St. Joe is not a town where you want to arrive late and hope several restaurants are still open. If you’re searching for the best restaurant St Joe Arkansas has to offer, start with Ferguson’s Country Store and Restaurant.
The local dining scene is small, but the choices are useful. You can get a full sit-down meal, Cajun seafood, smoked meats, or a quick country-store stop. The right pick depends on your schedule and what you want to eat.
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Best restaurant St Joe Arkansas for most travelers: Ferguson’s
Ferguson’s Country Store and Restaurant is the strongest all-around choice in St. Joe. It has the clearest current meal schedule, the broadest published dinner selection, and enough variety for a group with different preferences.
The current Searcy County dining guide lists Ferguson’s alongside Big Springs Trading Company, Craw Billy’s Seafood Boil, and Grice’s St. Joe. Ferguson’s is the best restaurant St Joe Arkansas choice for most travelers who want a proper meal instead of a convenience-store stop or specialty food purchase.
St. Joe is a small-town dining stop, not a restaurant district. Plan around the hours first, then choose the menu.
What to order at Ferguson’s
Ferguson’s current restaurant information lists breakfast, lunch, and dinner service on its busiest days. Dinner items include steaks, catfish, brisket, rodeo burgers, and a jalapeño pimento burger.
Catfish is the practical choice if you want a familiar Arkansas restaurant meal. Brisket works better for barbecue fans, while the burgers make sense when you want something simple and filling. The jalapeño pimento burger gives you a less standard option without moving away from the restaurant’s country-style menu.
Breakfast is available Sunday, Monday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Lunch is listed for Sunday, Monday, and Thursday. On Friday and Saturday, Ferguson’s adds dinner service, making those the safest days for a full evening meal.
Address, phone, and hours
Ferguson’s is at 121 E Highway 333, Saint Joe, AR 72675. The listed phone number is (870) 439-2234.
Current listed hours are:
- Sunday, Monday, and Thursday: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Friday and Saturday: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Tuesday and Wednesday: closed
The schedule is easy to work with if you’re driving through during the day. Friday and Saturday are the best choices for dinner. Before leaving your hotel or changing your route, call ahead and check the Ferguson’s local Facebook post for current information. Small-town restaurant hours can change for holidays, staffing, or private events.
Other St. Joe restaurants worth considering
Ferguson’s is the practical first choice, but it isn’t the only place to eat. The other St. Joe options work better for certain types of meals.
Craw Billy’s Seafood Boil for Cajun seafood
Craw Billy’s is the better pick when seafood is the main reason you’re stopping. Local listings describe it as a Cajun and Creole seafood restaurant, which gives it a different role from Ferguson’s country cooking and Big Springs’ smoked meats.
The listed address is 12633 N Highway 65, Saint Joe, AR 72675-1402. The Searcy County Chamber lists the phone number as (479) 903-2238.
Current listings don’t provide a dependable full schedule, so Craw Billy’s needs more planning. Call before driving there, especially for dinner or on a Sunday. If the restaurant is open and seafood is what you want, this is the clearest alternative to Ferguson’s.
Big Springs Trading Company for smoked meats
Big Springs Trading Company is a good fit for travelers who want smoked meats, cheeses, and country-store food rather than a long restaurant meal. The Chamber lists it as a St. Joe dining option and describes its smoked meats and cheeses.
The address is 14237 North Highway 65, St. Joe, AR 72675. The listed phone number is (870) 439-2900.
Published directory hours show:
- Sunday and Wednesday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Thursday through Saturday: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
No Monday or Tuesday hours are shown in that listing. That makes Big Springs useful for a planned daytime stop, but not a place to assume will be open every day. Buy smoked food for the road, pick up cheese for a hotel room, or use it as a quick Highway 65 stop.
Grice’s St. Joe for convenience
Grice’s is listed as both a convenience store and restaurant. It makes sense when you need fuel, basic supplies, and food in one stop. It is also a practical backup when a full-service restaurant doesn’t fit your timing.
The Chamber listing gives the phone number as (870) 439-8800. Current dependable hours and a full menu aren’t clearly listed, so call before making Grice’s your planned meal.
This is not the strongest choice for a special dinner. It is the useful choice when convenience matters more than a sit-down restaurant experience.
Blue Grass Café for an additional local option
Blue Grass Café appears in local St. Joe business listings at 14189 Hwy 65. The listed phone numbers are (870) 439-2058 and (870) 688-7460.
Directory hours show Wednesday through Monday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., with no Tuesday hours listed. That schedule makes it a daytime option for breakfast or lunch. Because menu information is limited, call first if you’re choosing it for a specific dish.
Choose the best stop for your travel plan
The best restaurant St Joe Arkansas option changes when your route, arrival time, or meal preference changes. Use this simple breakdown:
- Choose Ferguson’s for the most complete sit-down meal, especially on Friday or Saturday evening.
- Choose Craw Billy’s when Cajun food or seafood is the priority.
- Choose Big Springs Trading Company for smoked meats, cheeses, and food to take with you.
- Choose Grice’s when you need a fast, practical stop with convenience-store access.
- Choose Blue Grass Café when you’re looking for a daytime local option and its hours fit your route.
Highway 65 is the main reference point for several of these businesses. Ferguson’s is on Highway 333, while Big Springs, Craw Billy’s, and Blue Grass Café are listed along Highway 65. Check the address before leaving because St. Joe’s streets and highway numbers are easy to mix up when you’re unfamiliar with the area.
If you’re staying in a nearby hotel, eat earlier than you would in a larger city. A late arrival can leave you with limited choices, particularly when Ferguson’s is closed and Craw Billy’s hours haven’t been confirmed.
Nearby Searcy County alternatives when St. Joe timing fails
The restaurant choices outside St. Joe are also spread across small communities, so backup planning helps. The local listings include The Gilbert Café in Gilbert, another Searcy County option. Current hours and menu details are not as clearly published as Ferguson’s, so call before making a separate trip.
If your route continues toward the county seat, the Experience Searcy dining guide is a useful place to check restaurants, hotels, events, and activities in Searcy. That is the better option when you need a larger selection or a meal that fits a hotel stay.
Don’t treat Searcy and St. Joe as the same dining area. They are separate stops, and a restaurant search for Searcy can return results that aren’t close to St. Joe. Confirm the town, address, and closing time before setting your route.
Final thoughts
Ferguson’s Country Store and Restaurant is the safest overall answer for the best restaurant St Joe Arkansas search. Its menu covers breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and the published hours make it easier to plan than the other local choices.
Craw Billy’s is the better seafood option. Big Springs works for smoked meats and food to take with you, while Grice’s and Blue Grass Café fill more specific convenience and daytime needs. Check hours by phone before traveling, then choose the stop that matches your meal and arrival time.
