Oklahoma’s Official State Meal became a reality when the Forty-first Legislature approved it in 1988. The meal includes a sizable menu reflecting Oklahoma’s cultural backgrounds and the state’s historical and contemporary agriculture. Most of the meal’s 12 components can be found in small restaurants and cafes throughout the state. Read on to see what this state meal consists of, and the best restaurants that serve these items the Sooner State:
- Chicken Fried Steak
Kevin/Flickr Chicken fried steak is a favorite meal loved by almost all Oklahomans. Where to find the best chicken fried steak? Try Clanton’s Cafe in Vinita.
- Biscuits
Hal J/Flickr There’s nothing quite like a warm, buttery biscuit melting in your mouth. Most diners across the state serve fresh, homemade biscuits that are AMAZING! Where to find the best biscuits? Try Buttered Bun’s Cafe in Miami.
- Sausage & Gravy
Sean T Evans/Flickr There’s nothing quite like a good sausage and gravy to pour over those mouthwatering biscuits. Where to find the best sausage and gravy? Try Buttered Bun’s Cafe in Miami if you’re eating biscuits or the famous Good Gravy! in Oklahoma City.
- Black-Eyed Peas
Travis Nep Smith/Flickr This delicious flesh-colored legume is the perfect side-dish in the Official State Meal. Where to find the best black-eyed peas? Try Ann’s Chicken Fry House in Oklahoma City.
- Cornbread
food_in_mouth/Flickr Cornbread is a popular item in Southern cooking enjoyed by many people for its texture and aroma. Where to find the best cornbread? Try Katie’s Diner in Guthrie.
- Corn
Chris Freeland/Flickr Corn is one of the all-time favorite vegetables in the U.S., so it’s no surprise it’s one of Oklahoma’s favorites. Where to find the best corn? Try Sisserou’s in Tulsa.
- Fried Okra
karmacamilleeon/Flickr Maybe you don’t like okra, but have you tried fried okra? The perfectly crispy, never slimy, fried okra will have you licking your fingers and begging for more! Where to find the best fried okra? Try Main Street Barbecue in Durant.
- Barbecue Pork
pulaw/Flickr You can’t leave out barbecue in the Oklahoma Official State Meal. Barbecue pork is downright mouthwatering, leaner and delicious from the grill. Where to find the best barbecue pork? Try Oklahoma Joe’s BBQ in Broken Arrow.
- Squash
junniemuffin/Flickr This vegetable side dish is a perfect complement to many dishes. Butternut squash is a favorite for Oklahomans. Where to find the best squash? Try Stella Modern Italian Cuisine in Oklahoma City.
- Grits
Dan4th Nicholas/Flickr This popular Southern breakfast dish is of Native American origin and is similar to other thick maize-based porridges from around the world, such as polenta. Where to find the best grits? Try Ozzie’s Diner in Norman.
- Strawberries
Tatyana A./Flickr Oklahoma designated the strawberry as the official state fruit in 2005. The town of Stilwell, Oklahoma has held an annual strawberry festival for 60 years. Where to find the best strawberries? Try Wild Things Farm in Pocola.
- Pecan Pie
oanababy/Flickr If there’s a dessert dear to the hearts of Oklahomans, it’s pecan pie. Where to find the best pecan pie? Try Field’s Pies in Pauls Valley.
After looking at all that yummy food, are you wondering what we’re wondering…just how many calories would an official Oklahoma state meal contain? We looked into it, and here’s what we came up with: a whopping 2,700 calories and 125 grams of fat!
Kevin/Flickr
Chicken fried steak is a favorite meal loved by almost all Oklahomans. Where to find the best chicken fried steak? Try Clanton’s Cafe in Vinita.
Hal J/Flickr
There’s nothing quite like a warm, buttery biscuit melting in your mouth. Most diners across the state serve fresh, homemade biscuits that are AMAZING! Where to find the best biscuits? Try Buttered Bun’s Cafe in Miami.
Sean T Evans/Flickr
There’s nothing quite like a good sausage and gravy to pour over those mouthwatering biscuits. Where to find the best sausage and gravy? Try Buttered Bun’s Cafe in Miami if you’re eating biscuits or the famous Good Gravy! in Oklahoma City.
Travis Nep Smith/Flickr
This delicious flesh-colored legume is the perfect side-dish in the Official State Meal. Where to find the best black-eyed peas? Try Ann’s Chicken Fry House in Oklahoma City.
food_in_mouth/Flickr
Cornbread is a popular item in Southern cooking enjoyed by many people for its texture and aroma. Where to find the best cornbread? Try Katie’s Diner in Guthrie.
Chris Freeland/Flickr
Corn is one of the all-time favorite vegetables in the U.S., so it’s no surprise it’s one of Oklahoma’s favorites. Where to find the best corn? Try Sisserou’s in Tulsa.
karmacamilleeon/Flickr
Maybe you don’t like okra, but have you tried fried okra? The perfectly crispy, never slimy, fried okra will have you licking your fingers and begging for more! Where to find the best fried okra? Try Main Street Barbecue in Durant.
pulaw/Flickr
You can’t leave out barbecue in the Oklahoma Official State Meal. Barbecue pork is downright mouthwatering, leaner and delicious from the grill. Where to find the best barbecue pork? Try Oklahoma Joe’s BBQ in Broken Arrow.
junniemuffin/Flickr
This vegetable side dish is a perfect complement to many dishes. Butternut squash is a favorite for Oklahomans. Where to find the best squash? Try Stella Modern Italian Cuisine in Oklahoma City.
Dan4th Nicholas/Flickr
This popular Southern breakfast dish is of Native American origin and is similar to other thick maize-based porridges from around the world, such as polenta. Where to find the best grits? Try Ozzie’s Diner in Norman.
Tatyana A./Flickr
Oklahoma designated the strawberry as the official state fruit in 2005. The town of Stilwell, Oklahoma has held an annual strawberry festival for 60 years. Where to find the best strawberries? Try Wild Things Farm in Pocola.
oanababy/Flickr
If there’s a dessert dear to the hearts of Oklahomans, it’s pecan pie. Where to find the best pecan pie? Try Field’s Pies in Pauls Valley.
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
