Oklahoma’s culinary scene got yet-another notch in its belt. Bar Sen, a Lao noodle restaurant and bar in Oklahoma City‘s Plaza District, earned a spot on The New York Times’ “50 Best Restaurants in America” list for 2025.
Chef Jeff Chanchaleune — already a two-time James Beard nominee — is no stranger to New York Times nods. His other restaurant, Ma Der Lao Kitchen, made the 2022 version of the list.
Standout dishes like Yum Sen Lown (a glass noodle salad with shrimp and ground pork), Khao Piek Sen (Lao chicken noodle soup), and an aromatic pandan cinnamon roll.
Earning a spot on the list was no easy feat for Bar Sen. To create the list, 15 New York Times reporters flew to 33 states and sampled over 200 meals — unannounced and on their own dime.
For Oklahoma, the recognition is bigger than one restaurant. It’s another signal that the state’s dining scene is leveling up in unexpected ways. From James Beard-winning bakeries to cult-favorite pho spots and tasting menus landing on national lists, Oklahoma’s food culture is pushing past stereotypes and finding its way onto the country’s must-eat maps.
It might not be the dining scene people picture when they think Oklahoma, but that kind of surprise is exactly what makes the state worth moving to.
