Okra is more than just a side dish. The cultural staple isn’t always given the credit it deserves. But at these restaurants throughout the U.S., okra gets some main character treatment.
By Eat Okra Inc
Updated On Mar 07, 2025
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At Café Metro, a meal isn't complete without okra. You can always add okra as a side to dishes ranging from oxtails to curry chicken to fried whole snapper, but don't be surprised if it steals the show.
At the Barnyard, you'll find a full menu of exceptional Caribbean cuisine. The Beer Battered Okra is a must-try. The zing of the spicy calypso remoulade elevates this wholesome side into its own perfect meal. As they say here, every dish has a touch of love in it.
Chef Q brings the flavor to Q1227 Restaurant's menu. He may be known for the legendary people has served, but its truly the passion he pits into his food that makes an incredible difference in your experience. The Spicy Szechuan Okra on the menu is perfectly cooked, with just the right level of heat mixed with the crunch you know and love. It's the type of comfort food you remember.
At Nubian Markets, you'll enjoy an extensive menu (and there are grocery and catering options available, too). They also just launched a breakfast menu. The menu includes several items spotlighting okra, including the Fonio Sweet Potato, which is prepared asa bowl or plate with jalapeno lime collards and a fonio grain.
While you can say that Ndulgance offers barbeque, you have to pay closer attention to the details. This is succulent food prepared with careful intention. Plant-based chicken, shrimp and grits, and seafood of all types are on the menu. The Fried Okra snack, as they call it, is freshly made to order and served with a fabulous, house-made remoulade sauce. It is truly exceptional quality.
It's a special day when you get to go to The Godmother of Soul Food Restaurant and Catering Service LLC for a meal. This relaxed, counter- service destination (and that's because everyone wants to visit) offers options like fried whiting, turkey wings, and collard greens. This is the kind of good service where you feel like you are the special guest invited for dinner. It's also the place to go for really delicious, freshly prepared Fried Okra.
At The Dutch Pot Jamaican Restaurant, you definitely have options. You can choose the Oxtail Dinner with its incredibly flavorful menu. You can also choose the $6.25 all-day special (one of the things the location is known for offering). If you're in the mood for okra during the early-morning hours, this is where you need to head. One of their large breakfast plates is Okra and Saltfish.
Nexus Brewery really makes a name for itself for serving up authentic okra dishes in New Mexico. They are also known as one of the best locations to go for craft beer. While you're there, enjoy the New Mexican Soul Food fusion. Okra takes center stage as its own fried treat as well as in dishes like the Gumbo.
Teranga is very much a wholesome destination for food that incorporates the intricacies of African cuisine. You'll find classics here including spiced Ghanaian plantains and Senegalese black-eyed pea stew. Several dishes incorporate okra, including the Ancient Vegan Bowl, which is a plant-based combination of okra, kale, and locust beans. Also, consider the 'Ndambe' Black-Eyed Pea Stew for a hearty meal.
At Taylor Juices, you'll find simple yet exceptionally made food. Dishes such as Pepper Shrimp and Easy Jerk Shrimp keep things wholesome and healthy. A standout is the Steam Fish, which includes okra along with other lightly stewed vegetables.
Soul Food Express provides outstanding options for anyone who enjoys Lowcountry cooking. You can taste the legacy in this no-frills food. That includes the Okra and Tomatoes side, one of the most sought-after options, as well as the Pig Feet and Fried Chicken.
At The Flavor Spot, you can enjoy rich flavors of Jamaican cuisine. The 'Full A Spice' Jerk Chicken is one of their most popular orders, but they also incorporate other options, including Country Style curry goal and Dutch Pot. If you're craving okra, go for the Seafood Soup, which also includes fish, shrimp, crab, mussels, and other vegetables. It's soul-warming!
At Gumbo Social, the focus is on good people and good food. Its mission is to make Gumbo the national dish in the U.S., and it is doing so one dish at a time. You can choose from three Gumbo options, all with okra in them: The Smoked Turkey, Chicken & Sausage, and Vegan Gumbos.
Each of the menu options here is prepared with heart. Fried Okra is a staple side on the menu—a perfect addition to Oxtails or the Garlic Herb Turkey Wings. They also offer a brunch menu that allows you to meld your favorites, including Catfish and Grits or Wings and French Toast, with a side of okra, of course.
The flavors of Trinidad and Tobago are front and center at this Brooklyn hot spot. Trini food, according to Chef Renee Davis, is made from the heart. Make sure to try the Callaloo with a side of Stewed Okra, a way to experience the vegetable in a unique way. It is so good!
A quality vegan destination, A Peace of Soul Vegan Kitchen provides a wide range of rich food, and flavor is never compromised. The menu changes daily based on fresh ingredients, but the Sesame-Ginger Okra is a must-try whenever it is available. It's sweet and tangy-the perfect choice for a flavor-packed meal.
You can tell the food at African Foods & Gifts is prepared with skill and attention to detail. Everything is slow-cooked to perfection. For any of the stews served here, the Fried Okra is an excellent bite on the side!
There's nothing like a fueling juice. At Mother Earth Juice Bar Café, you'll enjoy numerous options that include nutrient-rich, naturopathic goodness. There are salads available as well. For an okra fix, be sure to try the Callaloo Soup!
Here, you'll enjoy delicious fried okra, made fresh from the slicing to the dredging. There are plenty of other options to add to your dish, including shrimp, scallops, and oysters. It's easy to feed the entire family- you can get a full meal, like the Whole Catfish, with all the sides you want.