The Root Cafe in SoMa, Little Rock Receives $50,000 in National Grant Funding

Today, The Root Cafe received $50,000 from the Backing Historic Small Restaurants Grant Program, a program presented by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and American Express. The Root Cafe is an award-winning farm-to-table restaurant in the SoMa neighborhood of downtown Little Rock; The Root’s mission is Building Community through Local Food, and their menu features ingredients from farmers and producers all over Arkansas. Over 75% of their overall food cost is spent locally, ranking The Root in the top half of 1% for farm-to-table restaurants nationwide. This funding will support beautification and improvement projects to the outside of The Root’s historic building at 15th and Main Street, which was home for decades to the iconic Sweden Creme Restaurant. The projects will include new energy-efficient windows, fresh paint, updates to their outdoor patio space, lighting repairs, and new signage.

The Root Cafe is one of 50 historic small restaurants across the country to receive this grant. Owners Jack Sundell and Corri Bristow-Sundell were thrilled to receive the grant: “This funding will be a huge help in allowing us to beautify and refurbish our little corner of SoMa. These projects will not only make our building more attractive from Main Street, but it will help us make our old building more energy-efficient and easier to keep cool in the summer.” 

“The Root Cafe’s commitment and mission manifests in one of SoMa’s defining and cornerstone businesses,” says SoMa 501 Little Rock, Inc. Executive Director Elizabeth Michael.
“With preservation in the DNA of SoMa 501’s mission, we look forward to The Root’s historic building improvements.”  

The Root Cafe’s SoMa location has been open for 13 years. They are also in the process of opening a west Little Rock location in Breckenridge Village, with an expected opening date of late 2024.

To learn more about The Root Cafe, get in touch, or view its menu, please visit their website, linked below.

To see the full list and learn more about this year’s Backing Historic Small Restaurants grantees, please visit the link below.