For 70 years the Shangri-La Café has been serving up comfort food, made-from-scratch pies and even a hefty serving of artistic inspiration.
Other than the décor, not much at the café has changed in seven decades, and that’s just the way customers like it. “We have homemade lunch specials every day. They are the same exact specials that we have had for 70 years. We can’t change; people get mad at us if we do,” co-owner Phillip Carr says with a laugh.
Phillip’s parents, Austin and Varine Carr, bought the Shangri-La Resort from its original owners in 1979. “Both my brothers and I have grown up there. It’s home,” he says.
“My parents did a wonderful job in creating a place that is just down home and great fun. When our customers come, I think they have that feeling of family.”
Artist Holly Tilley is one of those devoted customers. When she’s not indulging in a slice of the café’s famous pie, she’s painting it.
“I’ve been painting the pies and the restaurant since 2022,” Holly says. One of her paintings is even titled Forked in honor of the Shangri-La’s policy for reserving a slice in advance. “If you’re a frequent flyer to the Shangri-La, you know to call ahead and ‘fork’ your pie to ensure you get the one you want. My personal favorite is the coconut – great meringue and sprinkles of browned coconut on top. So yummy.”
Another favorite of Holly’s is the strawberry pie, which was just introduced this summer and is sure to be the subject of a future painting.
“I’m inspired by the pies. They make for a fun subject – intricate and colorful,” she says.
In addition to the food, customers are inspired by the Shangri-La’s tranquil setting. The café is part of the Shangri-La Resort, nestled in the heart of the Ouachita Mountains overlooking Lake Ouachita. The resort, about 90 miles from Little Rock, offers cozy lakeside cabins for the perfect weekend getaway or longer retreats.
“The view is definitely top-notch,” Phillip says. “People love to come and have breakfast and watch the sun rise. It’s peaceful.”
Phillip says others enjoy extended stays at the resort and have become like family.
“We have a group that comes from Shreveport, La. They have been coming for 45 years. Second and third generations. They have a countdown started to when they come back each year. We know what kind of pie they like; we know what rooms each family likes to stay in; we know the menu items they like best. They love it,” he says. “We pamper each and every one.”
The Shreveport guests are not the only ones who have been coming for decades.
“We have a customer, Sam Smith, who started coming to Shangri-La in 1957. He is now 96. He and his wife first started coming, and then, over the years, his family grew, and they all continued to come,” Phillip says. “Sam liked one particular cabin. Also, he wanted some things changed in it. So, we did the things he wanted. He would come for two months in the spring and two months in the fall. We had to build a small room to store the items he wanted in the cabin. Each time he would come down, we set the cabin up the way he liked it and then took it all down and stored it till he came again. We did that for him for 60 years. Countless others have gotten the same care.”
The dictionary defines Shangri-La as “a remote idyllic hideaway,” and for generations, the Carr family has made theirs exactly that. A place where the pies are iconic, the view is spectacular and the customers return year after year.
For more information or to book a stay, visit shangrilaresortar.net.