Look up the month of June in the dictionary, and you’ll be reminded that it’s the sixth month of the year on the Gregorian and Julian calendars. What it won’t tell you is that in Tulsa, we break out the jeans and the blue-blocker sunglasses, crack open a couple of our buddy’s latest home brews, find a spot on the porch or a tailgate somewhere, and enjoy watching the sun go down.

It doesn’t matter what age you are; in northeast Oklahoma, it’s still pretty much impossible to separate summertime from a bunch of other things too, like lemonade, berries, watermelon, fireworks, lightning bugs, and, of course, hot dogs. Some of the best hot dogs (and their link cousins) are found right here in Green Country.

More than a time warp to past good times, despite the bad rap that basic hot dogs used to get, today’s versions are made from better ingredients with fewer additives and more snap, texture, seasoning and all-around beefiness.

If you’re visiting Tulsa or even if you’ve been here your whole life, we suspect you have no idea the tremendous number of excellent places there are to get a quality hot dog, brat, wiener, link, coney or sausage. Here are just a few places to get you started this summer.

Whether you enjoy a fast-serve drive-thru or a sit-down restaurant, casual or haute cuisine, historic spots or the latest new food joint on the block, one thing is not up for debate. There’s a boatload of awesome places to get a tasty burger in Green Country.

What’s more American than the hamburger? This culinary icon is deeply embedded in our culture. It’s been immortalized in countless movies and television shows. And since we’re a nation of individuals, it seems fitting that the variety of hamburgers available is as colorful and wide ranging as our imaginations will allow. Whether you’re hungry for a traditional burger or something out of the ordinary, there are many appetizing choices.

For such a common American meal, the burger exists in numerous makes and models in our area, depending on your personal burger-noshing preferences. You can get slim patties or thick ones, singles or doubles, even triples. The patties may be ground beef, Angus, turkey, bean, vegetarian or other creative options. They can be pan-fried, barbecued or flame-broiled, served straight or topped with just about anything you can imagine.

What’s cool about Green Country is that you can enjoy an old-fashioned, diner-style burger from businesses that launched in the 1950s or are housed on old Route 66 for a nostalgic meal. Or, you can drop in to a hip, modern restaurant and get a burger served with culinary school ingenuity. Or, you can find anything and everything in between.

Whichever reason you’re on the lookout for a cafe, the options are limitless — which is why narrowing down the best coffee spots in Green Country is a daunting task. Here are 25 of the area’s best coffee houses (many of which roast their own beans), from hotspots to hidden gems.

Whether you were born in Oklahoma, recently moved here or are just passing through, one truth about our food is clearly obvious if you take a little drive around the area; we love our barbecue. In fact, there may be more barbecue spots in Green Country than churches, which is saying a lot in the Bible Belt.

What we’re saying is — if you’ve got a craving for smoked bologna, chopped brisket, pulled pork or wood-flavored ribs, you are in the right place. Tulsa and the surrounding towns are filled with barbecue restaurants, many of them the family-run, hole-in-the-wall joints that boast amazingly good food for a great price. A few are locally born chains that still retain that down-home feel you know and love about Okie food.

Of course, you can argue best barbecue all day in Green Country, asking questions like: Is it better to smoke with hickory or pecan wood? Is the best sauce sweet or spicy? Does great barbecue even need sauce, or should it be eaten straight up? Where’s the best spot in the area to enjoy a meal? The debate can go on and on endlessly.

Or you can just try ‘em all, and enjoy each of our homespun barbecue spots for what makes them unique, whether it’s interesting combos, classic dishes, large portions, great desserts or something else. There’s something to love at every one of the places we’ve included on our list. Go forth and taste them all. Just bring some wet wipes to clean up your sauce-covered fingers after you chow down.

Beef is just about as American as apple pie. Our fair country is so fond of steak dinners that we average eating about 54 pounds of beef each per year. It’s a good time to be a carnivore.

That’s a lot of red meat, and the trend isn’t going to disappear. Beef is still in, baby. And that means you can find a trusty, tasty steak meal at just about any restaurant you visit in Green Country.

Of course, what makes a great steak stand out is its flavor. You need a combination of quality meat, proper aging and culinary know-how to marinate and prepare that slab of red, juicy goodness.

Fortunately, Tulsa and the surrounding areas offers a rich, beefy selection of great steaks to enjoy, plus some superbly talented chefs to prepare them. You can go from classic steakhouse to international style cuisine and still enjoy the savory steak options all week long and then some.

We’ve gathered a list of places — some obvious, some perhaps surprising — where you can get a thick, juicy, sizzling slab of beef to enjoy the next time the carnivore in you is craving it.

At the end of the day, the search for the “best” steak begins and ends with you. We present a few of our favorites that deliver scene-stealing add-ons, impeccable aging and sourcing, and smoky, fatty flavor to help you decide which best suits your style and occasion.