Copeland?s Breaks Ground on Rogers Restaurant

Construction began in September on an 8,000-SF Copeland’s Famous New Orleans Restaurant and Bar in Rogers. The restaurant on 46th Street is expected to open early next year.

Copeland’s Restaurant was founded in New Orleans by Al Copeland in 1983 and began franchising in late 1993.

Copeland’s cuisine consists of the company’s signature dishes such as the Onion Mum, Pasta Shrimp Luan, Eggplant Pirogue, Cajun Gumbo Ya Ya, Veal Copeland, Shrimp Ducky, Ricochet Catfish, Mile and a Half High Pie and Bananas Foster, as well as standard Creole favorites such as shrimp or crawfish étouffée.

“Many people think of Cajun and Creole food as very hot and spicy,” said Joe Lisuzzo, one of the owners. “Although our menu will be far from bland, the spices used in a majority of the dishes make the food extremely tasty, not simply hot.”

Copeland’s has been voted “Best Cajun Restaurant” for the past nine years in a row by readers of New Orleans Magazine.

The Rogers restaurant and bar will seat about 300 people. A New Orleans-style Spanish courtyard will seat another 50.

This Rogers location is a franchise owned and operated by Cardinal Enterprises LLC, a group of Arkansas investors consisting of Joe and Jane Lisuzzo of Bella Vista, John Bliss of Fayetteville, Beau Beard of McGehee and Joe and Jackie Muha of Bella Vista. Cardinal Enterprises plans to open several more Copeland’s locations across the country during the next several years.