Hill Station Nears Opening in Hillcrest

Hill Station at at 2712 Kavanaugh Blvd. in Little Rock.

The opening of Little Rock’s Hill Station, the restaurant occupying the remodeled and expanded Helmich Auto Service site at 2712 Kavanaugh Blvd., is eagerly anticipated.

Everyone wants to know when it will open, of course, but the most that restaurant manager Tara Brown would offer was “soon.”

Your Whispers staff turns that corner almost every day, and we can report that everything in the handsome 1,700-SF structure, designed by architect Tommy Jameson, looks in readiness. Brown said last week that just a few last-minute details remained to be completed.

As for the menu, Brown describes it as “neighborhood-friendly casual dining.” The sandwiches will be similar to those served at HAM Market across the street, the deli and specialty grocery shop formerly known as District Fare and before that as Hillcrest Artisan Meats. Both Hill Station and HAM are owned by Little Rock restaurateur Daniel Bryant. Brandon Brown, Tara’s husband, runs HAM and will be running the Hill Station kitchen.

Hill Station will be grinding its own meat for burgers, Tara Brown said, which will be available every day at Hill Station; those burgers now are offered only on Fridays at HAM.

Hill Station will have soup every day, salads, appetizers and a few set entrees, along with daily rotating specials.

It also will have a full bar, with four red wines, two white wines and champagne on tap. An additional 13 taps will feature local and craft beers as well as other domestic offerings.

The restaurant has seating for 72.

An old-fashioned soda fountain occupies the old Helmich garage space. Tara Brown said Bryant drove to Chicago to buy the Bastian-Blessing soda fountain, a name that drove Whispers to Google. “Bastian-Blessing was not only one of the earliest manufacturers of soda fountains, but the finest,” or so says the Planet Retro blog.

“You can get a milkshake or a fountain soda,” Tara said. “We’ll make our own syrup. And we’re going to have a happy hour for kids after school at the soda fountain.”