Tulsa Food

Downtown Tulsa has a distinct lack of options for the après theatre crowd. That became clear last Friday as my husband and I, peckish after the ballet, searched in vain for a place to grab a night cap and a bite. It was a few minutes before 11pm and after striking out on several fronts, we thought of Joe Momma’s. A quick phone call confirmed that they were still serving.

For me, Joe Momma’s is a fantastic option any time, but it’s a different crowd at 11:15pm on a Saturday night, one that I might prefer to the usual crush of hipsters and families with small (and sometimes loud) children. The dining room was mostly full, they’re still showing sports on all the big screens, but the usual frenetic energy was replaced by a quiet calm.

Behind the glass at Joe Momma’s After Dark

It’s basically self-serve at this point in the night: we walked in and were directed to a cash register just inside the door, where we could place our order. At night it’s pizza only, either whole or by the slice, as well as the full bar menu. For less than $10, we each got a slice of cheese pizza and a beer and grabbed one of the handful of unoccupied tables. The bar was full, though with only about 6-8 seats, that’s not uncommon. As we devoured our pizza, I spotted (and smelled) something that I couldn’t live without at the next table. I went back to the register and conferred with the guy taking orders, turns out it was their Pesto Bread and it could be mine for the price of $6.95, plus 7-10 minutes. Sold!

The leftover pesto bread… I was too intent on eating it to remember to snap a pic when it was fresh!

We nursed our drinks for a few, then they called my name and waiting for me in the window was the most perfect specimen of soft dough, gooey cheese and delicious, herby pesto I’ve ever laid tongue on. It was a huge order, which left us fat and happy on the cold walk to the car, with plenty left over for Saturday breakfast.

There’s no wrong time to go to Joe’s, but they get it especially right after dark.

Joe Momma’s
112 S Elgin Ave
Tulsa, OK 74120-1817
(918) 794-6563

Aubrae Filipiak: Author

I have always loved restaurants.

As a kid, I would beg to go out to eat almost every night. It was something about the spectacle of it all that got me hooked – the sequence of service unfolding like a plot, four meals hitting the table simultaneously, the servers moving lithely among tables packed with chattering guests. The food was almost an afterthought.

My first job was as a waitress in a small Mexican restaurant at age 16. I’d been bitten by the bug and I’ve never looked back. Fast forward more years than I’d like to admit and I am a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and have made a career out of working in restaurants around the country. The food’s much more important to me now, but the spectacle still has the power to captivate me.

Now, let’s eat!

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