When will we finally put aside our nonsensical geographical hostilities and agree that the few miles that separate us don’t actually make much difference? People might joke they get a rash if they drive north of Memorial Road, but the biggest difference between Edmond and Oklahoma City is the color of the trash cans. So if you find yourself heading north and desiring something delicious, there are more than a few excellent options to ponder. Give Edmond a chance and save your distaste for someplace that deserves it, like Texas.
By Greg Elwell
Photos Cara Johnson, Garett Fisbeck and Garett Fisbeck / file
Signature Grill
1315 E. Danforth Road
405-330-4548
For fine dining in Edmond, look no further than Signature Grill. Start off with an appetizer of seared foie gras on a grilled baguette with decadent melted Cambozola cheese, prosciutto di Parma and cranberry-clove port wine jam before digging into a plate of seared sea scallops in a lemon, butter and white wine sauce or succulent duck breast in a sweet wine reduction. If you’re looking to make a night of it, the restaurant is a few steps away from Kickingbird Cinema.
Humble Pie
1319 S. Broadway
405-715-1818
One of the great ironies of Chicago-style deep-dish pizza is that people from Chicago don’t actually eat it very often. Don’t let that warn you away from Humble Pie, though. Regardless of who eats it most, deep-dish pizza is an amazing meal almost like a savory tomato-and-meat casserole. Humble Pie’s crust is almost too buttery to be believed. Treat yourself to a Death Star starter: a cheese-stuffed one-pound meatball.
The One Cafe
122 E. 15th St.
405-340-0333
If I had to guess why the owners of The One Cafe gave it that name, it would be because they put so many different cuisines under one roof. Serving lots of different foods isn’t always a good thing, but The One Cafe does them so well — breakfast crêpes and grilled panini and delicious salads. One of the most unique items is also the best: poke bowls. Build your own on rice or salad with different kinds of raw fish and other savory options.
The Zu Sports Grill
16 S. Broadway
405-330-1833
There’s a menagerie of animals in The Zu, and all of them are tasty. Obviously, there are the basic farmyard types — Baja chicken enchilada soup, grilled cheese panini with bacon and a beer-battered bacon onion burger — but there are other creatures about, too. Delicate fried cod sandwiches and spicy Buffalo calamari both taste great, but they’re even better with The Pink Zebra made with Deep Eddy grapefruit vodka topped with Curious Traveler Grapefruit Ale.
Hidalgo’s Cocina & Cantina
200 S. Santa Fe Ave.
405-285-2424
“I don’t like Peruvian food” is a phrase uttered so infrequently that it almost sounds like gibberish. How can anybody not like lomo saltado, a dish of steak, peppers, onions and potatoes? That’s one of the specialties at Hidalgo’s, along with fresh Peruvian ceviches and gorgeous, crispy-skinned roasted chicken. The restaurant also serves a wonderful selection of Mexican dishes and makes a mean margarita.
The Cow Calf-Hay
3409 Wynn Drive
405-509-2333
Most people love German food without ever knowing it. A Hamburg-style steak sandwich is, after all, one of the best-selling dishes in America. And one of the finest places for this Teutonic delicacy is Edmond favorite The Cow Calf-Hay, where diners can sup upon a variety of exquisite burgers. The Maui Cowi is topped with a teriyaki-grilled pineapple ring and smoked bacon while the Juicy Lucy is simply drowning in cheese. Look at you! You just found out you love foreign food!
Mt. Everest Cuisines
1169 E. Second St.
405-696-5494
Climb to new heights of flavor at Mt. Everest Cuisines, which serves both Nepali and Indian food. Start with steamed momo, meaty Nepali dumplings, or lovely fried samosa chat. One of the restaurant’s all-time great dishes is chicken makhani, or butter chicken, which has a similar flavor to chicken tikka masala. First-time visitors should look at the vegetarian and meat samplers, which can give you a taste of all kinds of different dishes.
