IDK? Caf Expands With Rogers Location

IDK? Café in Bentonville is opening a second location, this time in Rogers, at the former Back Yard Burgers location at 4301 Pleasant Crossing Blvd.

IDK? Café owner Justin Eaton, who has been in the restaurant business for about 20 years, said he previously worked at Back Yard Burgers. When the property opened up last year, he seized the opportunity to lease the building and expand his business.

The restaurant invested about $50,000 in property renovations that included building partitions in the dining room, Eaton said. At the time of publication, the restaurant was scheduled to open April 25.

The original IDK? Café, founded in August 2014, will remain open. It is located on the bottom floor of the Bentonville Plaza at 609 W. Eighth St. and serves breakfast and lunch, Monday through Friday.

The Rogers location is expanding IDK? Café’s offerings to include dinner, and the restaurant will be open every day.

Eaton said the new kitchen will also provide much-needed additional space for the restaurant’s catering business, IDK? Café Grillin’ & Smokin’ Up the Ozarks, and its work with Head Start of Washington County.

IDK? Café provides meals and snacks for 300 to 350 children per day, Monday through Friday, for the program.

The meals must meet the USDA’s Child and Adult Care Food Program nutrition guidelines to include fresh fruits and vegetables, in addition to low-sugar and low-sodium ingredients.

The program also exposes the children to cuisines from different cultures, Eaton said. For example, IDK? Café has served the Head Start children chicken masala, tzatziki and couscous.

At the new Rogers location, Eaton said he plans to continue IDK? Café’s tradition of serving an eclectic menu, with farm-to-table food.

In addition to the restaurant’s breakfast items and its lunch fare of salads and sandwiches, IDK? Café serves espresso drinks using Rainforest Alliance-certified coffee.

Using responsibly sourced products, in addition to locally sourced ingredients when possible, is a priority for Eaton. He recognizes it as a trend across the industry. 

“But we’re not doing it because it’s cool. We’re doing it because it’s the right thing to do,” Eaton said.