5 Best Coffee Shops in Tulsa: Get Pumped to Explore!
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Tulsa was a city of many things, and while I learned A LOT about the history of Tulsa (AND the history of Greenwood), I also did a little bit of hands-on learning of the current cafe culture by checking out over fifteen coffee shops in Tulsa in the four days I was there.
Yeah, I know it might sound like a lot…
But I drink like…a least four chai lattes a day. Might as well make it an adventure by trying to find my favorites in the city haha.
Anyways, Tulsa surprised me both with the variety of coffee shops in Tulsa, as well as their menus. Unlike a few other cities – like the cafes in Santa Fe – the coffee shops in Tulsa proudly boasted a robust menu and EVERYTHING was sounding good.
No shade to Santa Fe, but hey. Some places just have it down-packed.
Truthfully, this won’t be the most groundbreaking or thought-provoking post in my index, but I am hopeful that it will help you plan your next trip to Tulsa. After all, you gotta get the morning started on the right foot!
Coffee Shops in Tulsa
Just as a quick overview – when I say BEST coffee shops in Tulsa, I’m really saying that they are my personal favorites. So if your fav didn’t make the list, it’s not personal or anything, and I’m also not calling that spot garbage. It just wasn’t doing it for me. While I hope you use this list to try out these awesome establishments, when you’re traveling you should always feel compelled to branch out and try a new place as well!
That said, some of the qualities I look for in a cafe for it to be my favorite:
- Menu Variety: it doesn’t have to have a wide range of food, but drinks is a must (unless they’re known for making ONE thing REALLY well, but even then…). Specifically, I’m looking for non-coffee and non-caffienated items as well because not everyone likes coffee and not everyone drinks caffiene either.
- Cute Atmosphere: I don’t mind simple interior, but I also don’t want to feel like the coffee was made on the floor two days ago.
- Welcoming Enviornment: As much as I love cafes, they CANT feel a bit snobby and condesending if you aren’t a coffee bean connoseuir. I appreciate when I feel welcomed AND wanted in a space.
- Taste: Duh
Hopefully that gives you a more well-rounded picture of why these coffee shops in Tulsa ended up being my favorite and making the list. So without further ado, let’s get the party started!
Chimera Cafe
Chimera Cafe was literally my first cafe stop during my time in Tulsa, largely because it is also one of the best breakfast spots in the city! But I won’t get into all of the wonderful food (yet). They have more drink options than a lot of places restaurants have menu items, and they’re all amazing. Aside from their coffee, they also have chai, matcha, fresh juices, gingerbeer, kombucha, and a few lemonade flavors. There’s something for everyone!
There are a lot of tables inside, with amble lighting! Literally, it’ll make your morning selfies look filtered! The staff was all super wonderful, and the great drinks were just the icing on the cake. 10/10. Though it does give me flashbacks to Full Metal Alchemist….(anyone??? ANYONE?!?!??)
Fulton Street Books & Coffee
My second favorite thing to do when exploring a new city is to check out their independent bookstores! Fulton was a highly recommended bookstore, so the fact that it had an attached cafe was just icing on the cake! Or…uh…foam on the latte? Whatever, you know what I mean. The cafe section had a lot of unique options, and I ended up going with an ube latte. IT WAS DELICIOUS. The barista was also super friendly and approachable!
The cafe has ample seating and amazing natural light, so if you’re looking for a coworking space, I’d highly recommend this spot. Plus, there’s an incredible bookstore RIGHT NEXT DOOR! One thing in particular about the bookstore that I love is that books about Oklahoma and specifically Tulsa’s history (both fiction and non-) are front and center for visitors and residents alike. I picked up two novels about Tulsa that I’m excited to dig into. They also have a super wide variety of colorful and engaging children’s books. And everything else, haha.
Black Wall Street Liquid Lounge
Y’all, this place has BANGIN coffee, but it was so freaking hot outside that I would’ve died if I didn’t order an iced tea refresher.
YUP.
They got tea refreshers.
Starbucks should be SHAKINGGG.
Anyways, it’s a super cute cafe in Greenwood, and if you’re already in the area exploring and learning the history, I’d highly recommend you stop in. I mean, if you visit like I did in August….then you’re going to need a refresher too. From steamy bevvies to ice cold brews, they have a flavor for everything and everyone. It’s definitely one of the top coffee shops in Tulsa in terms of combining creativity and amazing tastes.
While it may look cozy on the inside, there’s actually a whole back room with tables and comfy sofas. They also have warm bites and a popsicle fridge (stocked by a local Greenwood brand – can confirm, they’re delicious!), so they really have your back no matter what the weather!
Cura Cafe
I actually stumbled upon Cura Cafe by chance. I was in the area because I had heard about a little shopping center made out of cargo shipping containers. As my terrible luck would have it, literally ALL of the stores were closed – except Cura Cafe.
The unique thing about Cura Cafe is that they are actually a non-profit company (and the only non-profit of coffee shops in Tulsa! I think…I don’t THINK She Brews is non-profit, idk don’t quote me). 100% of their net profits go back to the communities of the farms where Cura gets their beans. They have three main global organizations that they partner with, which focus on healthcare, food security, and clean water.
In terms of their drinks, however, they didn’t have the most extensive menu, but it was good! I would say out of all of the coffee shops in Tulsa (on this list anyway), Cura had the most robust and bitter taste. Not saying that in a bad way either! I know lots of people aren’t a fan of overly sweet beverages, so you might want to head here!
fROOT Bowls
Okay okay, I know what you’re probably thinking. THIS PLACE HAS NO REASON BEING ON A LIST OF COFFEE SHOPS IN TULSA!!!! IT’S A SMOOTHIE JOINT!!
Well, yes. It IS a nice refreshing juice spot. But it also has yerba.
Hahahah but seriously, they do have some pretty great coffee (and yerba), but I specifically wanted to mention Froot Bowls because they saved my GUT after all the coffee I drank in Tulsa. Trust me, in this heat especially, you’re going to want to cool off and rehydrate with some electrolytes and nutrients – this is where you should do it. I tried a couple of acai spots, and Froot Bowls is hands down one of the best. I went here every day I was in Tulsa (four days), and one day I went twice. Plus, their menu is huge and you’ll definitely find something for everyone.
Short List for Coffee Shops in Tulsa
Like I said, these coffee shops in Tulsa are purely MY favorites, but that doesn’t mean there are the only ones you should try! Below are a few more coffee shops in Tulsa that have been recommended to me by friends that live there but I didn’t make it around to (thanks The Happiness Function!). Not for lack of trying though, I visited on weekdays, so not all of them were open. If you have time, or aren’t feeling some of my favorites, be sure to give these a try!
- Boss Tea (teas and boba, spoiler)
- Lagom Coffee (looks like they have great sandwiches)
- Coffee House on Cherry Street (lots of breakfast options)
- Foolish Things Coffee Company (beautiful interior)
- Topeca Coffee Roastery (one of the highest rated coffee shops in Tulsa)
- She Brews Coffee House (donates to programs that help support women with housing, jobs, and mentorships)
Coffee Shops in Tulsa: Conclusion
Another city, another round of ceaseless caffiene that I’ve put my gut through. All for the betterment of my blog though, and my taste buds, so I’d consider that a job well done! Hopefully you’ve found a new cafe or two to check out! When I was doing a little research into things to do in Tulsa, I was so surprised that the same few coffee shops were always being recommended.
Well, not shocked, but you know what I mean.
So with this list, I purposely prioritized trying coffee shops in Tulsa that was not part of the already popular crowd.
Did I leave any of your favorite coffee shops in Tulsa off the list? Let me know in the comments below!
