Oklahoma chefs and restaurateurs have found a vibrant connection between the local farm and the restaurant table, and these dining spots from across Oklahoma have shown that locally sourcing seasonal ingredients is not only a viable option but an exciting and delicious one as well.
Nonesuch - Oklahoma City
The chefs at Oklahoma City’s Nonesuch have transformed the restaurant into a world-class dining experience with a focus on seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients. The menu changes every month according to the meats and produce available from nearby farms. This farm-to-fork concept could not be pulled off without the culinary chops to craft delicious dishes, and Nonesuch definitely delivers.
Bison short rib glazed with lapsang kombucha, cured catfish fillets and roasted mushrooms smothered in miso sabayon are just a few of the dishes that have appeared on the menu at Nonesuch. Book a seasonal tasting experience to sample the chefs' latest culinary creations while you get a behind-the-scenes look at this restaurant dedicated to culinary excellence.
The Bramble Breakfast & Bar - Tulsa Area
The farm-to-table concept is spreading across Oklahoma with exciting and tasty results like at The Bramble Breakfast & Bar. During the day, The Bramble shines as a short-order breakfast, brunch and lunch restaurant focused on crafting traditional American and international dishes from locally-sourced, seasonal ingredients. At night, the restaurant shifts gears into a smartly laid out bar amply stocked with local brews, quality wines and craft cocktails.
The menu at Bramble changes with the seasons and includes breakfast staples like piggies & eggs, migas or khachapuri, an Eastern-European pull apart bread filled with cheese and eggs. At lunch enjoy favorites like five cheese mac & cheese, pork and beans with cornbread or the B.K.T. - bacon, kale and tomato salad. With three locations in the Tulsa area, The Bramble is becoming a strong statement for the local and slow food movements in Oklahoma.
The Living Kitchen Farm & Dairy - Depew
The Living Kitchen Farm & Dairy in Depew hosts farm-to-table dinner parties for groups of 15 to 40 people featuring ingredients grown or raised on the farm or other nearby farms. The seasonal menu varies from meal to meal and these dinner parties, held in a charming cabin on the farm grounds, become such a draw, it can be hard to get a reservation at the table. Nonetheless, chefs Lisa Becklund and Linda Ford have proven to be generous hosts and engaged members of the community.
Dinner parties always begin with a tour of the farm, giving diners a firsthand look into what’s going into their meal. Many of these dinners focus on a single ingredient at its peak like last year’s heirloom garlic dinner, where dishes highlighted different varieties of garlic. The Living Kitchen also presents themed meals like the Red Dirt dinner that focuses on traditional Oklahoma fare or dinners like the pig roast, where a local pig is roasted and incorporated into every dish in innovative ways. At the Living Kitchen you can engage all your senses while getting a refreshing taste of what living off the land truly means.
FarmBar - Tulsa
Located in Tulsa’s SoBo - or South Boston Avenue - neighborhood, FarmBar is an urban extension of Living Kitchen Farm & Dairy. This unique restaurant offers a ten-course tasting menu that is paced over the course of two hours. Some courses will be a few bites while others will be more substantial, and you’re guaranteed to leave satisfied. Each rotating menu features fresh, local ingredients from nine local Oklahoma farms, meaning that no two meals are ever alike. Guests can also add-on carefully selected wine pairings and non-alcoholic beverages including kombuchas, juices and handmade sodas.
Red Cup - Oklahoma City
The Red Cup in Oklahoma City has long been a vibrant gathering place for vegetarians, vegans or anyone who enjoys a great cup of coffee. Conveniently located on North Classen with its signature mug propped up just so on the roof, The Red Cup has a relaxed atmosphere with a menu full of unique, daily specials and tried and true favorites. The Red Cup takes being a community café seriously by consistently providing artists, artisans and musicians an outlet for their work and acting as a venue for local events.
While the cuisine at the Red Cup is strictly plant-based, Chef Patrick Clark, aka Chef Beave, works hard at crafting a great menu filled with exciting dishes that showcase local farmers. For breakfast, try the popular breakfast burrito - gas station or taqueria style - biscuit & gravy or Mt. Saint Chorizo. Be sure to wash it down with a cup of their fair-trade, organic coffee. For lunch, dive into the GMO Free Toe Pie, house-made veggie burger, Mahatma's Revenge curry or local favorite, the Gringo 2.0 salad. Stop by anytime for their amazing cakes, muffins or scones, all made from scratch.
The Earth Café & Deli - Norman
At The Earth Café & Deli, healthy, natural food is neither dull nor unimaginative. Using high quality, organic local ingredients (including herbs from their on-premises garden) the folks at this Norman community have created vegetarian and vegan dishes with a wide variety of flavor and texture for over 30 years. The tofu scramble or vegan biscuits with “soysage” gravy make for a satisfying breakfast with a cup of their premium, organic fair-trade coffee, while the popular fruit and vegetable smoothies are the perfect treat for any time of day.
Their award-winning, hearty veggie chili is great for lunch or dinner with a slice of quiche or a salad – just don’t forget to top your meal off with a delectable slice of lavender layer cake. The Earth’s modest, charming location on Flood Ave near the OU campus accommodates many regulars and newbies alike, so make your way to this town favorite for a casual veggie feast.
TS Fork - Tonkawa
In the town of Tonkawa, near Ponca City in northern Oklahoma, TS Fork is building a reputation for its exciting and innovative approach to farm-to-table dining. Focusing on local ingredients and working with area farmers and vendors, chef/owner/operator Jeff Denton and his team provide weekend dining experiences that are unique, expertly crafted and, most importantly, delicious. Most weekends there is a different theme or featured cuisine such as comfort food, seafood or Irish cuisine, and all meals are shared by diners in a "common table" setting.
Seating at the weekly TS Fork meals is available by reservation only and features a prix fixe menu of five courses composed of fresh recipes inspired by locally sourced ingredients. Dishes like crowned lamb, baked sea bass, their specialty deviled eggs and many more are prepared with simplicity and skill. Make sure to sample their rotating selection of local wines and beer. With the ever-changing menu and the focus on quality and seasonal freshness, TS Fork is a place you'll want to return to often.
Scratch - Norman
Tucked away on the corner of Main and Santa Fe, Scratch Kitchen & Cocktails in Norman offers a made-from-scratch ala carte menu, giving patrons the option to mix-and-match their seasonal offerings. Pair the grass-fed flank steak with the 3-cheese pancetta mac or saddle up your coffee pork loin with the daily veggie. Scratch starters include spinach dip, Oklahoma Wagyu sliders or the Sooner State Board, a seasonal and locally sourced cheese and meat plate.
Scratch's commitment to local flavor extends to their drink menu, with the bar offering a well-curated selection of local beer and creative craft cocktails featuring fresh local ingredients, high-quality spirits and botanicals from the acclaimed apothecary, Bittercube. Quench your thirst with classics like the French 75, La Paloma, Gin Fizz and Whiskey Smash or dive into one of the house specialties like Et Tu, Brute, Scratch Irish Coffee, The VONB or Friends Like These.
Elote Café - Tulsa
Dedicated to helping customers navigate the challenges of healthy eating, Elote Café creates mouthwatering Mexican food using only local ingredients. Each element of the cuisine at Elote comes from a local farm or vendor, like Natural Farms, Java Dave’s Coffee, Lucy’s Tortillas, Thirst Wines and Marshall Brewing Company. Even the meats served come from a Bixby farm where livestock is raised on organic grain, and all menu items feature fresh herbs and spices from local farms.
While Elote Café offers delicious twists on traditional Mexican favorites made with pork, chicken and beef, it also caters to vegan and gluten-free diets. Their made-to-order guacamole will satisfy any palate, as will the tortilla soup, prepared with locally-grown tomatoes and onions. Meat lovers, on the other hand, are sure to be satisfied with culinary creations like puffy tacos, stuffed full with all-natural beef, pork or chicken. From the sweet corn tamales with cayenne honey sauce to the handmade margaritas, every meal is an adventure at Elote Café.
Farmhouse Fresh - Enid
Farmhouse Fresh in Enid offers up a delightful menu filled with hearty soups, savory casseroles and delicious baked goods made with locally-sourced ingredients. Stop in for breakfast to enjoy a quiche or breakfast burrito served alongside fresh coffee. At lunch, order a colorful salad with a home-baked slice of cornbread or Hawaiian roll. Don't forget to ask about the soup of the day, which rotates between selections like cowboy beef stew and sausage tortellini soup.
Take home that Farmhouse Fresh flavor with a loaf of bread baked in-house or a ready-made meal. The pastry case is always filled with rolls, muffins, kolaches and other fresh pastries including gluten-free whoopie pies. On your way out, grab a take-and-bake chicken casserole, beef lasagna or pan of chick and dumplings to make your weekly meal prep easy.
NATV Restaurant - Broken Arrow
At NATV Restaurant in Broken Arrow, chef Jacque Siegried has perfected the art of crafting modernized Native American cuisine using fresh produce and meats. Using locally-sourced ingredients from both farms and American Indian tribes, NATV creates a menu inspired by the food of Oklahoma.
Stop by for lunch or dinner to indulge in rotating offerings from tacos to succotash. Fresh fry bread served with dipping sauces makes the perfect appetizer before you dig into the main menu stocked with offerings like coffee-crusted bison sirloin, smoked pumpkin salad and seared trout.
