Hot Springs is known for gangsters, gambling and speakeasies. One restaurant and its chef are helping to bring the 900 block of Central Avenue back to life by leaning into the city’s seedy history.
DONS Southern Social, which anchors the block at the corner of Central Avenue and Market Street, stands out with its black-and-red color scheme and upscale takes on traditional Southern dining. For Chef Joshua Garland, the establishment represented a chance to prove himself on his home turf.
Garland is originally from Little Rock and attended high school at Baptist Preparatory School before going to the University of Central Arkansas in Conway for a degree in business. After spending two years in pursuit of a business degree, however, he decided to take a chance on his dream and go to culinary school. He enrolled in Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Las Vegas. From there, he went on to work all around the country.
“I pretty much traveled around the country and soaked up as much knowledge as I could from different chefs from all around the world,” he said.
His talents took him to Alaska, where he worked for Princess Cruises, as well as to Sun Valley, Idaho; Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Island in Massachusetts; and Vero Beach, Florida.
Garland was excited to set up shop in Hot Springs and credits business partner Rusty Thompson for the momentum around the 900 block of Central Avenue.
“The 900 block is really becoming a cool spot downtown thanks to Rusty Thompson,” Garland said. “He is the guy who helped me create DONS, and he is the reason the 900 block has come back to life.”
Garland is inspired by Italian chef Massimo Bottura because his “dedication to the kitchen, to his family and to the community is amazing.” While traveling and learning under others in the industry was rewarding, Garland said he wanted something bigger for himself and to prove himself back home.
“I chose Hot Springs because of the history, prohibition, gangster museum,” he said. “Also, the tourist attraction it brings. Hot Springs is a beautiful city that is growing rapidly. I wanted to be a part of the culinary scene here and bring something different to the table.”
DONS fits the bill. From the minute diners make a reservation — which is highly encouraged — until they exit the building, the DONS experience is unique.
When a reservation is made, the restaurant provides a code which allows customers access to one of the two entrances — either through the art gallery on the Central Avenue side or the bright red London-style phone booth on the Market Street side. If the code is a number, guests enter through the phone booth, but if they are given an artist’s name, they enter through the art gallery.
The restaurant’s name is derived from an acronym, “Doing Overtime, Never Sleeping,” which embodies the workload of a chef and restaurateur.
“The experience you get when you come through the door complemented by a menu that is truly different and brings this town flavors that they probably aren’t used to” are the biggest reasons to check out the restaurant, Garland said.
For Garland, nothing beats “the experience of entering an art gallery and exiting through a phone booth, the creative menu options, upscale service and classic speakeasy cocktails.”
The location is full of flavor and completely Hot Springs, Garland said, but he plans to eventually expand by adding a location in Little Rock.
“I would love the challenge of joining the culinary scene there,” he said. “For myself, I want to continue to learn the business and find my place in it and help in whatever way that I can.”
DONS offers fresh takes on Southern classics, including its Southern Bolo & Fried Catfish and Woo Pig Sooie grilled bourbon-applewood smoked pork belly. Among the selection of cocktails is the signature Suite 443, which features Campo Blanco, ginger liqueur, house-made margarita mix and house-made pear simple syrup finished with a sugar rim and a rosemary sprig.
While the theme of the menu stays consistent, items on the menu change frequently. DONS is now approaching its one-year anniversary, and Garland said the community has been very supportive in that time.
The restaurant brings back the charm of a bygone era with the chic elegance of a modern, upscale establishment. A dinner restaurant, DONS Southern Social opens at 5 p.m. Thursday through Monday and is closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
