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Cotham's Mercantile

5301 Highway 161 South, Scott, AR - (501) 961-9284
Cotham's Mercantile is perched on stilts above a slow-flowing river. Enter a swinging door into a dining room packed literally to the ceiling with vintage house and farm bric-a-brac. Customers come for hearty noonday meals built around catfish, chicken-fried steak, or chicken-fried chicken. Or try the immense Hubcap Hamburger.
83% Approval Rating (12 votes)

Scorecard

4 - Overall: One of the Best - Worth a Trip
Overall: One of the Best - Worth a Trip
Fried Pie
Hubcap Hamburger
Onion Rings

Highlighted Reviews

rating
Michael Stern - Photos (8)
Roadfood.com Editor
"In the Grand Prairie about a half hour southeast of Little Rock, Cotham's Mercantile is perched on stilts above a slow-flowing river. Built in 1917, it has been a general store, a jail, and a military commissary. Contemporary Arkansans know it as a plate-lunch ..."   [Read More]
rating
Beth Moneymaker
March 13, 2008
"My husband came here when he was at a military training school, and he loved it so much that we made a special stop on our cross-country trip to another duty station. It doesn't look like much on the outside, or the inside for that matter, but the food is great. We ..."   [Read More]

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Map & Web Site

5301 Highway 161 South, Scott, AR
(501) 961-9284

Hours & Policies

Seasons:Open Year Round
Meals Served:Lunch
Operational Hours:Always Call Ahead!
Credit Cards Accepted:No
Alcohol Served:No
Outdoor Seating:No
Reservations Accepted:No
Delivery Available:No
Takeout Counters:No
Cotham's makes an especially good version of that popular Arkansas dessert, fried pie.  This one is apricot.
"Cotham's makes an especially good version of that popular Arkansas dessert, fried pie. This one is apricot."
Cliff Strutz





This gargantua is a hubcap hamburger on a full-size dinner plate. Also available are hubcap cheeseburgers and hubcap jalapeno cheeseburgers. Those are onion rings in the background.
"This gargantua is a hubcap hamburger on a full-size dinner plate. Also available are hubcap cheeseburgers and hubcap jalapeno cheeseburgers. Those are onion rings in the background."
Michael Stern


Chicken fried steak blanketed with gravy is an everyday lunch special; it comes with two vegetables and regular or jalapeno-spiked cornbread.
"Chicken fried steak blanketed with gravy is an everyday lunch special; it comes with two vegetables and regular or jalapeno-spiked cornbread."
Michael Stern


Southern fried chicken is an every-Thursday lunch special.
"Southern fried chicken is an every-Thursday lunch special."
Michael Stern


The onion rings are large, rugged, and lightly battered, and are the perfect side for a Cotham's burger.
"The onion rings are large, rugged, and lightly battered, and are the perfect side for a Cotham's burger."
Cliff Strutz


Above the kitchen door is a portrait of the house specialty.
"Above the kitchen door is a portrait of the house specialty."
Michael Stern


Remote as it is, Cotham's is packed every day at noon. Its motto is 'Where the Elite Meet to Eat.'
"Remote as it is, Cotham's is packed every day at noon. Its motto is 'Where the Elite Meet to Eat.'"
Michael Stern


People come from all over the U.S. to eat hubcap hamburgers at Cotham's Mercantile.
"People come from all over the U.S. to eat hubcap hamburgers at Cotham's Mercantile."
Michael Stern


Tony Perrin is the Arkansas tipster who brought us to Cotham's Mercantile. Here we are after lunch, happy and well-fed!
"Tony Perrin is the Arkansas tipster who brought us to Cotham's Mercantile. Here we are after lunch, happy and well-fed!"
Michael Stern


Built in 1917, Cotham's Mercantile was originally a general store; it started serving lunch to local farmers in 1984 and it has since become a Roadfood beacon.
"Built in 1917, Cotham's Mercantile was originally a general store; it started serving lunch to local farmers in 1984 and it has since become a Roadfood beacon."
Michael Stern



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