Gate-adjacent beers at Core Brewing Company in Main Terminal
Core Brewing Company sits past security in XNA’s Main Terminal, directly in the gate area, so you can keep an eye on boarding while you eat and drink. It runs on airport hours, generally opening for the first morning departures and staying open through the last evening flights, but options are thinner during mid-day lulls.
This is a local Arkansas brand, so the draw is its own Core Brewing Company beers on tap and in cans. Expect a focus on their house brews first, with the usual airport markup; plan on paying more than you would at a Rogers or Springdale bar. Food is straightforward bar fare geared to 20–40 minute sits rather than long dinners.
Menus at Core Brewing Company in XNA skew toward shareable items and handhelds you can finish before a boarding group is called. Think burgers, sandwiches, and fried sides that are easy to tackle at a small gate-side table. Portions run smaller than a typical off-airport sports bar, so a full meal usually means an entrée plus one extra item.
Beer is the main event here, with Core labels front and center on taps and signage. You’ll usually see several of their own styles available at once, so it’s worth asking which seasonal Core Brewing Company release is on that week. If you’re tight on time, stick to a single pint rather than a flight; service pace in the Main Terminal can slow down when two or three departures cluster.
Prices track with other sit-down spots in small US airports, with Core Brewing Company beers running higher than domestic macros and food priced above what you’d pay in downtown Bentonville. Build in at least 30 minutes gate-side if you want both a beer and hot food; double that if your flight leaves from one of the busier Main Terminal gates in a bank of departures.
Tip: If your boarding pass shows a Main Terminal gate at XNA, stop at Core Brewing Company first instead of wandering; once you walk past your gate cluster, there isn’t a second bar with comparable local beer options further down the concourse.