From fine dining options to coffee shops and retail, Oklahoma City’s sustainability game is always on point and growing. The City of Oklahoma City officially launched its Sustainability Office in 2009 and drafted and passed its first city-wide sustainability plan in 2020. The plan doesn’t stop at sustainable restaurants, however. Local businesses, including coffee shops, ethically sourced retail, spas and more have embraced sustainable business models, and we are here for it.
Sustainability refers to doing business without negatively impacting the environment, community or society as a whole – kind of the gold standard for doing business. We know that caring for the planet is essential for many OKC visitors, and shop owners, restaurateurs and vendors are stepping up to provide ample options for sustainably-focused visitors. Check out where to shop sustainably, grab a cup of ethically sourced coffee and so much more.
Restaurants
It’s easier than ever before to find sustainable restaurants in OKC. These eateries prioritize the planet by pledging to cut down on food waste and source their ingredients locally whenever possible, all without compromising on flavor.
Oklahoma City's vibrant coffee shops not only satisfy caffeine cravings but also prioritizes sustainability and ethical sourcing. Clarity Coffee sources and roasts all of its coffee itself, which means they make sure that the entire supply chain involved can make a living wage. If you’re looking for a bag of coffee for home use, bring your own container and Clarity will knock three dollars off the price.
Holey Rollers, a coffee and donut/pastry shop in the Paseo District offers gluten-free, vegan goodies, made from scratch with no artificial dyes or sweeteners. To-go containers are compostable. They also provide traditional dairy for coffee, sourced locally. Food scraps are composted, and old cooking oil is the fuel for the Holey Rollers food truck. Elemental Coffee, a small-batch roastery and locally sourced café, recently launched a no single-use to-go policy, and now offers to-go beverages in cute, rentable, reusable jars if you forget to bring your own to-go cup.
Shopping
Wondering how to shop sustainably in OKC? Finding sustainable stores has never been more fun, and these retailers offer everything from luscious soaps to ethically sourced jewelry.
Local Lather has two OKC locations: The Refillery in the Plaza District and The Lab in the Western Avenue District. In addition to dreamy handmade soaps and cleaning products, you’ll also find colorful wrapped, washable cleaning cloths on a dispenser that substitute for paper towels, dryer balls (in lieu of dryer sheets), eco-friendly bamboo-handled toothbrushes, utensils made of wheat straw plastic and all kinds of lovely items that you’ll love–and so will Mother Earth.
Plenty Mercantile offers sustainability in the form of ethically and sustainably-sourced products like gifts, homewares, books, kids’ toys, bulk items, cleaning supplies, body care, gorgeous candles and fun things you didn’t know you needed! Shop Good is a charity-driven T-shirt shop. They only work with ethical suppliers and certified factories, organic fibers and water-based inks. You’ll love the clever designs and happy shop filled with T-shirts, sweatshirts, gift items, jewelry, toys, kitchen and bath supplies and accessories.
Markets
OKC locals love a good market, so you’re in for a treat if you feel the same way. Whether you want to spend a weekend hitting up all of the farmers markets in OKC, or you’re hoping to catch the latest pop-up at Sailor and Dock, there are plenty of opportunities to get your fix. These are a few of our favorites.
Sailor & The Dock
Downtown Oklahoma City welcomes an exciting addition to its sustainable landscape with the recent opening of Sailor & The Dock market. This innovative marketplace houses multiple stores, all sharing a passionate commitment to sustainability and education. In addition to the on-site vendors offering a diverse range of eco-conscious products such as books, coffee and vintage clothing, the market hosts additional vendors in a monthly pop-up event.
Farmers Markets
We take our farmers markets seriously here, going beyond traditional farm stands to elevate what it means to shop locally. Our Uptown Farmers Market and Eastside Fresh Market features some of the tastiest produce from spring through fall. Visiting us in the wintertime or any other time of year? You can still get in on all the sustainable goodness by visiting the Historic OKC Farmers Public Market, which is open year-round!
Another way OKC is rethinking sustainability is by bridging the gap between technology and local produce. Paseo Farmers Market is an online, year-round market, which allows you to order farm fresh produce with a click of a button. The market also hosts in-person pop-up events. Follow them on Facebook or Instagram to see where they’re headed to next. You can pick up online market orders at Flora Bodega.
Those are just a few of the farmers markets you can shop at. OKC is also home to several eco-friendly grocery stores and a grocery delivery service.
Vacation in OKC Sustainably
Here in OKC, we’re focused on meeting the moment and churning out new and innovative ways to be more sustainable each day. Our ethical shopping, dining and market options are expanding and show no signs of slowing down, and neither should you as you try to cross them all off your OKC bucket list.
