Flip's Wine Bar & Trattoria in Oklahoma City: Italian Small Plates and Local Wine Selection
Flip's Wine Bar & Trattoria is a 40-seat Italian restaurant in Midtown Oklahoma City that pairs housemade pasta and seasonal small plates with a wine list weighted toward Oklahoma and regional producers. It occupies a narrow storefront designed for lingering over courses rather than rapid turnover, with a bar counter and four-top tables that fill quickly on weekends.
What Flip's actually is
Flip's operates as a wine bar first and restaurant second. The space reflects this priority: most seating faces the bar where bottles are racked at eye level, and the kitchen is visible through a service window. The menu changes roughly every two weeks based on ingredient availability and wine pairings the owner wants to feature. This is not a red-sauce establishment or a date-night splurge destination in the fine-dining sense; it's a neighborhood spot designed for people who want to understand what they're drinking and eating, and who don't mind small portions.
Menu, pricing, and wine selection
Most entrees cost between $16 and $28. Housemade pastas (tagliatelle, pappardelle, ravioli) typically anchor the savory side at the lower end of that range, while composed plates with proteins like duck breast or fish occupy the higher range. Small plates and appetizers run $8 to $15. Desserts are $6 to $8.
The wine list runs roughly 100 selections, with approximately 40 percent from Oklahoma wineries and 30 percent from other domestic producers. By-the-glass pours cost $8 to $16, depending on the wine. Full bottles range from $28 to $90 for most of the list, with older or imported bottles reaching higher prices. This is a deliberate strategy: the owner sources wines that pair with the food and region, not wines chosen for prestige markup.
Food-and-wine pairings are not forced or pretentious. A recent menu featured house-made biscotti paired with an Oklahoma Viognier, and handmade cavatappi with a sauce built around local beef and a red blend from Robbers Cave Vineyard near Wilburton. The kitchen accommodates dietary restrictions when given notice.
How it compares to other Oklahoma City Italian restaurants
Flip's differs from Bellini Ristorante (NW OKC), a larger, more formal Italian restaurant with a full bar and a broader menu spanning multiple regional Italian traditions. Bellini targets special occasions and business dinners; entrees run $22 to $38, and wine selections emphasize Italian imports. Choose Bellini for anniversaries or when you want to feel dressed up.
Flip's also differs from The Loaded Bowl (multiple locations), which serves Italian-influenced bowls and sandwiches in a fast-casual format for $12 to $14. The Loaded Bowl is lunch-and-takeout oriented; Flip's requires time and a table.
Flip's is closest in spirit to Picasso Cafe in Midtown, which also emphasizes small plates and house wine selections, but Picasso focuses on Mediterranean and Spanish cuisines. If you want Italian specifically and are drawn to wine exploration, Flip's is the clearer fit.
Who it suits and who it does not
Flip's suits adults who enjoy wine, who don't mind waiting 15 to 20 minutes for food (items are made to order), and who view eating as a social activity rather than fuel. It works well for dates, small groups of friends, and solo diners willing to sit at the bar. It does not suit families with young children (the noise and wait time strain patience), people seeking a quick meal before an event, or anyone uncomfortable with a menu that changes and sometimes runs out of items mid-service.
What the first visit involves
Arrive expecting to spend two to three hours if you order three or four courses and drinks. Order a glass of wine first; staff will explain what's available and make pairing suggestions. The kitchen will not rush you. If the menu item you want is not available, you'll learn this when you order, not when food arrives. Reservations are recommended Thursday through Saturday but walk-ins are seated when space allows on weekday afternoons and early evenings.
Hours, parking, and logistics
Flip's is open Tuesday through Thursday 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., and closed Sunday and Monday (verify current hours, as they have shifted seasonally in the past). Street parking is available on the surrounding Midtown blocks; a municipal lot one block south offers metered spaces. The restaurant does not take reservations via phone; book through its website or call ahead to confirm availability if you're visiting with a group larger than four.
Flip's holds a specific place in Oklahoma City's dining landscape because it treats regional wine and seasonal cooking as equally important, and it prices both accessibly enough that exploration feels like recreation rather than indulgence.
