Cracker Barrel coming to the Silverton

Silverton representatives confirmed Monday that a Cracker Barrel restaurant and store are planned for the resort.

A Cracker Barrel representative said the company doesn't comment on new locations until the permitting process has been completed and ground is being broken. But Kimiko Peterson, Silverton's communications director, responding to a report from EaterVegas, said a Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, which includes the restaurant and store, is coming to the "overall Silverton Casino Hotel development."

"We will have more details to come regarding construction time frame and projected opening soon," she said. Craig Cavileer, president of Silverton, said the restaurant is expected to open in late 2016.

Until then, the closest Cracker Barrel locations are in Kingman, Ariz., which is about 103 miles from Las Vegas, and St. George, Utah, about 120 miles away.

Rumors of Cracker Barrel opening an outlet in Southern Nevada have been circulating for years. Most recently, the company affirmed that it was doing preliminary scouting for a possible location in North Las Vegas but had no firm plans there. It's also been rumored that the company had considered a location in Henderson, but couldn't come to an agreement with city staff about siting requirements.

The company has nearly 650 outlets in 42 states; besides Nevada, there are no Cracker Barrels in Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Vermont, Washington and Wyoming.

The company is known for its quaint, country-style buildings with covered front porch, complete with rocking chairs (which are available for sale). Inside the front doors is a store that offers many of the foods served in the restaurant, such as fried apples, apple butter and blackberry preserves, as well as toys, clothes and gadgets, with a strong emphasis on seasonal merchandise.

Beyond the store is the dining room, with a wood-burning fireplace (or maybe gas, in Nevada) near the door, and old pictures and antique implements covering the walls. The menu leans heavily to Southern favorites, including all-day breakfast with biscuits and country ham, if you're so inclined. The lunch/dinner menu, available after 11 a.m., revolves around Southern staples such as chicken and dumplings, country-fried steak and fried chicken with a choice of three sides, although steaks and salads also are available.

Contact Heidi Knapp Rinella at Hrinella@reviewjournal.com. Find more of her stories at www.reviewjournal.com, and follow her on Twitter: @HKRinella. Alan Snel contributed to this report.