The Earth Café & Deli — Restaurant in Norman

I can nearly always count on a large university town having at least one health food joint. I don’t mean Whole Foods, Sprouts, et al., but rather the mom-and-pop kind that are more than happy to serve a small but loyal clientele. The Earth Natural Foods in Norman is a shining example. Housed in a very unassuming shop nestled among residences, it is only a short walk from the OU campus, from which I suspect it draws its customers. 

Don’t expect bright lights and 50,000 square feet of organic, non-GMO, whatever merch like you find at the big chains. The Earth is tiny, and it’s the kind of place you go to wait patiently for your slow food, hand-crafted one plate at a time in the small kitchen.

I am glad I sought this out.

While there are some household items for sale (organic eggs, some bulk items, and a wide selection of Dr. Bronner’s liquid and bar soaps), it is the prepared food that is the draw. From tacos to soups, salads, sandwiches, smoothies, juices, and a variety of breakfast items, The Earth serves whole foods, not to be confused with a chain.

Even though it was midday, I opened for the Earthling Special, a breakfast scramble with a tasty medley of veggies and tofu. A side of breakfast potatoes rounded out my plate. It was delightful, and left me feeling just right…ready to carry on, instead of pass out in my van.

From meat items to vegetarian, vegan, and GF, The Earth offers a wide variety of choices, most of which are very customizable depending on dietary preference....

I am so happy to find a restaurant that has clean ingredients. Organic is very important to me. Ian an omnivore and they have turkey and tuna. I had a sourdough tuna melt. The greens were fresh, turkey was cut not processed, bread was delicious! I got a small cup of tabouli and wished I got a large. Their coffee was sooo good and had organic whole milk. I highly recommend this place for health conscience folks or if you just want something yummy and support local. Also coffee is local. It didn’t say organic or mold free so I need to ask but I am confident they would use clean coffee. Oh they bake their own desserts that looked yummy but I intermittently fast and sugar isn’t in my plan right now but I will try the...

The Earth Cafe can seem pricey but $10-$15 per person is manageable. I’ve been a customer for over 15 years and typically buy coffee or smoothie, a snack, a sandwich, and something from their grocery section. I rarely spend under $35 a visit. Worth it! They harvest from their community garden and take pride in local organic options. The coffee and smoothies are always fresh and delicious, as are the sweet treats. Vegan options available. I keep going back for the ruben sandwich but my college-aged daughter enjoys the moonmaiden while my bff loves the biscuits and gravy. Seating is somewhat limited but on a nice day you can sit on the back patio or at the picnic tables near the garden. The staff is amazing and...