Two of the many things Oklahoma tops the nation in are our official state song and our majestic, extensive official state meal. Louisiana has a state cuisine (gumbo) and Texas has a state dish (chili), but Oklahoma’s state meal was approved by the Oklahoma Legislature in 1988 when House Concurrent Resolution 1083 was passed by the 41st Oklahoma Legislature. It was adopted by the Oklahoma House on April 18, 1988, and by the Senate the following day.
Our great state meal consists of 12 dishes. Particularly useful for our purposes, the Oklahoma Historical Society (OHS) lists them in courses: meats include barbecued pork, chicken-fried steak and sausage with biscuits and gravy; vegetables include fried okra and squash, grits, corn and black-eyed peas; breads include cornbread (and biscuits); and desserts are strawberries and pecan pie.
Setting aside the questionable characterization of grits as a vegetable, this list helps us map out an excellent activity for your stay in OKC: eat our state meal, at once or in courses! You could also start with a breakfast of biscuits and gravy (Hunny Bunny Biscuit Co.), indulge in barbecued pulled pork sandwich and strawberry shortcake for lunch (The Hutch) and chicken fry with all the trimmings for dinner (Cheever’s Café).
Once upon a time, as legend has it, The Press in OKC’s Plaza District served up the whole meal every Tuesday. Alas no more; however, The Press does still offer many of its components: chicken-fried ribeye, fried okra, biscuits, grits and cornbread. Everything at The Press is delicious, and you can waddle around the block to Pie Junkie for pie, pie and more pie.
I personally love the idea of wandering the city, stopping hither and thither for BBQ, chicken fry, pie, okra and the rest, using the OHS taxonomy as a road map. So, pull on your stretchiest pants and let’s go!
Edge Craft Barbecue is only open Thursdays through Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (or until sold out), so don’t dilly-dally. Mind-bending pulled pork is your mission here, should you accept it, and you can also check out some blissfully crispy okra. Clark Crew BBQ, revered by OKC’s top food critics, serves an excellent pecan pie trifle, along with cornbread, okra and a dazzling pork selection: burnt ends bologna, hot links, chopped pork and ribs.
Chicken-fried steak is one of those things – if you know, you know. And Cattlemen’s Steakhouse in Stockyards City knows everything about chicken fry. So does Cheever’s Café, where you’ll also find glorious cheddar-green onion grits. Vegetarians, fear not. Sunnyside Diner (five OKC locations) throws an excellent chicken-fried Impossible patty at ya!
Florence’s Restaurant does vegetables beautifully. Fried okra, black-eyed peas and many others that aren't on part of the OSM, along with cornbread, pork chops and so much more. Classic and impeccable Southern cooking and winner of the prestigious James Beard Foundation America’s Classics Award. A solid slate of sides also resides at Iron Star Urban Barbeque – fried okra here is whole, and wholly delicious. As are the cornbread, pulled pork and pork ribs. Squash is a little harder to find. For hand-breaded deep-fried zucchini, served with ranch, it’s Upper Crust Wood Fired Pizza. Get them during social hour, along with a $7 well cocktail or $4 local beer.
For pecan pie, you can’t beat La Baguette’s chocolate bourbon iteration, and if strawberries are your jam (get it?), the fruit tarte is perfect with its firm, buttery crust. You’ll want a glass of something sparkling or a cappuccino to go with them. Another great strawberry dessert, the Diamond Heart, can be had with a lovely coffee at L’Arc Pâtisserie. It’s strawberry confit, berry cream, dark chocolate mousse and dark chocolate cake.
