If Arkansas were looking for a new nickname, “The Cheese Dip State” would be an apt contender. The dish has a spot of honor at restaurants from Lake Village to Russellville, and not just at the Tex-Mex joints one might expect. Some of the establishments most famous for their cheese dip, such as Izzy’s in Little Rock and Stoby’s in Conway and Russellville, hardly have any other Tex-Mex items on the menu at all.
The dish is not only beloved by diners but is a favorite among home chefs, for whom cheese dip is the easy answer to questions such as, “What should I bring to the potluck?” or “What are we serving at the Super Bowl party?” As effortless as it is versatile, cheese dip recipes can be as complicated as people make them or as simple as a can of Ro-Tel and a package of Velveeta melted together.
It is no wonder that Arkansans love cheese dip. After all, the state stakes its claim as the birthplace of the delightful, lactose-laden dish.
In fact, legend has it that the tradition began at a restaurant many Arkansans may be familiar with today — Mexico Chiquito (as seen in this article’s feature image). According to the restaurant’s website, which proudly bills itself as “Home of the Original Cheese Dip,” cheese dip was invented by founder Blackie Donnally at the dirt-floor restaurant in the Protho Junction area of North Little Rock in 1935. (The restaurant also claims to be the originator of fruit punch.)
The 2009 film “In Queso Fever: A Movie About Cheese Dip,” directed by Arkansan Nick Rogers, explores the history of the dish, including interviews at the now-closed Little Rock restaurant Juanitas, a bygone gem famous for its cheese dip. According to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas, the film was the impetus for the World Cheese Dip Championship, which began in North Little Rock in 2010.
In addition to the World Cheese Dip Championship, Arkansas pays homage to its cheesy history with the Arkansas Cheese Dip Trail, which includes such cheese dip landmarks as Izzy’s, Loca Luna and Cheers in the Heights in Little Rock; Faby’s Restaurant in Conway; Flying Burrito Co. in Fayetteville; Taco Mama in Hot Springs; and, of course, Stoby’s…