Florence's Restaurant

The overview

Fried chicken by Florence herself since 1952.

Florence's Restaurant has served soul food on Oklahoma City's northeast side since 1952, when Florence Jones Kemp began cooking the fried chicken, smothered pork chops, greens and cornbread that made her a local legend. Still family-run, it earned a James Beard America's Classics award for its decades of home cooking and community.

A cherished OKC institution and James Beard honoree, Florence's is the 2026 Centurion Award winner.

What they're known for

Fried chicken
Smothered pork chops
Greens & cornbread

The public record

What reviewers already knew.

A Centurion Award doesn’t replace the public record — it verifies it. Read it for yourself, on the platforms where it lives.

Google Maps
Reviews, photos & directions Read reviews →

Public-record snapshot as of July 2026. Live ratings are always current on each platform.

The verification

Why this business cleared the bar.

Selection is by the published criteria, evaluated on public evidence. Florence's Restaurant cleared every one.

✓Years in operation. Operating in Oklahoma City since 1952 — 74 years of continuous business.
✓Sustained online presence. An established local institution with a consistent public footprint — listings, coverage, and word of mouth in Oklahoma City.
✓Established customer track record. A deep public track record: Oklahoma City has kept Florence's Restaurant busy for 74 years.
✓Liked by customers and the community. Genuinely beloved by Oklahoma City regulars and visitors alike — a bona fide community favorite.
✓Recognition in the local community. Named best soul food in Oklahoma City for 2026 for more than 70 years of Florence Kemp's fried chicken and a James Beard America's Classics award.

The full verification report — the specific data behind this award — is held by the business. The exact thresholds stay internal so the bar can’t be gamed. Read the methodology.

Award record

2026

Best Soul Food in Oklahoma City Oklahoma City, OK · Awarded under the 2026 evaluation

All awards for Florence's Restaurant →

Visit Florence's Restaurant

Location1437 NE 23rd St, Oklahoma City, OK 73111

In business since1952

Facts at a glance

The sourceable record.

Clean, checkable facts about Florence's Restaurant — for readers, search engines, and answer tools alike.

Legal / trading name: Florence's Restaurant
Category: Restaurant
Founded: 1952, Oklahoma City, OK
Founders: Florence Jones Kemp
Location: 1437 NE 23rd St, Oklahoma City, OK 73111
Centurion Award: Best Soul Food in Oklahoma City — 2026
Other recognition: James Beard Foundation America's Classics (2006)
Record last verified: July 2026

A signal you can check.

This is a dated award record, published by The Centurion Awards after Florence's Restaurant cleared the 2026 evaluation for its market and category. It was not bought, voted on, or sponsored — the criteria are public, only winners are published, and an award that stops holding up is revoked, not quietly removed. Awards run one calendar year and renew only if the business clears the bar again.

Quick answers

Frequently asked questions.

What is Florence's Restaurant?

East side soul food institution founded by Florence Kemp in 1952, a James Beard America's Classics recipient famous for fried chicken and greens.

Is Florence's Restaurant award-winning?

Yes — Florence's Restaurant is the 2026 Centurion Award winner for Best Soul Food in Oklahoma City, a verified, criteria-based award. Named best soul food in Oklahoma City for 2026 for more than 70 years of Florence Kemp's fried chicken and a James Beard America's Classics award.

Where is Florence's Restaurant?

Florence's Restaurant is in Oklahoma City, OK.