Don’t get it twisted

A deeper dive into the businesses that make up Texarkana

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Sara Havel

A Twisted Fork employee prepares tacos. Twisted From has a variety of foods for their customers to choose from.

Story by Nashita Kalam, News/Feature Editor

The smell of fragrant southern food fills the air. Waiters carry plates to crowded tables. Businessmen and casual lunch dates alike chatter and enjoy the food. Live music fills the air, and, on occasion, a person calls out a question for their trivia night. 

Twisted Fork Grill and Lounge serves as a local casual dining space located on the intersection of Summerhill and Moores. They have a menu filled with southern cuisine and hold trivia nights on Saturdays. They contribute to the Texarkana community by filling stomachs and supporting other locals.

“Twisted Fork came out of the idea of having a neighborhood bar and grill where everyone feels welcome,” Twisted Fork general manager Jodi Griffin said. “We are casual dining, with live entertainment, trivia and a private room that many of Texarkana’s nonprofit organizations use for their board meetings. We also try to donate and participate in as many fundraisers as we can.”

As a local business, they plan on hosting something to honor Texarkana’s 150th year celebration. It is uncertain exactly what, but something is coming.

Twisted Fork represents Texarkana in many ways.

— Jodi Griffin

“We are working on something to celebrate Texarkana’s 150th anniversary, but haven’t decided on anything yet,” Griffin said.

The restaurant gives Texarkana a good name with their award winning dishes and willingness to spotlight local talents. 

“Twisted Fork represents Texarkana in many ways. We placed second in the World Championship of Stuart Pennington’s Running of the Tubs in Hot Springs, Ark. in 2022 with plans to compete again in 2023,” Griffin said. “We’ve also sponsored kickball teams and highlight local musicians on the weekend.”

Twisted Fork makes a great place to hang out because of the delicious food and chill atmosphere, so it’s not a surprise that so many love to dine there. 

“I really like Twisted Fork because the environment is really cool. It’s just more relaxed which makes it such a fun place to go at night,” junior Anna Bius said. “It’s such a cool place to have in Texarkana, and it has really good food.”