Oklahoma City: Surprisingly Foodie

I expected Oklahoma City to have great steak and barbecue restaurants. The city didn’t disappoint in those areas. What I didn’t expect was the broad expanse of gastronomic delight that the city offers, from casual eateries to fine dining. Here are seven Oklahoma City restaurants that my husband, Skip, and I experienced during our 48 hour stay in the city.

Fassler Hall

The German beer hall in Oklahoma City’s Midtown district was quiet during our lunchtime visit, but I understand the place comes to life in the evening and on weekends. During summer months the overhead doors open to create an open-air environment.

With 80 European and domestic beers available (17 on tap and 63 bottled), beer enthusiasts are sure to find plenty to suit their tastes.

Beer at Fassler HallFassler HallThe schnitzel sandwich served on German rye with smoked Gouda cheese. The Gouda added a light smoky flavor to the crunchy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside pork schnitzel.

schnitzel sandwichFassler Hall offers nine different types of sausage. The Hunter, a combination of smoked venison, buffalo and pork is a smoky, flavorful, not-too-greasy sausage.

Hunter sausage421 NW 10th Street
http://www.fasslerhall.com

Cattlemen’s Steakhouse

A visit to a steakhouse is definitely in order in Oklahoma City. We went with the most traditional, Cattlemen’s Steakhouse, located in the Stockyards City area. The oldest continuously operating restaurant in the city, Cattlemen’s steakhouse has been in business since 1910. The restaurant has a colorful past, including changing hands in 1945 over a dice game.

Cattlemen's CafeThe steak was the best steak I have had in a long time. I went with the small filet wrapped in thick-sliced bacon, and ordered a traditional salad and baked potato with it. The server waits at the table until you cut into your steak and verify it is done the way you like it. Still red, on the rarer side of medium-rare, my filet was perfect for me, tender and succulent.

Steak at Cattlemen's Restaurant1309 S Agnew
http://www.cattlemensrestaurant.com

Kamp’s 1910 Café

We knew we were going to have a big lunch, so we went light for breakfast at Kamp’s 1910 Café in the Midtown district. Originally a grocery store opened in 1910 by brothers Henry and William Kamp, the business is still in the family. Randy Kamp, third generation family, opened Kamp’s 1910 Café in 2010.

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Offering coffee and light meals, Kamp’s 1910 Café is great for a to-go order or a quick meal, like the Traditional Breakfast: scrambled eggs, sausage and toast. Another option is biscuits and gravy with a side of fresh fruit.

Breakfast at Kamp's 1910 CafeThe cupcakes looked delicious, but I fought the temptation.

cupcakes10 NE 10th Street
kamps1910cafe.net

Cheever’s Café

We met Tabbi Burwell and Brittany White from the Oklahoma City Convention & Visitors for lunch at Cheever’s Café. The meal was one of my favorites.

Cheever’s Café was originally Cheever’s Flowers, owned by the very first baby born in Oklahoma City. The family lived in the back of the business for three generations. Today it’s a restaurant owned by the  Good Egg Dining Group and offers “contemporary comfort food.”

Cheever's Cafe, Oklahoma City RestaurantsI chose the Tequila-Lime Shrimp Linguine with smoked bacon, roasted corn, red onion and asparagus with a light tequila-lime sauce.

tequila-lime shrimp linquineTabbi and Brittany both had the Roasted Chicken and Pepper Jack Strudel, which they both raved about.

Roasted Chicken and Pepper Jack StrudelTabbi and Brittany insisted we must try the Roasted Pecan Ice Cream Ball for dessert. Our server encouraged us to try the Strawberry Sweet Biscuits also, which is her personal favorite. The ice cream ball (vanilla ice-cream rolled in pecans roasted with brown sugar, cinnamon and red chile) is smothered in chocolate sauce. One taste and I knew why it’s Cheever’s most popular dessert. But the Strrawberry Sweet Biscuits, with lemon curd, macerated berries and whipped cream, was light, creamy and sweet and equally delicious.

roasted pecan ice cream ballstrawberry sweet biscuits2409 N Hudson
cheeverscafe.com

Iron Star Urban Barbeque

We couldn’t leave Oklahoma City without having a barbecue meal. Iron Star Urban Barbeque is another Good Egg Dining Group restaurant. Located in the revitalized Uptown 23rd district, Iron Star Urban Barbeque puts their own spin on traditional barbecue foods.

Iron Star Urban BarbequeUrban Barbeque interior

The ribs, pulled pork and brisket were all tender, smoky and flavorful even without the house barbecue sauce. Sides include options like BBQ baked beans, Dutch Oven Sweet Potatoes, Fancy Mac & Cheese and Seared Green Beans.Combo platter at Urban BarbequeBrisket at Urban BarbequeThe last thing we needed was another dessert, but when our server encouraged us to try the banana cream pie from Pie Junkie, a local pie company, it was hard to resist. Served on a plate with a drizzle of raspberry sauce, every last bit of the pie disappeared.

banana cream pie

Waffle Champion

Just behind our hotel in the Midtown district, Waffle Champion was a real treat for breakfast. Originally working out of a food truck, Waffle Champion was so popular that it went brick-and-mortar.

We chose waffles from the Sweets menu. The Waffle French Toast with cream cheese syrup, fresh strawberries and candied walnuts, as well as the Fool’s Gold (waffles with peanut butter mousse, strawberry-anise compote, candied bacon and bananas) seemed more like a dessert than breakfast.

Waffle French ToastFool's gold waffleAmong the savory waffle sandwich options are a Cheeseburger Mac made with bison and cheesy mac and Buttermilk Fried Chicken, made with buttermilk-marinated free-range tenders, leeks and tobacco honey.
1212 N Walker
http://www.wafflechampion.com

Pop’s 66 Soda Ranch

On our way out of town we stopped at Pop’s 66 Soda Ranch, located on Route 66 in Arcadia, Oklahoma. Pop’s is less about the food and more about the experience—although the simple food options, like the kale chicken salad and the Pops B(E.)LT (smoked bacon, egg salad, lettuce and tomato), are tasty and a little out of the ordinary.

kale and chicken saladBLETThe big attraction at the Pop’s 66 Soda Ranch is the soda, as signified by the giant soda bottle that stands outside. At night the neon tubes light up in color. Colorful bottles of soda line the building’s angled glass walls.

Giant soda bottlewalls at Pop's 66 soda ranchA limited selection of soda is available on the Pop’s diner menu. However, the store within the building sells over 700 varieties. You can purchase a bottle separately from your meal to enjoy with your lunch. Or you can mix-and-match six packs to take home.
Route 66, Arcadia, Oklahoma
http://www.pops66.com

Accommodations: We stayed at the Ambassador Hotel Oklahoma City Autograph Collection during our visit to Oklahoma City. Find the best deal, compare prices, and read what other travelers have to say at TripAdvisor.

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Disclosures: My visit to Oklahoma City was hosted by the Oklahoma City Convention & Visitors Bureau, and the CVB picked up our tab at Cheever’s Cafe. However, any opinions expressed in this article are my own.
This article contains an affiliate link, which means that if you book a room using this link, I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.

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10 thoughts on “Oklahoma City: Surprisingly Foodie

  • March 25, 2016 at 12:05 pm
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    I thought the same thing when we visited Oklahoma City last year! Pretty sure I’m still dreaming about the delicious breakfast we had at Waffle Champion. Thanks for sharing!

    Megan Bannister
    olioiniowa.com

    Reply
    • March 27, 2016 at 6:59 pm
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      Thanks, Megan!

      Reply
  • March 25, 2016 at 11:08 pm
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    Enjoyed reading about your culinary experiences. That dessert sounds awesome, as does the rest of the food you described

    Reply
    • March 27, 2016 at 6:58 pm
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      Thanks, Penny. The desserts were super yummy.

      Reply
  • April 2, 2016 at 12:38 pm
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    I do not know what to say other than “wow.” I would be happy to find great steak and BBQ in the city. So, it is good to know you can stuff your face with other delicious dishes. The deserts look so yummy.

    Reply
    • April 3, 2016 at 8:25 pm
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      Those desserts were delicious, and the waffles that we had were breakfast were like desserts.

      Reply
  • April 3, 2016 at 3:39 pm
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    My mouth is watering, all that delicious food! We’d been to Cattlemen’s Cafe and Fassler Hall but the rest were new for me. We’ll check some of them out next time we’re in Oklahoma.

    Reply
    • April 3, 2016 at 8:27 pm
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      I was surprised at how many really great restaurants there are in Oklahoma City. There are several more I’d like to try and will make a point of trying more of them whenever we pass through the area.

      Reply
  • April 8, 2016 at 3:01 pm
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    Oh my goodness! This made my lunch seem sooo boring! haha I can’t even say which looked best to me. I think I just need to go to OK City and eat dessert. Fried ice cream with pecans, chile & chocolate sauce – Really? I want it now!! Get post and food photos! I know where to eat in OKC now. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • April 8, 2016 at 8:15 pm
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      I think we should eat dessert first. Too often we’re too full after a meal to have dessert or to enjoy it properly. 🙂

      Reply

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