Food

There’s a new uncle in town, and with a creative menu of appetizers, tacos and margaritas served in a fun atmosphere, this uncle may soon become everyone’s favorite.

When Skinny J’s owner James Best closed Eleanor’s Pizzeria last August, he and his staff had already been working on a new concept for nearly two years. Named for his oldest daughter, Eleanor, the pizzeria opened in Downtown Jonesboro at 211 S. Main St. in May 2017. By that time, Best had opened Skinny J’s restaurants in Jonesboro, Paragould and North Little Rock and has since opened a Skinny J’s in Conway.

Best and his wife, Emily, have three children: Eleanor, 8, and twins Charlie and Willa, 4. In addition to the restaurants, he also farms rice and soybeans in Cash. With a busy lifestyle and young family, once the pizzeria closed, he opted to take his time remodeling the downtown restaurant space.

Although the closing of Eleanor’s was bittersweet for Best and his staff, they were ready to bring a different concept to downtown. The new restaurant, Uncle Taco, officially opened on Feb. 2 following a soft opening.