Uncommon Cuisine
See what all the fuss is about at these nationally acclaimed restaurants. Oklahoma City has long been a food- centric city, but it wasn’t until about 2010 that national publications and culinary organizations like the James Beard Foundation – their awards are essentially the Oscars of food in the U.S. – started to notice. In 2022, local chefs received accolades from James Beard, Bon Appétit magazine, television chef/ personality Alton Brown and others. What stands out in Oklahoma City’s food scene, in addition to the quality, is the excellence across diverse genres: Soul, country, fine dining, regional Asian cuisine, barbecue and more. Not only is there something for everyone, but there is also something delicious for everyone. Bar Arbolada. Riley Marshall opened his corner bar with a small food menu in 2018, but the pandemic changed his structure, just as it did everyone else’s. Marshall pivoted just to keep the doors open, and he decided to make burgers to-go part of his reduced menu during the shutdown. The burger – very much like a McDonald’s burger but done with a chef’s skill and attention to detail – soared in popularity almost immediately. Locals who lived in proximity to downtown knew it well and recommended it, but when Alton Brown came to OKC for a speaking engagement, he stopped by, and quickly dubbed the Arbolada burger “the best double cheeseburger in America.” You can get it as a single, too, but you should definitely get one.
Florence’s Restaurant
Clark Crew BBQ. Travis Clark has won more barbecue championships in the last 10 years than any other pitmaster, including the prestigious Jack Daniels World Championship Invitational. Clark is a former electrician who turned his barbecue hobby into a competitive career before opening Clark Crew BBQ in 2019. Nearly every barbecue item on the menu – brisket, burnt ends, sauce, beans, etc. – has won a championship, and the quality shows in every dish, from the brisket to the burgers and from the wings to the cornbread. Come early or be prepared to wait, but trust us, it’s worth it.
Florence’s Restaurant. Florence Jones grew up the child of sharecroppers in Boley, Oklahoma, but in 2022, the 92-year-old owner of Florence’s Restaurant became Oklahoma’s first and so far only James Beard Award recipient. The award for American Classics – those restaurants that offer food with “timeless appeal” that “reflects the character of their communities” – came 70 years after Jones opened her restaurant. Specializing in Soul and Southern cooking, the northeast side eatery offers yam-fried chicken, catfish, greens and other traditional favorites, including daily lunch specials.
bar arbolada
clark crew bbq
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