Fair Fellow Coffee: Tulsa's Trendsetting Coffee Hotspot

By Molly Monroe

Nestled amongst Tulsa’s historic Kendall Whittier district, Fair Fellow Coffee is one of the city's trendiest local gems. 

Off the the intersection of Lewis and Admiral, its white brick exterior stands out from its surroundings. Its outdoor logo text spells out in bold, black, capitalized font over the entrance door. Posters and fliers of upcoming local events and concerts decorate the entrance windows. 

Photos of Tulsa's most beloved
locations decorate the store's wooden wall

The Space
The white brick continues inside the space, which is decoded minimally in a mix of industrial and vintage furniture. Initially, it feels like entering a recently gutted apartment in Dumbo, minus the skyline views but including the hipsters. 

Upon closer inspection, however, Fair Fellow is unequivocally a Tulsa joint: the store’s logo is a white, chunky doodle of a cowboy’s profile; Polaroid photos of Tulsa’s most beloved locations decorate an unpainted wooden wall; locally published magazines are scattered along the store’s coffee tables along with pleasant succulent plants and drawing supplies if you’re feeling creative; even the the wifi password is “ilovetulsa”. 

An Eclectic Clientele 
The menu, listed on a small booklet of recycled paper, contains items hard to find anywhere else in town. One man with flowing, gray hair, walks into the store with confidence. He looks suspiciously like Flaming Lips lead singer, Wayne Coyne. The staff already knows his order. He looks around to survey the cafe and spots a suitable chair for enjoying his nitro coffee with soy.

The space resembles a gutted NYC apartment
with the charm of a local coffee shop

Most of the clientele at Fair Fellow are regulars and are all equally interesting in appearance. Two 20-somethings sit together in a corner table—one dressed in vintage denim and the other in yoga pants, chatting politely about an upcoming project. 

The other customers sit alone—one man, who is a clean-cut, casually-dressed, and probably nearing 30, stares intently into his laptop. Another customer, a bearded, mid-30s guy in a tweed sports coat (despite the warm September Oklahoma weather), scrolls casually through his Instagram news feed and chews occasional bites of his vegan cinnamon roll.

Meanwhile, the barista’s perfectly lined cat eyes stare lifelessly into space as she waits for the next customer to enter the quiet space. She occasionally looks down through her wide-rimmed black and gold glasses to change the low-playing acoustic-alternative melody that plays throughout the shop. 

A Local Experience Worth the Extra Bucks

The coffee is pricey, but at Fair Fellow, you are not just buying a normal cup of Joe, but the experience. Visitors come for the unique drinks and the laid-back, yet trendy atmosphere. It is a versatile space for work, socializing, or simply enjoying the space. To visit Fair Fellow is to embrace Tulsa’s charming heritage while exploring new ideas. A Yerba Mate Latte for here, please.