Meet Viet
Viet is an Emmy Award-winning Vietnamese-American filmmaker and documentary photographer whose creative journey began serving our country as a multimedia specialist in the U.S. Army. After years of traveling the globe, he found his way back home to Tulsa in 2019. With a world-class eye for storytelling and a passport full of stamps, Viet knows good food and he's here to share some of the best bites our beloved city has to offer.
Go-To Restaurants
Natsukashii – A Tulsa favorite that started as a concept kitchen under chef collective Et. Al offers modern homestyle Japanese cuisine in downtown Tulsa.
Pro-Tip: Order the Immigrant Salad
Pho-Filled – Check out this authentic Vietnamese Pho staple in East Tulsa.
Why It’s Great: The broth is freshly made, almost like your Grandma made it.
Cheng Du – A hot spot for a real family-style Szechuan meal.
Go-to Dishes: The Mapo Tofu or Boiled Beef
Best Hole in the Wall
Lo Bahn Mi Viet Hot Bread – An East Tulsa mom and pop Bahn Mi shop that doesn’t mess around.
Why it Works: The most expensive thing on their menu is $7 so you can load up without breaking the bank.
Most Underrated Spot
Fried Pies at QT – A rediscovery of a beloved Bama-made pie that no one sold anymore. Luckily QuikTrip brought them back.
Space for Us – A Tulsa Artist Fellowship venture that is building cosmic perspectives and empowering underserved communities through astronomy education.
A Space for All: Cheyenne Smith founded the organization to make STEAM via space science visible and accessible to all with her giant telescope that invites people to take a look at the stars.
Mixed Use Space Tulsa – Exactly as the name suggests, MUST is a studio coworking space with local goods to purchase and plenty of community oriented events.
Why it Rocks: They bring the community together through their many workshops.
Best Bar
Starlite – A friendly neighborhood bar tucked away on Route 66. Enjoy plenty of events, live DJ sets, and concerts.
What to Order: The Negroni or the Paloma made with mezcal.
Coffee Shop
Phinesso – The go-to spot for authentic Vietnamese coffee and unique sweet treats, like their Matcha waffle, located just south of Tulsa.
What’s Special: They use real robusta beans sourced from coffee farms in Dak lak, Vietnam
Coffee @ Heirloom – A self described ‘focused coffee concept’ housed inside Heirloom Rustic Ales that brings in some of the best roasts in the world.
What’s to Love: They bring in a cool crowd with plenty of community events and live vinyl sets for an elevated coffeehouse experience.
PonyCoffee – This bike shop turned cafe is cited as one of Ethan Hawke’s favorite brew spots in Tulsa. Enjoy two stories of seating and a great cup of joe.
Real Recognize Real: Previously owned by legendary Tulsa photography and bicycle enthusiast, Viet shouts out G Oscor Herron of G Oscar Bicycles. The cafe remains as artsy and bike-oriented as ever.
Businesses More People Should Know About
The Hulett Collection – One of Tulsa’s fine art galleries with a special taste for 20th century and photographic works owned by Tulsa Native, Michael Hulett.
The X Factor: “The only place you’re gonna find a signed Ansel Adams print”; plus they have shows all the time, says Viet.
The Pickup – A subscriber-driven publication written for Tulsans by Tulsans from This Land Press.
Support Local: Only $6 to subscribe!
Best Slice
Bohemian Pizza – Grab a Neapolitan-style pie in this eclectic East Village spot.
What to Try: The Arugala
Dante’s Woodfire – A hand mixed pizza joint recognizable for their iconic food truck. Look out for their brick and mortar coming soon!
The Difference: They use the cup-style pepperoni on their pies and it comes out perfectly crunchy and crispy.
Best Lunch Spot in Tulsa
Bramble – A go-to brunch spot for Tulsans that use fresh ingredients and bake all breads in house.
Go-To Picks: Bramble Breakfast Patty Melt or the Breakfast Poutine featuring a bed of crispy, golden fries, fried chicken, fondue cheese, and topped with a fried egg.
Hidden Gem
Drifters Theatre – An old church was acquired by musician, Dylan Aycock, and transformed into a local theatre in downtown Tulsa.
Why it’s Special: This unique space is the perfect venue for art, music, and films. Plus they have one of the most unique views of the Tulsa skyline.
Best Neighborhood
East Side Global District – A culturally vibrant neighborhood around 21st and S Garnett.
East Side Best Side? Great culture, great food, and everyone is family!
Viet’s Hot Take
Viet quotes Leroy Chapman: ‘If you come to Tulsa and you want to be a citizen of Tulsa and make Tulsa better, you have to think about everybody in Tulsa.’
