.
So we'll do that.
Biju Thomas (20:14):
We'll fold it back over and and then I see some
Aleppo chilies you got some.
Luke Wetzel (20:18):
So those are kind of three staple seasonings Salt,
black pepper and Aleppo.
We love it all.
I love the Aleppo because itgives that that spicy but not
spicy.
Right yeah, spice but not spicy.
Biju Thomas (20:31):
Lovely flavored chili flakes.
Look at that ground.
I use it a lot here.
It's wonderful.
Luke Wetzel (20:36):
It's got the great color and then again, just like
a kind of a smoky spice versusthe crushed red chili, fake.
Biju Thomas (20:44):
This can get either hot or not hot yep, beautiful.
Luke Wetzel (20:48):
So we got this back on the deck in here.
We're just gonna let the cheesemelt.
We'll flip it a few times.
I like to add a little pressureso we get that nice.
Um, you know, and-.
Biju Thomas (20:57):
That's an old world technique of cooking, totally
Right, and it's just also themost modern way of cooking.
At the same time, the besttasting food, the nicest food
you get all has real flame andsmoke.
Look at that, yeah.
Luke Wetzel (21:13):
Give it a little shot of I just love the
caramelization of the dough andit'll give us a nice little
crunch and chew at the same time.
That's beautiful.
So we can play.
First I'll just throw, I'll hitus up with some of these
pickles.
So this is pickled radish witha little turmeric kind of a
bread and butter pickle and thenlittle cucumbers with just a
little salt, sugar and vinegarand ice water, so they're so
(21:35):
crunchy and delicious.
That'll be a nice balance tothis rather decadent real cheese
cream.
Biju Thomas (21:41):
Lovely sir, go through there, sprinkles, look
at that.
Okay, I was a little suspectabout the greens.
The leaves Is there spinach?
Luke Wetzel (21:57):
in there Spinach chard, there's radish greens,
there's scallions and fennel inthere.
That's wonderful.
So it's a little bit of anupdated cream spinach idea I do
think it's a fun touch, though.
Biju Thomas (22:12):
Okay, why 36-hour dough While I'm eating?
You can explain.
Luke Wetzel (22:20):
The best way to create flavor in the pizza dough
is that long fermentation Longcold fermentation allows the
yeast to develop fully and itgives this really delicious,
sweet and again kind of like ayeasty flavor on our dough.
Biju Thomas (22:36):
The dough is perfectly pillowy and soft
inside, while having a nicecrispy crunch outer crust.
A lot of good chew.
Yeah, it has structure to it.
It isn't just either thin andhard or doughy, it's got a
perfect bite to it.
If you're sensing, I loveeverything that's happening here
, I appreciate that.
Um, so, while we're working,you know, while we're eating
here too, I see a lot ofconstruction happening.
(22:57):
Yes, um, you got somethinggoing on next door.
What's happening here?
Luke Wetzel (23:01):
Yeah, that is so a lot of construction.
And then we're about to see alot of construction in the park
but new restaurant TownieBurgers and Bevies.
We're going to open that latesummer, townie Townie.
Townie Burgers and Bevies.
All right, perfect.
So it's a little nod toBentonville still being a town
which we you know we loveBentonville.
We want to continue to supportit.
Yeah, and so we want it to bethat neighborhood spot.
(23:23):
You can stop in, grab a bite,grab a beverage, listen to some
music, have fun with friends andthen be on your way.
So late summer, early fall,we're going to get there.
Biju Thomas (23:37):
Is that going to be about the same size?
You're going to have a bigpatio back here.
Luke Wetzel (23:41):
About the same footprint as Oven and Tap, plus
a big patio, which will be greatto welcome the park, the
Quilted Park's, into play.
Oh man, so we're excited aboutthat.
And then we also have ourSuperfine Sweet Shop behind Oven
and Tap.
Biju Thomas (23:54):
Superfine, sweet.
So if you're walking off thesquare, what street is that?
Main street, yeah, main streetright there, and you can come in
through that door into almondand tap right, correct?
Yeah, yeah, because I've walked.
I've done that.
I thought I did thataccidentally because I walked
out that way and it's like Ithink I'm in the wrong business.
Luke Wetzel (24:08):
That's your.
That's your own privateentrance there.
Biju Thomas (24:10):
That's just bg's, ah, thank you so if you're
walking down main street and yousee super fine sweet shop,
super fine sweets, shop.
Luke Wetzel (24:19):
It's bright yellow .
Yeah, hop in there, cool off,grab some super premium ice
cream.
Biju Thomas (24:23):
You walk in through there you walk past the
gorgeous oven and tap bar andyou come into this magical space
and get to meet this guy dude,this is wonderful uh, this is
super cool.
So you've got oven and tapobviously cranking super fine
sweets shop townie, townietownies on deck burgers and
babies townie burgers and Ovenand Tap obviously.
Luke Wetzel (24:39):
Crankin' Superfine Sweets Shop, townie Townie,
townie's on deck, burgers andBebbies.
Biju Thomas (24:43):
Townie Burgers and Bebbies.
Luke Wetzel (24:44):
Or maybe it's going to be on deck, I don't
know.
Biju Thomas (24:45):
A gorgeous patio, extended patio with a park
that's part of the restaurant.
Happening, it's all happening.
You got to be for real.
Look at what you did, look.
Luke Wetzel (24:57):
Look at what you did.
Look, yeah, totally.
I mean, it's been an incrediblejourney and we love Bentonville
and the greater northwestArkansas area for it, All right.
Biju Thomas (25:05):
This is awesome.
Thank you so much.
Appreciate you.
Good luck with everything andcan't wait to see it all
continue to happen here.
Bye from Visit Bentonville.
Thanks so much.
Thanks for joining.
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