EATS & DRINKS
Bauhaus Biergarten
326 Holcomb St., Springdale | (479) 770-5552 | www.bauhausbiergarten.com
By Case Dighero | Photos by Meredith Mashburn
Now that Northwest Arkansas has officially settled into sweater weather and the holiday season is quickly approaching, I find myself simultaneously revisiting old haunts and seeking out new destinations. There’s a fine, delicious line that separates my desire for nostalgic comfort and my craving for exciting innovation in cuisine…and one hunger is no more important than the other. Somehow, the Bauhaus Biergarten, located in the arts district of Springdale, captures not only the exhilaration of fine culinary collaboration, but also the important virtues of place and home.
Visionary Daniel Hintz and renowned chef Jennifer Booker have devised a passion project that marries their affection for German cuisine and beer with their desire to create a profound, inclusive atmosphere. The two formed a friendship over the last several years as contemporaries, advocates of both the James Beard Foundation and the Fayetteville Roots Festival, slowly and patiently nurturing a special kinship until firmly landing on the concept of Bauhaus.
The space is compact, complete with both interior and exterior seating, adjacent to a renovated food truck that serves as the kitchen playground for Booker, churning out a short menu of Usinger’s Sausages and a soon-to-be famous pretzel that is as big as a human head. Usinger’s is a big deal in the world of sausage, and Bauhaus Biergarten is one of just two places where they’re available in the Natural State.
Chef Jennifer Booker and Daniel Hintz
Hintz has pledged to only serve and feature either German or Wisconsin beer and wine, a refreshing pause from the “local” craze that has overtaken the world of pubs and restaurants across the United States for the last several years. That’s not to say, however, that Bauhaus won’t occasionally land on an Arkansas Tap Takeover at some point, but don’t expect to see any beer or wine that originates outside of Germany or Wisconsin on the permanent menu.
Chef Booker comes to Arkansas with an impressive list of accolades as not only a Southern chef with formal French training, but also as an author, Beard Foundation alumna and woman of unmatched strength and creativity in her field. And Hintz is one of the most dynamic personas living and working in this part of the country, a community advocate and founder of Velocity Group, his private company that brings passion and planning to communities all over the country. Together, their connection and collaboration is nothing short of brilliant.
A cultural and economic evolution continues in downtown Springdale, creating one of the most exciting places to live and work in Arkansas. With chef Jennifer Booker and Daniel Hintz at the helm of Bauhaus Biergarten, it also promises to be one of the best places in the Natural State to grab an incredible beer and brat.
