Last year, I wrote about new Tulsa restaurants to try in 2013, and it received beaucoups of hits. So I figured…why not try it again? This short list does not entail all of the new restaurants to appear on the Tulsa scene lately, but it is the 5 new restaurants that top my list.
phatphillys.com
5. Phat Philly’s
Let’s face it…any place with the name “Phat” in the title is going to top my charts. All joshing aside, this place is now THE place to go for a hot sandwich in Tulsa. If you had asked me a year ago, “Where’s a good place to go for a Cheesesteak in Tulsa?”, I probably would have been like, “Uh…Subway?” Now, thankfully, there is a delicious, local answer to that question.
Phat Philly’s creator, Jason Smith, was naturally inspired to make the satisfying sandwiches during his time living in Philadelphia. However, unlike like Philadelphia, the sandwiches at Phat Philly’s are not mass-produced by a machine; they are each made-to-order, guaranteeing a product that may be even better than a Philly Cheesesteak made in Philly!
In addition to delicious cheesesteaks made with either steak or chicken, their menu also features salads, wings, cheese fries, tots, waffle fries, beer, and more.
The single Phat Philly’s location near Cherry Street at 1305 S. Peoria stays consistently busy and has stellar (+4 stars) on both UrbanSpoon and Yelp. You’re likely to give it a 4-star rating too, if you give it a try!
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4. Raising Cane’s.
Ok, allow me to put one chain restaurant in my post…geez! All the rest will be local, I promise. But the honest-to-goodness, chicken finger-lickin’-good truth of it is, Raising Cane’s is some of the best darn drive-thru chicken in the world, and Tulsa is lucky to now have two locations: one in Woodland Hills mall, and a free-standing location at 48th & Yale.
Raising Cane’s, based out of Louisiana, is known for its chicken fingers, crinkle-cut fries, and something out-of-this-world delicious known as Cane’s Sauce (for dipping aforementioned items in). As could be imagined, their sweet tea is truly Southern sweet tea and will knock your socks off. Probably not the best way to stick with a New Year’s resolution of losing weight, but it sure is tasty!
facebook.com/WhiteFlagTulsa
3. White Flag
If you’re in the Blue Dome District expecting to go to Back Alley Blues & BBQ, you’ll discover that that restaurant no longer exists. However, entrepreneur Blake Ewing has transformed what was formerly his Back Alley restaurant into White Flag, a gourmet burger joint that also serves some of Back Alley’s favorite menu items, such as their fries and candied bacon. You’ll also find some “barbeque-esque” items on the menu, like the Back Alley Fail — a burger piled high with pulled pork, green apple slaw, Back Alley barbecue sauce, red onions and cheddar jack cheese.
White Flag, located at 116 S. Elgin Ave., serves a truly extensive array of creative burgers. Looking for a brunch burger, for example? Try the Hangover: a fried egg, smoked bacon, Swiss cheese and maple syrup on a waffle. And in case you saved room for dessert, this is about the only place other than the State Fair where you can find a Fried Twinkie. You’re going to love White Flag’s eclectic take on burgers and more.
prhymetulsa.com
2. PRHYME Downtown Steakhouse
Prhyme entered the fine dining scene in Tulsa at just the right time, at just the right place. With an enviable location in the Brady Arts District at 111 N. Main St., Prhyme is now the place to take a business client or a date for a special occasion. Created by Justin Thompson, the same entrepreneur who brought Tulsa Juniper and Tavolo, Prhyme is a truly elegant dining experience. Steaks, ranging from prime tenderloin, NY strip, to Australian lamb chops, are the specialty at Prhyme. Their menu also features a wide array of seafood, including King Salmon, Coldwater Lobster Pasta, and Brown Butter Pasta.
With a classy atmosphere, excellent service, and exquisite menu options, Prhyme is a great addition to the ever-expanding fine dining options in downtown Tulsa.
- The Rusty Crane
Yet another newcomer to the downtown Tulsa foodie scene tops my list. Located in the Brady Arts District at 109 N. Detroit, the Rusty Crane is a behemoth of a restaurant — it’s huge! That’s because the building is inside a 90-year-old warehouse. So it’s a rare occasion that you have to wait long for a table. If you’re lucky, you may even get to sit at the table that was formerly an elevator shaft.
The Rusty Crane offers a hearty lunch menu with entrees designed to make guests feel full and energetic so they can return to work and still be productive. (instead of “blah,” like after you eat Mexican food for lunch). Just a few of those items are spinach and chef salads, wraps (Mediterranean, Chicken Caesar, the Oriental, Veggie, and Avocado-Turkey-Bacon), and plates with chicken breast, tilapia or black bean hummus. Among the sides are almonds, sauteed vegetables, tabouli and chips with a house-made salsa. If you’re not interested in a “non-no-crash” item, try the “yum-ladas,” enchiladas that are supposedly even better than enchiladas because they are each individually marinated.
The Rusty Crane has much more than just lunch items, though. They offer an array of signature plates, including Grilled Sirloin, Grilled Ribeye, and Mango Tilapia. I’ve also heard their Wings and Cowboy Queso are out-of-this-world.
Well, that pretty much wraps up my list of new restaurants to check out in Tulsa in 2014. What other new restaurants in the Tulsa area top your list?
Where to go and what to do in Tulsa, Oklahoma 