Veg Out!/Your Guide to Eating Out

From a vegetarian who doesn’t want to cook.

It’s July, the heart of summer, when Okies love to sink their teeth into a great burger. In the past, we vegetarians were relegated to a salad, or if we were lucky, a frozen veggie patty, while our carnivorous pals enjoyed this Oklahoma pastime. But fear not my fellow veggies—OKC now has delicious, fresh-made, veggie burgers at several locations where even meat-eaters have been known to ask for a bite.

Urban Johnnie Bar & Grille

I love a burger bar option, where you can just add what you want, instead of changing what they have deemed their veggie burger. Urban Johnnie offers your choice of patty (veggie please), cheese (pepper jack for me), and several tasty toppings options like hummus, vegetarian chili, guacamole, and of course, all the vegetables you could want. I like adding grilled onions and jalapenos and having the whole thing smothered in veggie chili. All that protein can be so filling, I’ve been known to ditch the bun and eat it with a fork.
121 NE 2nd St, Oklahoma City

S&B Burger Joint

Another great burger bar option where you can build exactly what you want is at S&B. They don’t list the house-made veggie slider under the options for build your own, but you can do it, just ask! After selecting your veggie patty and cheese, choose from a selection of sauces that includes blue cheese vinaigrette, peanut butter (what?), and my fave, chipotle mayo. Top with your choice of veggies (did someone say green chilies? ), and you have a fantastic house-made veggie burger.
4 Locations in Oklahoma City

Republic Gastropub

Not only is Republic a great place to catch a Thunder game, but they also have an unusual take on the veggie burger, their signature being a house-made chickpea burger. This fresh and savory patty comes with cucumber raita (for a yummy Indian flavor), field greens, and sliced tomato, topped with a pretzel bun. The chickpea patty is fried, giving it a delicious similarity to a falafel.
5830 N Classen Blvd, Oklahoma City

The Red Cup

Surprisingly, I had not had the veggie burger at the venerable vegetarian and vegan restaurant, Red Cup, before researching this article (when a vegetarian can walk into a restaurant and order ANYTHING off the menu, you tend not to go for the old standby!). I’m so glad I finally gave their house-made patty a try. This burger had the most “meat-like” texture of any I’ve tried, even though I could see lentils, barley, and peas inside. It came with lettuce, tomato, mayo and melted jack cheese on a flavorful house-made rosemary bun.
3122 N Classen Blvd, Oklahoma City

Picasso Café

I love a restaurant that has a special section on the menu for vegetarians, and Picasso Café has a great one that includes their quinoa black bean burger. This appetizing patty includes beets, giving it a distinctive reddish color. It comes with lettuce, onion, tomato, a spicy aioli, and your choice of side (I recommend the couscous). Oh, and vegans rejoice! They regularly make this burger vegan upon request.
3009 Paseo, Oklahoma City

Have a delicious vegetarian menu item you think is worth writing about? Shoot us an email at edibleokc@gmail.com and let us know!