Oklahoma City's Spanish-Influenced Arts District Full Of Historic Charm And Amazing Eats Is A Shopping Haven

In one of the most underrated cities in America, there's a small two-block district that's brimming with art and creativity in Oklahoma City. Just a few miles north of downtown, the Paseo Arts District feels worlds away from the midwest. Built in the late 1920s, as one of the city's first shopping areas, its arched doorways, stucco walls, red-tiled roofs, and other Spanish Revival architectural details resemble a Mediterranean village. Today, the streets are lined with more than 20 galleries with approximately 80 working artists, along with locally-owned shops and trendy restaurants.

Throughout the week, you can visit the studios with demonstrations, classes, and workshops. Each month, from 6 pm to 9 pm, First Friday Gallery Walk visitors can wander among the galleries for exhibits, live music, and wine tastings. The biggest yearly celebration is the Paseo Arts Festival, held every Memorial Day weekend. The free 3-day event showcases works of art from 90 artists across the country, features over 50 live performances from blues to jazz, and includes a food court full of local vendors.

Oklahoma City has lots of up-and-coming areas, including the city's most livable neighborhood that offers safe streets, nearby parks, and a relaxed lifestyle, in the adjacent neighborhood from Paseo. Nearby, just a few miles away from the arts district, you'll reach Oklahoma City's central neighborhood that's a go-to spot for young professionals with easy access to downtown. To reach this part of the city, book a ride on a ride-share app or rent a car from Will Rogers International Airport. The airport is located just 15 miles away from these northern neighborhoods.

The Paseo transformed from a shopping district in the late 1920s to a gathering place for creatives and beatniks in the 1950s. Jazz clubs began to spring up, bringing beat poets and bohemian thinkers. During the counterculture movement of the 1960s, those who didn't quite fit the mainstream flocked here, drawing musicians, writers, and painters. The area buzzed with experimental art shows and underground music. A decade later, the area was cemented into a creative hub when attorney John Belt bought several older buildings and rented them out to restaurants and artists.

Today, the Paseo Arts and Creativity Center acts as the neighborhood's artistic hub. Opened in 2020, it houses three art galleries, 11 artist studios that are open to the public, a photography studio available for rent for the public, and a gift shop, along with the offices of the Paseo Arts Association. Visitors can take classes in watercolor, fiber art, or painting portraits, watercolor paintings, or attend professional development workshops.

Other popular art galleries include the Paseo Gallery One, which offers rotating exhibits, showcasing over 30 artists across mediums in oil, acrylic, mixed media, and sculpture. Studio Six is another working art gallery that holds regular events that highlights the work of local artists practicing in various art forms, such as sculpture, glasswork, and ceramics. Next door, check out Paseo Pottery, where you can watch ceramicists work, shop for handmade pieces, or take a ceramics class.

Beyond the art galleries, the Paseo is a great destination for locally-owned shops and restaurants. Stop by Literati Press, an independent publisher, writer's co-op, and a bookstore that showcases authors and comics. Flora Bodega, a worker-owned grocery and co-op that stocks items from over 60 local vendors, like produce, bakery items, and handmade items, as well as access to a free community fridge and recycling program. Grab a coffee at 30th Street Market, which also serves breakfast, sandwiches, and pastries in a cafe-market hybrid setting that also lets you repair your bike through Celestial Cycles.

OSO Paseo is a modern taqueria that offers tacos in a chic-contemporary style. One visitor on Yelp described it as California-esque, "Bright, open, and cheerful with excellent vibes. Had chicken nachos and a prickly pear margarita. Both were fresh and tasty. Service was cheerful and attentive too. 10 out of 10." Try the Baja Fish Taco that's filled with crunchy beer-battered cod, layered with cilantro-lime slaw, and pickled onions, with a jalapeno tartar sauce. Another popular menu item is the brisket burnt-end tacos drizzled in a Dr. Pepper BBQ sauce, topped with radishes, pepitas, and a fried pickle spear.

Next door, OSO's tropical sister bar, the cheerful Flamingo Tiki Room, serves tapas and drinks in a colorful, overly-pink, island-inspired setting. Its mocktails or signature cocktails fit with its kitschy theme, each served in novelty mugs. Hits include its refreshing frozen Dole Whip, a pineapple soft serve and your choice of rum. Burger Punk, once a food truck, is now a hot pink-and-black themed restaurant that serves one-of-a-kind signature burgers. Try the Clash, a medium-grilled burger topped with American cheese, grilled onions and jalapeños, crunchy Nacho Doritos, and dressed with hoisin mayo, fresh cilantro, and a hint of lime.