Plants are at the heart of everything Flora Jean’s does. The entryway of the downtown Little Rock restaurant is draped with greenery—and very Instagrammable. Diners are treated to a glass of pale-green chlorophyll water when they reach their tables, and the menu is all vegetarian.
“We like to say that we’re wellness-centered, plant-focused, nutrient-dense dining; we believe food is medicine,” says Helen Grace King, who co-owns Flora Jean’s with her sister Leila King and sister-in-law Kamiya King. The trio also owns the popular breakfast and lunch spot @ The Corner a few streets over.
The menu features vegetarian and some vegan and gluten-free twists on classic dishes, like walnut chorizo tacos, cacio e pepe with kelp noodles and peppercorn cashew cream, and butterfly-pea buttermilk biscuits with coconut-mushroom gravy.
Pancakes, sandwiches, salads, grain bowls, cocktails, and fresh juices are available, too. The “water bar” includes water with chlorophyll drops, beauty water with rose, and sun water with apple cider vinegar, cayenne pepper, maple, and lemon.
Flora Jean’s, named for its plant focus and location in a former denim factory, is also committed to sustainability. King says they work with local farmers, both to ensure dishes are seasonally driven, and to cut down on how far the food has to travel. Other ingredients, including the matcha and saffron powders for wellness lattes, are sourced from organic producers outside of Arkansas.
Serving strictly vegetarian foods also comes with a lower environmental footprint and brings something unique to the city, King says. “Flora Jean’s has a special place in our community because you get to come and reconnect with yourself and reconnect with nature.”
The idea for Flora Jean’s came during the pandemic, when King says she went on “a healthy journey.” Before Covid-19, the team had a different restaurant in the works, but they put it on hold and then decided to switch to a new concept. “We just kind of changed who we were and our relationship with food and nature, and our lifestyle changed,” King says. “So we like to say we’re a little bit designed by nature.”
Can’t Miss at Flora Jean’s
Beignets
The beignets evoke memories of trips to New Orleans, King says. The flavors change seasonally.
Wildberry pancakes
These rice flour pancakes come with wildberry compote made with rose and schisandra, a fruit often used in Chinese medicine. The pancakes are topped with coconut whipped cream.
Walnut chorizo tacos
Walnuts are seasoned like chorizo and served on corn tortillas with avocado, pickled red onions, cheddar, eggs, and pineapple salsa.
Golden hour wellness latte
Several wellness lattes are available at Flora Jean’s. This one is made with turmeric, maple, black pepper, and almond milk.
