Ah, the back to school season... When hundreds, if not thousands, of new people flood into Norman, Oklahoma to start their college years. The main roads become crowded, campus becomes almost impassable, and hundreds of hungry mouths are eager to see what Norman has to offer in the cuisine category.
At first glance, Norman might seem like the only things it has to offer are Whataburger or IHOP, but being a college town on the cusp of a growing metropolitan, it's food culture is surprisingly rewarding. Here are five places that newcomers to Norman (and all regular Norman citizens), absolutely must try to get a good taste of the Sooner town.
1. The Earth Cafe and Deli.
The Earth is a deli and mini grocery store located near the intersection of Flood and Main St. It offers dozens of organic options that contain ingredients that are often times grown in a large garden right behind the business. It sells homemade quiche and soups, a DELICIOUS veggie chili, and a number of exciting, large, and flavorful salads.
They also offer blended drinks and juices to get your kick of antioxidants and vitamins. As well as these homemade drinks, they offer a variety of bottled drinks, healthy chips, a huge selection of vegetarian and vegan foods, and sweets. The Earth is a great place to eat if you're looking to avoid that Freshmen 15!
2. Gray Owl Coffee.
Gray Owl Coffee, a coffee shop located off Gray St. in Norman, offers expertly crafted coffee and tea drinks, as well as baked goods made from scratch in the store daily. The shop sells healthy options like gluten-free cookies, quiche, and teas, as well as tasty treats like muffins, home-made scones, and the best hot chocolate in Norman.
Along with money-worthy foods, Gray Owl offers a cozy and dim-lit study environment, with large tables, plugs and WiFi. It is a great place to grab a treat while studying with friends or catching up with an old bud.
3. Midway Grocery and Market.
Midway is a grocery store and deli that has been in Norman for decades. It's nestled in the middle of a neighborhood, just a couple of blocks from both campus and main street. The deli sells hand-made sandwiches and hearty soups, as well as a small selection of groceries.
4. La Baguette.
There are two locations for La Baguette in Norman, a restaurant right off of Robinson, and a cafe location right off of Main St. La Baguette is a French bakery with Mediterranean undertones that offers delicious, gourmet desserts like the amazing 'Pyramid Cake', macaroons, an array of chocolate items, pies, and so much more. It also serves delectable sandwiches and salads, crescents, panini, and coffee.
5. The Diner.
Last, but certainly not least, The Diner is one of the most iconic food locations in Norman. Featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, and remade on 'American Diner Revival', it has been a restaurant for over 100 years. It exited on the streets of Norman before Norman had it's paved roads and bustling college campus.
The diner offers excellent coffee, home cooked meals, amazing skillet potatoes, omelettes, pancakes, an amazing burrito eaten by Guy Fieri himself, and an authentic, cramped, Oklahoma diner experience where the food is cooked two feet away from your table and the waitresses always have coffee on hand.
As Norman natives frequently say, "the only thing to do in Norman is eat!". But damn, do we have some good eats.
