LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — There’s something special about finding hidden gems and that’s exactly what we did in this week’s edition of Eat It Up!
Milford Track is a quaint restaurant discreetly nestled in the Searcy Building at WestLake Corporate Park in West Little Rock. You won’t find any flashy signs or attention-grabbing markings, rather, it’s word-of-mouth that has grown this unique restaurant into what it is today.
The food you’ll enjoy at Milford Track is clean and fresh, never processed. In fact they believe in clean food so much that they handmake everything, even their pasta noodles! Speaking of which, we LOVED their spinach pasta with homemade marinara sauce, both of which are made daily. When it comes ingredients, every single item is hand picked by owner Carla Rackley. If her hands don’t touch it, it isn’t served. That’s what we call home-style!
So what’s the story behind this place? It opened nearly 33 years ago by Granny. Granny had traveled to New Zealand and hiked a popular trail known as Milford Track. On this popular trail you can live off the land. Locals are known for their diligent recycling and being good stewards of what Mother Nature has provided. It’s this spirit of sustainability and freshness that Granny fell in love with and inspired what now has become a popular restaurant rich with history.
The menu is EXPANSIVE! From pastas, sandwiches, salads, omelets, hamburgers, it’s next to impossible to not find something to fall in love with on the menu. Have dietary restrictions? No problem! Carla and her team are experts in crafting just the right recipe without sacrificing quality to meet your needs.
Speaking of their menu, they actually have two! Wait, what? Let us explain.
When the pandemic struck, many long-time customers, including Carla’s mother, couldn’t safely get food. Carla went to work! Initially this wasn’t a business pivot, rather just an effort to take care of her loved ones. But the food was SO good this new meal-service quickly became a lifeline for Milford Track through the toughest part of the pandemic.
Still to this day, Milford Track offers prepared meals that can be ordered and even delivered. And the menu changes every week! This has been wildly popular for families, nurses, and elderly.
No doubt Milford Track is one of central Arkansas’s most hidden gems, and for good reason. A restaurant simply doesn’t keep the doors open for over 30 years without having superior food and quality customer service. The legacy of Milford Track lives on!