The long wait is over for fans of Wildflower Cafe as the restaurant reopens Thursday in MODE Tulsa, 913 S. Boulder Ave.
There were lots of big smiles and a loud buzz of excitement in what used to be the chapel inside downtown’s former First Christian Church as diners enjoyed a midday meal during a soft opening Wednesday for the staff to warm up the day before regular operations begin. The brunch cafe is open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
As owner Heather Linville walked through a full dining room that can seat more than 100 patrons, she repeatedly stopped to talk to patrons. Most of the exchanges included: “It’s good to be back.”
“The community is back together again, and that’s the exciting part,” Linville said. “Seeing all these friends gather and eat in here, it’s just the best place for community.”
Server Jocelyn Robedeaux said she was thrilled to be back in action in the new location after the former Route 66 spot closed in January.
She and the rest of the staff worked throughout the spring and summer at a satellite location at Philbrook Art & Gardens, plus doing odd jobs like painting the dining rooms walls. All of them maintained their employment through the relocation process and all of them returned to sling dishes this week.
Ask any Wildflower Cafe regular or worker for the best dish on the menu, and there is a wide response of answers. They range from “savory faves,” like the signature Wildflower Breakfast or the huevos rancheros, to the “sunshine sweets,” like the banana bread french toast or the blueberry crepes. There are also a lot of sandwiches, soups and salads to choose from.
Linville said all menu items survived the move, so there’s no need to stress about a favorite dish missing from the robust list of options.
“We did add a few items I think people will be excited about,” she said. “We have chilaquiles on the menu now, along with a French dip and a reuben.”
Also back is the fan-favorite collection of eclectic coffee cups. Server Derrian Osmond was excited to again have the opportunity to match mugs to the vibes she feels coming from the diner.
“I love this so much,” she said as she selected a flower-covered mug from a stand and then rushed off to fill it with coffee.
Server Derrian Osmond chooses a coffee mug that she thinks fits the vibe of the diner inside Wildflower Cafe, 913 S. Boulder Ave., Sept. 9, 2026. Credit: Tim Landes / Tulsa Flyer 
Brunch favorites are on the menu at Wildflower Cafe, 913 S. Boulder Ave., Sept. 9, 2026. Credit: Tim Landes / Tulsa Flyer 
Wildflower Cafe’s new private dining room inside their new space at 913 S. Boulder Ave., Sept. 9, 2026. Credit: Tim Landes / Tulsa Flyer 
Next to Wildflower Cafe’s dining room at 913 S. Boulder Ave., the former First Christian Church sanctuary that will soon be a coffee shop and event space. Credit: Tim Landes / Tulsa Flyer
The restaurant quickly became a popular breakfast spot with long waits — a norm after opening in May 2021 at the corner of East 11th Street and South Peoria Avenue. It operated in that location until closing in early 2026 after multiple disputes with the landlord that, according to a News On 6 report, resulted in the lease not being renewed. New York City-style breakfast diner The Helen has since opened at 1306 E. 11th St.
The new Wildflower location is one part of a multi-use development in the former church located in downtown’s Cathedral District. Next to Wildflower’s dining room is the former sanctuary that will soon be a coffee shop and event space for live music and more. MODE Tulsa is also expected to feature 31 affordable apartments.
Much of the development is still on the horizon. For Linville and the Wildflower Cafe staff, running a full-time restaurant operation again feels like a return to form.
“It’s awesome. I’m just so happy to see everyone in here smiling,” Linville said. “It feels good. It feels really good.”
News decisions at the Tulsa Flyer are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
