If you’re a coffee drinker, you really must plan a trip to Tulsa this winter. Here in the cultural capital of Oklahoma, our collective fondness for liquid bean supports a host of independent coffeehouses that keep us warm, energized, and entertained on chilly winter days.
Offhand, we can think of more than a dozen great indie options: Agora, Cafe Cubana, Coffeehouse on Cherry Street, Doubleshot, Foolish Things, Gypsy, Java ‘n’ Juice, Joebot’s, Kaffe Bona, Mod’s, Shades of Brown, Sumatra, Topeca, and the most recent addition to Tulsa’s coffee culture, the Phoenix Cafe. (Another shop, 918 Coffee, is poised to open on Route 66 just a few blocks from The Campbell in the not-too-distant future.)
One part coffeehouse, one part bar, and one part bookstore, the Phoenix rose from … well, not ashes, exactly, but definitely dormancy. An adaptive reuse project by local restaurateur and City Councilor Blake Ewing, the Phoenix is situated in a newly restored, historic brick storefront at the southeast corner of Sixth Street and Peoria Avenue, across the street from Centennial Park and just 2.5 miles from The Campbell Hotel. (To get there, turn left on 11th, then right on Peoria and right on Sixth; the Phoenix will be on your right.)
In addition to great cappuccino, the Phoenix has its own in-house bakery that produces a variety of treats, including green chile bagels. If you need something bigger than a bagel, the Phoenix has a wide assortment of sandwich options; your choice of several soups served in bread bowls that put the big chain bakeries to shame; cheese fondue; and veggie platters big enough to share with a friend. Shelves of used books line the walls of one room, and the interior decor features eclectic furniture; a ceiling full of mismatched chandeliers and lamps of every imaginable shape, style and color; and plenty of outlets for charging electronic devices.
Why not spend a winter weekend curled up in some of Tulsa’s cozy coffeehouses? Book a room at The Campbell Hotel, use our complimentary business center to print out directions to a few promising places, and set out in search of the perfect cup of coffee to warm you up from the inside out. To reserve a room at The Campbell Hotel, call (918) 744-5500 or visit www.thecampbellhotel.com. (And if we’ve left your favorite coffeehouse off the list, feel free to add it in the comments!)