Victoria's the Pasta Shop

Visiting Victoria’s The Pasta Shop on downtown Norman’s historic Main Street is like stepping into the comfort of your mom’s kitchen. The white shiplap walls to the black vaulted ceiling with exposed ductwork may strike the perfect balance of urban and elegant, but when you sit down at your wooden butcher-block table, the atmosphere is casual and welcoming. It transports you back in time to the warmth of a childhood dinner at the kitchen table.

Victoria’s owes its family-first atmosphere in part to having such a small and close-knit staff, many of whom have worked there for a decade or longer. There are several brothers, sisters, and best friends working together. There are even a couple of managers who have been there since their college days, whose children now work at Victoria’s after school and on the weekends. Chris Roth, the owner, was hired on as the restaurant’s accountant in 1991, and after a couple of years, he decided to take the plunge and buy it. It was clear from the moment I sat down with Chris just how passionate he is about his restaurant and employees. In fact, this year will mark his 30th anniversary as owner and operator.

You wouldn’t find flat-screen TVs or flashy signs on the walls at Victoria’s. Chris held out for quite a while before finally giving in and mounting a single TV above the bar for anyone wanting to watch the OU game. Seeing customers connecting with loved ones over a plate of fresh, Oklahoma-made pasta and a glass of wine makes running Victoria’s rewarding. Chris admits all the managers are self-proclaimed “old softies.” “When families would come in and all the kids would sit there and talk as a family, that’s one of my favorite things … I’d comp that meal in a heartbeat!” In fact, on a busy Friday night, it’s not uncommon to see guests paying for other guests’ meals.

Though the lunch and dinner specials change daily and the full bar boasts seasonal cocktails, Victoria’s keeps its menu fairly small, putting emphasis on quality, freshness, and creativity. Popular menu items include shrimp lasagna rolls and black pepper linguini tossed with snow crab. The chefs take pride in giving classic dishes a fresh twist, blending in unexpected ingredients like sriracha and Hatch green chilis. The cauliflower pizza is a local favorite, and Chris swears, “with a hand on my dog’s head,” that you’ll never taste a better gluten-free pizza.

As a “Normie,” I have been going to Victoria’s for almost a decade, first as an early 20-something working in the hospitality industry and now as a mom sharing a stuffed mushroom with my husband and daughter. There is a spot here for college students grabbing dinner before heading to one of the bars along Main Street, a retired couple enjoying a laid-back meal before a dessert at Apple Tree Chocolate or Rusty’s Custard, or the magic of a first date.

> Victoria’s Pasta Shop, 215 E. Main St., Norman, victoriasthepastashop.com, (405) 329.0377