Hi there!

 

Today we are going to pay a visit to Oklahoma’s “Little Italy” in the small town of Krebs, Oklahoma. This tiny town located in Southeastern Oklahoma has been serving up some of the State’s best Italian food since the Early 1900’s.

This quaint community in Pittsburgh County was an old coal mining town in the 1870’s before Oklahoma officially became a state.

Krebs, Oklahoma located just outside of the city of McAlester, had recruited a mix of Italian immigrants to work in the mines of Indian Territory.

So, when they settled in, they had brought with them their favorite family recipes that would impress any Italian food connoisseur.

I am going to give you a list of places that are must-see in this Italian community so when you do bring your appetite, your expectations will be crystal clear on what to expect.

 

Without further ado, Let’s jump into the article!

 

For more information on Krebs, please check out https://www.travelok.com

 

 

The History of Krebs

From 1870 to 1914 more than four million Italians immigrated to the United States. Of these, approximately 40 percent remained in America, and there were a big portion that moved to states west of the Mississippi River.

So, in 1870 well before Oklahoma was admitted into the union, the majority of these Italian immigrants decided to settle in counties where coal was mined.

When 1880 arrived, coal mines began to operate in Pittsburgh County inside Indian Territory. With cheap labor being the focus, the coal companies hired immigrants, mostly men, from parts of Eastern Europe.

Unlike Italians in other parts of the country, nearly three-fourths of those came to Indian territory were from Northern Italy.

At the turn of the century, the Italian enclaves were located in Pittsburgh, Lattimer, and Coal Counties.

 

Pete’s Place

As time passed, a small yet accommodating service industry was catering to these mining communities. The miners were in need of food, clothing, and other essentials. Towns such as Krebs, Hartshorne, Coalgate, emerged, Italians asserted themselves in other endeavors.

One of those endeavors was serving up homemade Italian cuisine that would be a staple in the area for the next hundred years.

 

 

In 1925 Pete Prichard, an Italian immigrant who came to America in 1903, started working in the nearby coal mines at the young age of 11.

When Pete suffered a devastating accident in the mines that crushed one of his legs, he had to find another way to earn a living.

To make ends meet, Pete began to brew his own beer known as today as Choc Beer. So, with an end in mind, he began to serve this out of his home to fellow coal miners and eventually found his way making food on the side.

In 1925 when the doors finally opened, the rest was history.

 

 

When You Visit Krebs, Bring Your Appetite!

I get asked this question a lot,” what is my favorite Italian restaurant in Krebs? ” Well, I’m going to give you an answer you don’t want to hear.

They are all great!

But fair warning, you need to bring your appetite with your family and friends on this one. All of these places I’m about to mention will have one thing in common.

Large portions.

Starting off with Pete’s place, you will be immediately greeted with the following before your meal. Let’s take a look:

• Salad
• A large plate of peppers, cheese and olives
• A heaping platter of Ravioli
• A huge portion of Spaghetti & Meatballs

Again, this is before you get your meal!

In addition to the gourmet Italian food, they are also known for the lamb fries. As an added treat, Pete’s Place still serves the original Choc beer that is made in-house.

For more information on Pete’s please check them out at Pete’s Place

 

Lovera’s Italian Grocery

 

If I’m being honest here, if I don’t visit Lovera’s while going to Krebs and don’t come away with any of my favorite olive oils or cheeses, then my trip was cut short.

Lovera’s opened its doors in 1946 in a sandstone building. This has been a culinary destination when it was opened by a gentleman named Mike Lovera.

Mike had purchased the business from his mother and stepfather calling it Mike’s Grocery and Meat Market.

Little did Mike know that this was going to be the center point of this small community for years to come. What is now known as Lovera’s, this Italian grocery store has some of the best handcrafted Italian cheeses in America.

They have also been known for their in-house Italian sausages and have an award-winning line of artesian cheeses.

The grocery store is stocked with olive oils, cookies, chocolates, and many other imported Italian products that you can’t find anywhere else.

But the Cheese is what they are truly known for. Here is just a few of their famous cheeses:

• Caciocavera: The signature cheese of Lovera’s! They have several options to choose from such as the aged, braided, or smoked caciocavera.
• Caprino di Krebs: Incredible goat cheese from flavors ranging from original to cranberry and they even have cracked peppercorn which is my favorite.
• Toma: This is considered Alpine-style cheese that is made from sheep milk. They have a lot of flavors to choose from including the Oklahoma flavors.

To top things off, what is an Italian grocery store without an exceptional Deli Counter?

At Lovera’s, you can get Italian sandwiches that are great for lunch and are made to order like the Muffuletta.

Final verdict, just go!

 

Isle of Capri

 

 

For the past 71 years, people who have come across Krebs, Oklahoma could be certain they would find an excellent place to break bread thanks to the Isle of Capri.

Dominic Giacomo, who was serving in the United States Navy during World War II, sailed around the Isle of Capri.

This is where his inspiration originated from.

Dominic was determined to open up an Italian eatery in Southeastern Oklahoma when he returned from the war.

He was the fifth of six children, raised by his mother, who was working tirelessly serving homemade foods and Choc beer to the miners to pay the bills.

While mining brought Italians, Russians, and Poles to Krebs for work, those same mines were the cause of unexpected fatalities. Therefore, women of those households were forced to improvise.

So, on Mother’s Day of 1950, Mr. Giacomo opened its doors, and the reputation quickly spread in this small community.

Like many buildings in Krebs, the signs and buildings are red, white, and green – paying homage to the flag of Italy.

The Isle of Capri serves authentic Italian food, served family style. We have talked about this before with Pete’s Place. There is no way you’re going home hungry unless it’s your own fault.

The Isle of Capri serves fresh Rocky Mountain oysters among other dishes, but of course they are known for busting out scrumptious staples such as Lovera’s sausage paired with red gravy and meatballs.

Even though Giocomo passed away in 1974, the family remained committed to carry out Mr. Giocomo’s dreams.

Today, the Isle of Capri serves between 2,000 people on most weekends. Some say without the Isle of Capri, Pete’s Place and others would suffer.

Roseanna’s

 

 

What originally began as a small takeout establishment, Roseanna’s has grown into one of the area’s most popular eateries.

Frank and Rose Ann Prichard decided to open its doors in 1975 on the west side of town, the restaurant didn’t waste any time at all being successful.

Extra seating became the focus and in 1980, the restaurant moved to its current spot on the east side of town where the Prichard’s carry on the family tradition of delivering excellent food to the public.

Unlike the others mentioned here, Roseanna’s does not serve their delicious food family-style. Instead, they encourage you to actually share a meal by adding an empty plate for no extra cost.

The menu consists of authentic options that are named after their family members, which I think is really unique.

Plates such as the Rose Ann’s sampler platter or Michael’s famous steak & pepper to name a couple. One of the best things at Roseanna’s is their famous homemade Gnocchi.

The Italian Festival

Every May, live entertainment and great food come together what is known as the Italian Festival in McAlester.

Hundreds of vendors come up for a couple of days to spearhead this Oklahoma cultural celebration. Since its inception in 1971, Oklahomans have gathered here for art exhibits, carnival rides, and so much more.

This festival draws a ton of people here because like anything else, when it comes to food in Oklahoma, word of mouth travels quickly.

When the streets are packed and there is delicious food at every corner, you will be marveled at the fact that you are in Krebs, Oklahoma and not Naples or Sicily.

They do call this place Little Italy after all.

 

 

 

Thoughts & Takeaways

And that wraps things up for today. Krebs, Oklahoma is unique in so many ways it’s hard for me to find a starting point when discussing it. I’m infatuated with the family traditions that continue to get carried on in this small community. For those who grew up in Oklahoma, Krebs and Italian food have been synonymous since the dawn of time. On the other hand, if you’re not from Oklahoma, and you want to swing through the sooner state for some Italian cuisine, you cannot go wrong with any of these places. Just be sure to bring your appetite and some time on your side, because you’re going to need it. Please share your experiences in the town of Krebs in the comment section below.

 

 

-CT