Phil Reacts to Northwest Arkansas TikToks

Onyx Coffee Lab opened a new location called Onyx at The Preserve on the Walmart Home Office campus — and it is open to the public, with a walk-up window and trail access right outside. It is one of four Northwest Arkansas spots worth knowing about, alongside a Paris-born gelato shop, a new pizzeria in Bentonville, and the lift-served bike park in Bella Vista.

Onyx at The Preserve, on the Walmart Campus

The newest Onyx Coffee Lab is Onyx at The Preserve, at 1101 Excellence Drive inside Bud's Preserve Park on the Walmart Home Office campus. The important detail is that it is open to the public, not just associates — you can walk or bike up, and there is a walk-up window if you would rather not go inside.

Going inside is the better call. The design is striking enough that the creator behind one video said someone told her it reminded them of Star Wars, and it is easy to see why. It has been running a soft opening with a limited menu.

The location is well placed for a ride: the trail runs from Crystal Bridges down toward the University of Arkansas, so you can build a morning around coffee and a stretch of the Razorback Greenway.

Onyx has said it is not looking to expand outside NWA — though Phillip's own read is that a big enough opportunity could eventually change that, and he floated downtown New York as the kind of thing it would take. Either way, when they open something, the execution is at the top end.

Amorino Gelato, by Way of Paris

Amorino is a gelato shop that shapes its scoops into a rose, with macarons available on top. It originates in Paris and has landed at Pinnacle Hills in Rogers, near Sweet Paris.

Pizza in Bentonville

Pizza Lottie's has opened in Bentonville, a sister restaurant to Pizzeria Ruby.

Worth being direct about this: pizza in NWA has generally just gotten the job done — solid, but not a reason to cross town. Pizzeria Ruby is the exception and has become the default answer, and Pizza Lottie's extends it. Between the two, the region finally has a real answer on pizza.

OZ Trails Bike Park and Its Lift

The OZ Trails Bike Park in Bella Vista, which opened this summer with a chairlift, has become one of the region's genuine standouts.

The lift is the thing that makes it work. Riders ride up and descend, which removes the climb — and removing the climb changes who can participate. It is a good onboarding experience for beginners and still serves experienced riders, which is a difficult balance to strike.

Bella Vista is fortunate to have it, and so is the wider region. It gives beginners and experienced riders alike a reason to keep coming back.

Taken together, these four are a reasonable snapshot of where NWA is right now: a serious coffee roaster building on a corporate campus and opening it to everyone, a Paris gelato brand finding a market here, pizza finally sorted, and outdoor infrastructure people are genuinely excited about.