5 Best Restaurants in Norman, Oklahoma to Try

Norman is college-town America with a Western accent—a place where energetic, youthful taste collides with deep Oklahoma pride.

The city’s standout restaurants run the gamut from classic barbecue to vegan innovation.

1. The Mont

A Norman classic for cocktails, Tex-Mex plates, and the city’s most famous patio.

Their “Sooner Swirl” frozen drinks are a rite of passage, and the nachos, taco salads, and burritos come in massive, shareable portions.

Warm evenings fill the patio with university students, grads, and community pillars alike.

2. Tarahumara’s Mexican Cafe

Known as “Tara’s,” this bustling family kitchen is celebrated for huge combo plates, salsas prepared from scratch, slow-cooked carne guisada, chicken in mole sauce, and towering margaritas.

It’s fun, authentic, and a comfort-food fixture—and the basket of chips never empties.

3. Hideaway Pizza

With deep local roots and a menu full of playful, loaded pies, Hideaway is a Norman institution.

Try the Big Country (with every meat and cheese), Sicilian, or fried mushroom appetizers—served in a playfully colorful, jam-packed dining room and popular for dine-ins, takeout, and big game nights alike.

4. Ray’s Smokehouse BBQ

Tender-smoked brisket, baby back ribs, pulled pork, and piles of fried okra make Ray’s the go-to for pure Oklahoma barbecue.

The counter-serve spot is family-run, simple, and always busy on weekends—proof that no sauce (or hospitality) is ever skimped.

5. The Earth Cafe & Deli

Norman’s best source for vegetarian and vegan fare, Earth shines with grain bowls, tempeh wraps, salads, smoothies, and homemade sweets.

It’s part health cafe, part community meeting place, and beloved by students, faculty, and anyone who loves a bright, nourishing meal.